September 4, 2001
Contact: Susan Gwynne
(805) 893-2098
e-mail: gwynne-s@sa.ucsb.edu

UCSB Arts & Lectures and The Lobero present the world-renowned Miami City Ballet, led by the legendary dancer Edward Villella, dancing George Balanchine’s Jewels

Summary Facts:

• Miami City Ballet performing George Balanchine’s masterwork Jewels
• Miami City Ballet, one of the most highly acclaimed ballet companies of the last decade, led by the legendary dancer Edward Villella
• Jewels, the three-part, full-length masterwork of the 20th century’s premier choreographer, George Balanchine
• First of four ArtAbounds 2001-2002 performances presented by UCSB Arts & Lectures and The Lobero
• Sunday, October 14
• 7 pm / Arlington Theatre
• 6 pm Meet the Artist discussion with Edward Villella, hosted by Frank Ries
• General: $45/$35, UCSB Students: $25 (limited availability)
• $100 patron seating includes a private post-concert reception with the artists to benefit ArtAbounds, an innovative art presenting partnership between UCSB Arts & Lectures and The Lobero
• Tickets/information: UCSB Arts & Lectures at 893-3535

Miami City Ballet, one of classical dance’s most vibrant companies, will perform George Balanchine’s full-length masterwork Jewels on Sunday, October 14 at 7 pm in the Arlington Theatre. Led by the legendary dancer Edward Villella, this world-class company is fresh from its success in New York and at Washington D.C.’s Kennedy Center. The San Francisco Chronicle described Miami City Ballet’s performance of Jewels as “thrilling, moving and sublime...an exhilarating triumph for American dance.”

Artistic director Edward Villella founded the Miami City Ballet in 1986. It is currently one of the largest ballet companies in the United States with over 40 dancers and 15,000 season subscribers. The company is an invigorating international mix, the dancers having trained at prestigious facilities such as the School of American Ballet, the Schools of the Paris Opera and the Royal Danish Ballet. Its leader, Edward Villella, was the first American-born ballet star, having originated many classic New York City Ballet roles under Balanchine, including the lead male dancer in the “Rubies” section of Jewels. Villella’s affinity for Balanchine’s work has earned Miami City Ballet much praise; in 1999 the Los Angeles Times raved, “The San Francisco Ballet normally owns the Balanchine franchise in the Bay area. But not this week, when the younger, hotter Miami City Ballet is dancing...Miami’s Jewels glowed with energy and glittered with sharp choreographic detail.”

Jewels is a three-part, full length ballet from the master choreographer of the 20th century, George Balanchine. Born in Russia in 1904, he co-founded the New York City Ballet in 1948 with Lincoln Kirstein. The Washington Post claims: “[Balanchine] is to ballet what Tiger Woods is to golf: so far above the competition as to be playing a different game.” Jewels, one of Balanchine’s plotless masterpieces, was inspired by a walk past Van Cleef and Arpels Jewellers on New York’s Fifth Avenue. It celebrates three golden ages of dance. The opening section, “Emeralds,” is set to Fauré’s “Pelleas and Melisande” and “Shylock” and is a tribute to the dancers of the Paris Opéra. The middle section, “Rubies,” is set to Stravinsky’s “Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra” and salutes jazzy American jewels. The final section, “Diamonds,” is set to Tchaikovsky’s “Polish” Symphony No. 3 and honors Balanchine’s roots in Russian classical dance.

A limited number of $100 patron tickets are available for the performance of Jewels. These tickets, which benefit ArtAbounds, include premium seating and an invitation to a private reception with Miami City Ballet after the performance.

The week before the performance, UCSB faculty member and dance historian Frank W. D. Ries will prepares us for Jewels with an entertaining and informative lecture on Sunday, October 7 at 4 pm at the SB Museum of Natural History. This free event (suitable for adults to 12 year-olds), featuring slides and video, will describe the genesis of Jewels and establish Balanchine’s lasting effect on dance.

Before the performance of Jewels, Edward Villella will take part in a Meet-the-Artists discussion hosted by Frank W. D. Ries at 6 pm. Edward Villella will teach a ballet class on Saturday, October 13 from 12:30–2:30 pm at the Carrillo Recreation Center. This class is sponsored by the Santa Barbara Dance Alliance; for information please phone 966-6950.

The Miami City Ballet is the first ArtAbounds event of the 2001-2002 performing arts season. An innovative partnership between UCSB Arts & Lectures and The Lobero, ArtAbounds permits both presenters to bring to Santa Barbara international artists of the highest stature that neither could bring on its own. This project is funded in part by the Audience Development and Marketing Grant Program using funds provided by the City of Santa Barbara in partnership with the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission. Other ArtAbounds performances will be: the Buena Vista Social Club’s Orquesta Ibrahim Ferrer on January 15 at the Arlington Theatre (co-presented with Sings Like Hell); French dance sensation Compagnie Maguy Marin on April 9 at the Lobero; and the Paul Taylor Dance Company on April 19 & 20 in UCSB Campbell Hall.

The performance by the Miami City Ballet is sponsored by the Santa Barbara News-Press, KEYT 3 TV, the Wine Cask and Metropolitan Theatres Corporation.

For tickets or more information,
call UCSB Arts & Lectures at (805) 893-3535.

Editor: For photos, please call
Susan Gwynne at (805) 893-2098.