Sarasota Opera Returns With In-Person Performances

SARASOTA, FL — Sarasota Ballet returns to in-person performances for its upcoming 2021-22 season, according to a news release.

The arts organization cancelled half of its 2019-20 season because of the coronavirus pandemic and hosted only digital programming during its 2020-21 season.

The upcoming season features “seven programs that showcase not only the range of the Company’s choreographic repertoire, but also its artistry and athleticism,” the news release said.

Iain Webb, director, said, “After a year full of unprecedented challenges, I can’t tell you how excited we all are to return to theater and share the breathtaking beauty of ballet with a live audience. We’re being cautious and adventurous with this upcoming season. Cautious in that the first two programs are featuring just two ballets each and designed so that our audiences’ first experiences in the theater are comfortably paced. Adventurous because this season is filled with amazing works and the most ambitious commissioned world premiere that The Sarasota Ballet has ever undertaken.”

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Highlights of the upcoming season include two world premieres. The first, by resident choreographer Ricardo Graziano, opens the season in October. The second, by renowned British choreographer Sir David Bintley, is a full-length adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors” and is scheduled for March.

The season also features the company premiere of Mark Morris’ “The Letter V” in April. Other highlights include the return of Sir Peter Wright’s “Giselle” and “Summertide” to celebrate the choreographer’s 95th birthday, and audience favorites such as Martha Graham’s “Appalachian Spring,” Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s “Elite Syncopations,” Twyla Tharp’s “Nine Sinatra Songs” and Sir Frederick Ashton’s “Valses nobles et sentimentales.”

This season also marks Webb’s 15th year leading the Sarasota Ballet, which influenced his scheduling choices.

“With this also being my 15th year, I wanted to celebrate it with some audience favorites like Balanchine’s ‘Serenade’; ballets that mean a great deal to me like Sir Fred’s ‘Valses nobles et sentimentales’; exciting premieres like Mark Morris’ ‘The Letter V’; and work with some old friends like Sir David Bintley and Johan Kobborg,” he said.

Sarasota Ballet’s full 2021-22 performance schedule includes:

Program 1 – New World, Oct. 22-24

Florida State University Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota

“Appalachian Spring” (Choreography by Martha Graham; music by Aaron Copland)

World premiere of unnamed show (Choreography by Ricardo Graziano; music to be announced)

Program 2 – Day & Night, Nov. 19-20

Sarasota Opera House, 61 N Pineapple Ave., Sarasota

“Summertide” (Choreography by Sir Peter Wright; music by Felix Mendelssohn)

“Nine Sinatra Songs” (Choreography by Twyla Tharp; music by Frank Sinatra)

Program 3 – “Giselle,” Dec. 17-18

Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota

“Giselle” (Production by Sir Peter Wright; original choreography by Jules Perrot and Jean Coralli; music by Adolphe Adam)

Program 4 – Love & Betrayal, Jan. 28-31

FSU Center for the Performing Arts

“Valses nobles et sentimentales” (Choreography by Sir Frederick Ashton; music by Maurice Ravel)

“The Rake’s Progress” (Choreography by Dame Ninette de Valois; music by Gavin Gordon)

“Napoli Act III” (Production by Johan Kobborg; choreography after August Bournonville; music by Edvard Helsted and Holger Simon Paulli)

Program 5 – Mark Morris Dance Group, March 4-7

FSU Center for the Performing Arts

The Sarasota Ballet presents the Mark Morris Dance Group.

Program 6 – A Comedy of Errors, March 25-26

Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall

“A Comedy of Errors” world premiere (Choreography by Sir David Bintley; music by Matthew Hindson; designs by Dick Bird)

Program 7 – Serendipitous Movement, April 29-30

Sarasota Opera House

“Serenade” (Choreography by George Balanchine; music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky)

“The Letter V” company premiere (Choreography by Mark Morris; music by Joseph Haydn)

“Elite Syncopations” (Choreography by Sir Kenneth MacMillan; music by Scott Joplin et al.)