Houston Ballet Makes History as First US Classical Ballet Company to perform at the new Dubai Opera House
Houston Ballet is proud to announce their first ever tour to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. From October 24-27, 2018, Houston Ballet will perform Artistic Director Stanton Welch’s Swan Lake. Audiences in Dubai will have the opportunity to enjoy this timeless tale by Mr. Welch that has cemented him as one of the most innovative and in-demand choreographers in the world.
Houston Ballet has toured extensively both nationally and internationally, and this will be the company’s first tour to Dubai. “Houston Ballet is thrilled to enchant audiences across the globe and continue building touring relationships,” Houston Ballet’s Executive Director Jim Nelson states, “and maintaining a strong international touring presence positions Houston Ballet and our Academy as a global company able to attract talent from around the world.”
Swan Lake was created for the company in 2006, with music composed by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) and featuring sumptuous scenery and costumes by Kristian Fredrikson. One of the great love stories of classical ballet, Swan Lake tells the story of Odette – a beautiful maiden transformed into a swan by an evil knight – and the Prince who swears his eternal love for her. In his staging, Mr. Welch imbues the main characters with greater psychological complexity, and gives the work a twenty-first century pace. Mr. Welch, who collaborated with Mr. Fredrikson on Swan Lake, was inspired by John William Waterhouse’s painting, The Lady of Shalott (1888). Mr. Welch commented, “When I saw this painting I said, ‘this is our Odette.’ Here is a woman, a young heroine, lost in a forest by a lake, touched by tragedy.”
Jasper Hope, Chief Executive at Dubai Opera, commented: “Swan Lake is a ballet masterpiece and one of the most popular works for audiences today. I am delighted to announce that Houston Ballet will be bringing their brilliant production of this eternal story to the Dubai Opera stage in October, accompanied of course by Tchaikovsky’s incredible score performed by a live orchestra, all-in-all a thrilling treat for ballet fans throughout the region.”
The company will give six performances of Swan Lake at Dubai Opera and tickets are on sale now.
For more information visit: houstonballet.org/ontour or dubaiopera.com.
Houston Ballet’s 2018-19 season is generously sponsored by United Airlines, Houston First Corporation, Houston Methodist, and the Fayez Sarofim and Company Tour Fund. This production is generously underwritten by Houston Ballet Trustee Margaret Alkek Williams.
