For everyone at Ballet Theatre of Maryland, this is an exciting time of year. Not only are we gearing up for our performances of Sleeping Beauty in April, we have also announced next season's main-stage performances at Maryland Hall. With productions of Napoli, The Nutcracker, Momentum: A Mixed Bill, and Swan Lake, this season is sure to be a treat.
Napoli
October 2024 | Maryland Hall
We open our season with Napoli, which was choreographed in 1842 by noted Danish choreographer August Bournonville. Although Napoli has a long history, it has only been performed by a handful of ballet companies in the United States. Its story follows the plucky fisherman Gennaro as he endeavors to marry his beloved Teresina.
No sooner do they convince Teresina's mother to allow them to marry, the two lovers experience a terrible shipwreck and Teresina is transformed into a naiad (water spirit). Through the powers of the wicked sea demon, Golfo, Teresina cannot remember Gennaro. The young fisherman must call upon his tenacity and faithfulness to recover his beloved. In the end, the two return home to be wed.
According to Jennifer Homans's ballet history Apollo's Angels, Napoli exists because August Bournonville inadvertently insulted the Danish king. Taking exile in Naples until his indiscretion was forgotten, Bournonville soon became enchanted by the region's thriving local culture.
Bournonville staged Napoli to honor Naples upon his return to Copenhagen. The resulting work features much of the warmth and color of his visit--including an energizing tarantella--as well as Bournonville's characteristically crisp petit allegro steps. These quick jumps require precise musicality and strong discipline, a challenge we hope that our audience will enjoy with us in October!
The Nutcracker
December 2024 | Maryland Hall
Join us for Annapolis's favorite holiday tradition, The Nutcracker. Whirling snowflakes and scampering mice are the perfect companions to every family's winter festivities. This season, the company celebrates the 20th anniversary of Dianna Cuatto’s production.
Although there are many elements of The Nutcracker that remain the same from one company to one another, Annapolis audiences have fallen in love with Cuatto's charming take on this family classic: the humorous squabbles of the children in the party scene, Drosselmeier's magic tricks and dancing dolls, and Clara's dreamy transformation from little girl to beautiful Sugar Plum Fairy.
Help us celebrate the impact of our Artistic Director Emeritus with the 20th Anniversary of her Nutcracker!
Momentum: A Mixed Bill
February 2025 | Maryland Hall
We swing into the new year with Momentum: A Mixed Bill. This sampler of classical and contemporary movement features world-premiering works by company members as well as guest choreographers. The homegrown nature of this performance is part of its appeal--and one of the reasons we look forward to it every season!
For dancers, there is nothing quite like having new movement created on you. The exact way you approach the choreography will leave an enduring mark on the new work.
When the choreographer in the room is a respected peer or guest, that experience can be mutually rewarding. Perhaps former BTM dancer and recent guest choreographer Ashley Taylor puts it best:
"I was really excited to return as a choreographer for BTM. The dancers are so talented and quick to pick up on new movement, and I was looking forward to seeing how they would bring my vision for a more contemporary and story-driven piece to life.
It's surreal to be at the front of a room where I spent so many hours in rehearsal myself, so my hope was to create a memorable and meaningful experience for the dancers as well as the audience. Momentum is a wonderful opportunity for both dance enthusiasts and newcomers to experience a variety of artistic voices, and I couldn't wait to see the other pieces that were being created alongside mine."
Ashely's work for 2024's Momentum, "Into the Light," was an audience favorite. Join us for Momentum in 2025 to see what new surprises the dancers and choreographers have in store!
Swan Lake
April 2025 | Maryland Hall
Lastly, the season comes to an end with the tragically romantic Swan Lake. Most recently performed by BTM in early 2020, Swan Lake is known for its impressive corps de ballet, its rousing court dances, and the infamous duality of the White and Black Swans.
Although the contrast of the frail Odette and the fiery Odile creates much of the ballet's drama, their stark differences result in part from how the ballet was choreographed. Jennifer Homans explains in Apollo's Angels that modern productions are based on the revival of an earlier, unsuccessful iteration of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. When it came time to revise this poorly received production, the great choreographer Marius Petipa was in ill health and shared his choreographic duties with fellow ballet master Lev Ivanov.
From Petipa we receive the noble grandeur of the court scenes in Acts I and III, where Odile's garish bravura reveals her evil intentions. From Ivanov we inherit the iconic ballet blanc of Acts II and IV, where doomed swan maidens shape their iconic patterns across the stage and the unwitting Prince Siegfried wins and then loses Odette's love. Although different productions of Swan Lake offer different endings (some hopeful, some tragic), the unique versatility of Tchaikovsky's score brings each interpretation to a satisfying conclusion.
With such a variety of stories to tell, the 2024-2025 season may be our best one yet! If you're planning to join us, keep your eyes peeled: we'll be offering Season Subscriptions starting in May. This is a season you won't want to miss.
What performance are you looking forward to the most? We'd love to hear from you in the comments.
All promotional photos by Joanne Marie Photography
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