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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 19, 2009

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - Metropolitan Classical Ballet Artistic Directors Paul Mejia and Alexander Vetrov have announced yet another year of programming for the Company's 13th season, which will open on September 28, 2009 and run through June 19, 2010. True to form, they have once again designed a repertory with emphasis on simplicity, style, and pure classical tradition.  These are the elements that give the Company its uniqueness and have added to its phenomenal success.

The new season repertory includes three programs to be presented at the Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth and four performances of the full-length production of The Nutcracker to be presented at Texas Hall in Arlington. The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra will accompany performances during the season including The Nutcracker.  Paul Mejia and Alexander Vetrov are looking forward to this new collaboration with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Migel Harth-Bedoya.

The 2009 / 2010 season will include two works by the legendary choreographer George Balanchine: Scotch Symphony and his masterpiece, Apollo. Both works will be presented by arrangement with The George Balanchine Trust and will be staged by Paul Mejia.  Two Paul Mejia works return to the repertory: his highly acclaimed CafeVictoria and For Five.  Alexander Vetrov's abridged creation of Yuri Grigovoich's epic ballet Spartacus returns, as well as his restaging of two acts from the Great Russian Classic, Raymonda.  Also included in the season is a world premiere ballet yet to be titled, a collaborative work between Mr. Mejia and Mr. Vetrov.  Celebrated musicians, pianists Gleb Ivanov and violinist Eric Grossman, have been invited to perform in the Spring Repertory program.

The 2009-2010 Season Overview

FALL REPERTORY

Bass Performance Hall

Monday, September 28, 8:00 PM

Accompanied by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Ron Spigelman

SCOTCH SYMPHONY

Music by Felix Mendelssohn

Choreography by George Balanchine

© George Balanchine Trust

Staged by Paul Mejia

RAYMONDA

Music by Alexander Glazunov

Choreography by Marius Petipa

Staged by Alexander Vetrov

The program opens with George Balanchine's spirited Scotch Symphony, music by Felix Mendelssohn, German composer of the Romantic Era who was inspired to write his Scotch Symphony by a visit to Scotland in 1829; the work was dedicated to Queen Victoria.  Balanchine used the last three movements of the work for his ballet, which premiered on November 11, 1952 by the New York City Ballet at the City Center of Music and Drama in New York. 

The evening closes with Alexander Vetrov's staging of two acts from the Great Russian ballet classic, Raymonda, a knightly legend set in the Middle Ages.  Alexander Glazunov composed the exciting musical score for the ballet, which was choreographed by Marius Petipa in his 80thyear.  Considered to be his last great masterpiece, it was first presented at the Mariinsky Theater, St. Petersburg, Russia in 1898.  Act II is characterized by powerful dance scenes filled with exotic charm, but the highlight is the final the grand pas, which skillfully combines classical and character dance.

THE NUTCRACKER- FULL LENGTH

Texas Hall, the University of Texas at Arlington

Friday, December 18, 7:30 PM

Saturday, December 19, 2:00 & 7:30 PM

Sunday, December 20, 2:00 PM

Accompanied by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Bernard Rubenstein

Music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Choreography by Alexander Vetrov

The annual production of The Nutcracker is a classical ballet in two acts, based on the cherished fairy tale The Nutcracker and The Mouse King written by E.T.A. Hoffmann in 1816, and set to music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Influenced by the Bolshoi, with choreography in part by Yuri Grigorovich, Alexander Vetrov's choreographic version has been pleasing audiences and garnering great critical acclaim since it was first presented in December of 2003.

SPRING REPERTORY

Bass Performance Hall

Monday, March 15, 2010, 8:00 PM

With pianist Geb Ivanov and violinist Eric Grossman

LES PROMENADES

Music by Jean-Philippe Rameau

Choreography by Vladimir Vasiliev

Staged by Alexander Vetrov

FOR FIVE

Music by Igor Stravinsky

Choreography by Paul Mejia

CAFE VICTORIA

Music by Astor Piazzolla

Choreography by Paul Mejia

NEW BALLET (WORLD PREMIERE)

Collaborative work by Paul Mejia and Alexander Vetrov

Les Promenades, set to music by Jean-Philippe Rameau, is a part of These Charming Sounds, a program of one-act ballets choreographed and produced by Vladimir Vasiliev for the Bolshoi in 1978. It premiered on Soviet television in 1981. The ballets were intended to be an alternative to the heavy epic works that had been the hallmark of the Bolshoi for decades; the fantasy ballets were lighter, simpler and merrier, and enjoyed huge success with audiences and dancers alike. Les Promenades made its U.S. Premiere with Metropolitan Classical Ballet at Bass Hall in April of 2006. 

