Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre still is in the thick of its 2015-16 season, but the next one is already shaping up to be a good one.
In August, former artistic director Patricia Wilde will be inducted into the National Museum of Dance Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Next season also will be a milestone for current artistic director Terrence Orr, who will celebrate 20 years at the helm of PBT. The expansion of PBT’s headquarters in the Strip District is also well underway.
There will be plenty of divine dancing for patrons to enjoy, including classic story ballets and a collaboration with Dance Theatre of Harlem.
“I can’t say enough about how talented this company is right now,” Mr. Orr says. “Artistically, we’ve grown tremendously.”
2016-17 season
“Giselle” with the PBT Orchestra, Oct. 28-30.
“The Nutcracker,” Dec. 2-27.
“Alice in Wonderland,” Feb. 10-19, 2017.
PBT with Dance Theatre of Harlem, March 17-26, 2017, at the August Wilson Center for African American Culture.
“Romeo and Juliet” with the PBT Orchestra, April 21-23, 2017.
Some of that growth will be on display in October when PBT opens its 2016-17 mainstage season with a new production of “Giselle,” the quintessential tale of romance and betrayal. In honor of Mr. Orr’s anniversary, PBT is staging its own production of the ballet, which will feature new company-owned scenery and costumes. Dancers will be accompanied by the PBT Orchestra playing the Adolphe Adam score.
PBT will usher in the holidays in December with Mr. Orr’s Pittsburgh-flavored “Nutcracker,” which turns 15 this year. Set to a Tchaikovsky score, its 26 performances will include a student matinee and a sensory-friendly adaptation on Dec. 27.
For a two-weekend run in February 2017, PBT will revive one of the company’s largest-grossing productions, Derek Deane’s “Alice in Wonderland,” last seen here in 2008. Inspired by the writings of Lewis Carroll, the ballet features solid classical choreography to Tchaikovsky selections arranged by Carl Davis.
The following month, audiences will get another two-weekend production run. This time, PBT will be joined by Dance Theatre of Harlem at the August Wilson Center for African American Culture, marking what will be PBT’s first known mainstage partnership with another professional company.
“Knowing that the August Wilson Center was opening back up its doors and looking for programming, we wanted to put together a program that was conducive” to its space, Mr. Orr says. “We thought this was the perfect kind of collaboration to bring in Dance Theatre of Harlem.”
Each company will stage signature pieces from its repertoire and then share the stage for a pas de deux. The mixed bill will be presented in partnership with the Pittsburgh Dance Council.
PBT will close the curtain on its 47th season with a balletic interpretation of Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy of forbidden love, “Romeo and Juliet,” with the PBT Orchestra performing the Prokofiev music.
Season ticket packages are on sale at pbt.org or 412-454-9107. Single tickets will be available starting Aug. 22 at pbt.org, 412-456-6666 or at the Box Office at Theater Square, Downtown.
Sara Bauknecht: sbauknecht@post-gazette.com or on Twitter and Instagram @SaraB_PG.
First Published: February 12, 2016, 5:17 p.m.