By Duato, Peck, Robbins, & Wheeldon
Music by Bonet, Britten, R. Prince, & Shubert
Take an emotional journey with Pennsylvania Ballet as the Company premieres Nacho Duato's Arenal. This contrasting piece portrays the ups and down of everyday life, inspired by the popular melodies and songs composed and adapted by María del Mar Bonet. Jerome Robbins' NY Export: Opus Jazz experiments with movements to cool jazz and angst-ridden beats, reflecting the post-war era of city streets bustling with teens expressing their outlooks and attitudes. The abstract ballet is set to music with complex rhythms by Robert Prince. Justin Peck's Chutes and Ladders is primarily an interpretation of the music, exposing details of the music through movement. Set to Benjamin Britten's String Quartet No. 1 in D Major, this Company premiere covers a range of moods and tempos as the string quartet performs onstage with the dancers. For Four was created in California in 2006 for Kings of the Dance, an all-star showcase of top male ballet dancers. The piece displays a quartet to Schubert's 'Death and Maiden.' The choreography makes the best use of four men dancing together.