Two works by Paul Mejia follow:  Cafe Victoria, choreographed in 1992, is set to the passionate and fiery score by the renowned Argentine tango composer, Astor Piazzolla, who revolutionized the traditional tango into a new style incorporating elements from jazz and classical music.  Always received with great enthusiasm, it was premiered by Metropolitan Classical Ballet on September 21, 2001.  For Five, originally choreographed for five male dancers premiered with the Chicago City Ballet at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago on May 16, 1984 when Mr. Mejia was then the artistic director of the Chicago City Ballet.  The music, Five Easy Pieces, was written by Igor Stravinsky in 1917.  Mr. Mejia re-choreographed the ballet for one male dancer on October 3, 2003 when it was premiered by the Metropolitan Classical Ballet.

The program will conclude with a collaborative work by Mr. Mejia and Mr. Vetrov yet to be titled. 

SUMMER REPERTORY

Bass Performance Hall

Saturday, June 19, 8:00 PM, 2010

Accompanied by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Bernard Rubenstein

APOLLO

Music by Igor Stravinsky

Choreography by George Balanchine

© George Balanchine Trust

Staged by Paul Mejia

SPARTACUS

Music by Aram Khachaturian

Libretto & Choreography by Yuri Grigorovich

Restaging by Alexander Vetrov

The evening will open with the second Balanchine ballet of the season, Apollo. Considered to be one of George Balanchine's greatest masterpieces, the ballet is based on the Greek god of music. Apollo was choreographed in an atmosphere of great creativity and inspiration during Balanchine's last years in Europe and marked his first collaboration with Igor Stravinsky, a relationship that spanned a good portion of the 20th Century. It was first presented in 1928 by the Ballets Russes at Theatre Sarah Bernhardt in Paris. Metropolitan Classical Ballet first performed Apollo in 2000.

The evening concludes with Alexander Vetrov's restaging of the great epic ballet Spartacus. Considered to be one of Grigorovich's greatest masterpieces, it premiered at the Bolshoi Ballet, Moscow in 1968. Later, Alexander Vetrov starred in the role of Crassus when he was at the time the leading male principal dancer at the Bolshoi. In 2004, Grigovovich granted Mr. Vetrov permission to create an abridged variation of the famous ballet, which premiered at Bass Hall in April 2004 to great acclaim.

Programming, program order and casting for all productions is subject to change without notice.

In addition to the public performances of The Nutcracker, special performances of a condensed version will be presented on December 7, 8, 9 & 10 for students of the Arlington Independent School District and other area private schools as part of the Company's Children's Cultural Enrichment Program.  For the fifth consecutive year, Metropolitan Classical Ballet and The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra will bring the cherished story of Peter and the Wolf, music by Sergei Prokofiev, to the Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Performance Hall for eight performances on January 19, 20, 21 & 22.

On the weekends of November 27, 28 & 29 and December 4, 5, & 6, Metropolitan Classical Ballet's The Nutcracker will be presented at the Municipal Auditorium in San Antonio by ARTS San Antonio as a part of its 2009 - 2010 Season.  Performances will be accompanied by the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Bernard Rubenstein.

Season subscriptions and individual tickets are available now at Metropolitan Classical Ballet's administration office located at 500 West Abram in Arlington, or by calling (817) 465-4644. Individual tickets are $45, $30 and $12 and are available through Bass Performance Hall Ticket Office at (817) 212-4280; toll free at (877) 212-4280, or on the web at www.basshall.com. Tickets are also available through Metropolitan Classical Ballet's administrative office located at 500 West Abram in Arlington or by calling (817) 465-4644. The Nutcracker tickets are available only through Metropolitan Classical Ballet. Group discounts are available. Subscribers have the option of adding The Nutcracker at Texas Hall at a savings of 10%. In addition to low-ticket prices, subscribers receive priority seating, ticket exchange privileges, invitations to private receptions, preview parties and a subscription to Metropolitan Classical Ballet's E-newsletter, To The Pointe.

Metropolitan Classical Ballet was founded in 1997 and is regarded as one of the most successful ballet companies in Texas. Artistic Directors Paul Mejia and Alexander Vetrov are well-recognized names in ballet. Mr. Mejia, a former principal dancer with the New York City Ballet who danced principal roles in many Balanchine ballets, carries on Balanchine's style and artistic vision through his acclaimed choreography. Alexander Vetrov, former leading male principal dancer with the prestigious Bolshoi, has a strong working knowledge of Russian Classical techniques and principles that is reflected in his choreography.  He has the distinction of being the recipient of the Honored People's Artist of Russia, the highest honor given by the Russian President.  He still maintains close connections with the Bolshoi today.  Company dancers are valued for their superior technique and strong artistic personalities.  Since 1999, the Company has performed at the Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth.  It reaches over 30,000 individuals each season.

Metropolitan Classical Ballet's 2009 / 2010 season is made possible in part by its generous sponsors: American Airlines, The University of Texas at Arlington, and the law firm of Hill Gilstrap.

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Media Note: Further information may be obtained by contacting Maria Kudyakova at (817) 465-4644. Information can also be found on Metropolitan Classical Ballet's website www.mcballet.org