Giselle (Ballet in 2 Acts) with Ballet Bellevue Orchestra

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE            CONTACT:  Mary Ellen Hundley
July 8, 2014                            info@balletbellevue.org
                                425.455.1345

BALLET BELLEVUE PREMIERES GISELLE
Arts Fair Weekend

Ballet Bellevue,  professional chamber ballet company for the Eastside since 1995, becomes a
major player this year in the July 25-27 Bellevue Arts Fair Weekend.  The company’s premiere
production of Giselle to the classic music of French composer, Adolphe Adam,  is conducted by Music Director, Philip Tschopp, July 26th and 27th at The Theatre at Meydenbauer Center in two evening performances:  Saturday 8:00 PM and Sunday 6:30 PM. Guest Director, Emily Lubinski, gives dance its first starring role in our region’s largest annual arts fair with her 
stage direction and choreography (after Jules Perrot/Jean Coralli/Patrice Bart) of this most-loved ballet of the Romantic era.

Years of connection between Ballet Bellevue and  Kansas City Ballet have brought us Nadia Iozzo to dance the lead role of Giselle, the beautiful country girl swept away by the disguised Prince Albrecht (danced by Christopher Scruggs of Alberta Ballet) in the story by Vernoy de Saint Georges after Theophile Gautier.  Performing the famous Peasant Pas de Deux in Act I are Mireya Mascarello and Adam Bloodgood.   Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis in Act II, is performed by Maya Felten , and leading the corps of Wilis are Catherine Yovatt  and Colleen Kearns.

The Ballet Bellevue Orchestra assembled for Giselle includes many of the finest musicians from the region.  Among them are renowned musicians from the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra who have graciously agreed to perform for our Giselle now that the PNB Giselle has concluded.  Our concertmaster is none other than Michael Jinsoo Lim, concertmaster of the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra, internationally acclaimed soloist and chamber musician, and founder of the renowned Corigliano Quartet.  Mr. Lim will be joined by long-time PNB cellist Virginia Dziekonski, Gunnar Fulsom, PNB percussionist, as well as legendary trumpeter George Oram, principal trumpet of the Auburn Symphony as well as of the PNB orchestra.  These and many other of the region's best orchestral musicians make our Ballet Bellevue Orchestra one of the most dynamic, capable ensembles to be heard on the Eastside in years, promising breathtaking beauty for Bellevue’s annual top weekend for the arts. 

Giselle was chosen as the company’s 2013/14 Season finale in honor of the late Carolyn Gracey Greer, founder of Ballet Bellevue’s home studio, the historic *Ballet Arts Center.  The beautiful dancers and outstanding orchestra are a fitting ensemble to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Miss Carolyn’s return to her native Northwest in the 1963/64 Season, following her studies at Juilliard, when she began her footprint in dance education that will never be forgotten. 

Tickets can be purchased at Brown Paper Tickets by phone at 800.838.3006 or online at www.brownpapertickets.com.  For further information call Ballet Bellevue at 425.455.1345

*(scheduled for demolition in 2015 in favor of additional parking for the Downtown Park)