Charlotte Ballet has just announced performances for the 2023-24 season, which will start in October. The performances include one of the most famous ballets in the world, "Swan Lake." It will be the first time Charlotte Ballet has ever performed it, and that's not the only first this year. It will also be the first season of programming under artistic director Alejandro Cerrudo, who joined WFAE's Marshall Terry to talk about what's in store.
Marshall Terry: So Alejandro, this will be the first season of Charlotte Ballet that you have programmed. No pressure, right?
Alejandro Cerrudo: I know. No pressure. No. I mean, I'm very excited to have been given this opportunity and to be here and to be at the helm of this fantastic organization.
Terry: One performance that you're doing, which I mentioned, is "Swan Lake." That's one that many people know by name, even if they haven't seen it. What is "Swan Lake," and why is it so well known?
Cerrudo: Yeah, well, I mean, it's one of the world's most famous classical ballets and it has transcended generations. I mean, I think it's a wonderful ballet to bring new audiences to Charlotte Ballet, and for that curiosity, and because it's such a famous ballet and it's such a big production. And specifically that we're going to be performing with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, I think, and the Tchaikovsky score, and then the dancers and the whole history behind the ballet is something not to be missed.
Terry: Why do you think it endures the way it does?
Cerrudo: You know, that's a difficult question. When (it) first premiered, it actually was a big flop. The critics really went hard on it. But then the second time that it was brought back, it was a huge success. And from then on, generation after generation, it has grown to be one of the, the greatest ballets that we know.
Terry: Now, another piece the ballet is doing this season is one that you actually choreographed called "Little Mortal Jump." What can you tell us about it?
Cerrudo: That is a work that I choreographed in 2011. It's a work that is very close to my heart, that many companies have performed. It's a work that sort of takes you through a roller coaster of emotions. There is comedy, there's beauty in it, and it's full of surprises. There is a work that constantly brings you from one world to another, and you don't really quite know how you get from one place to another. It's a really magical experience, and it's a work that I'm very proud of. So I thought it would be wonderful to present it in my first curated season at Charlotte Ballet.
Terry: Well, I noticed in past performances of "Little Mortal Jump," it included quite a diverse range of music from Tom Waits to indie rock band Beirut to modern composer Max Richter. How did you go about picking all the different artists?
Cerrudo: Well, it's a long process. Trial and error. Sometimes we get into the studio and I pick specific music that I think is going to work fantastically, and then it doesn't quite click with the idea that I had. And then I go through my music library and my computer and I come across this piece of music that maybe I was not so interested in at first, but somehow it seems to click perfectly with the idea that we were trying.
Terry: You joined Charlotte Ballet as its fifth artistic director since the ballet's founding in 1970. How are you putting your own personal stamp on the organization?
Cerrudo: Well, I definitely want to bring audiences together, the classics and the modern works that Charlotte patrons perhaps haven't seen before. I just really want to present a great night out for our audiences with pieces that they know and love, and also new pieces that they won't forget.
Terry: What would you say to someone hearing this who never thought a ballet is something he or she might be interested in seeing?
Cerrudo: Ballet brings a unique experience that you cannot experience through any other medium. And like watching movies, the live aspect of dance performance is unique. How we can tell a story without using words. There are so many things that you can express, that you can feel and you cannot really quite explain how that has come to you. And that's through the beauty of movement and live performance.
Here's a synopsis of the offerings for the 2023-24 season — a season to "Transcend the Ordinary."
BREAKING BOUNDARIES Oct. 5-28 | Breaking Boundaries welcomes back the ground-breaking choreography of Ohad Naharin, best known for his smashing hit "Minus 16." Also included is the unconventional masterpiece, "Kamuyot." Rounding out the program, Charlotte Ballet is proud to present a much-anticipated world premiere by Mathuthuzeli November, a South African award-winning choreographer and recipient of the U.K.’s prestigious Lawrence Olivier Award for Best Dance Production in 2020.
NUTCRACKER by Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux Dec. 8-23 | The beloved holiday classic "Nutcracker" performed at the Belk Theater. Experience Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux’s choreography with Tchaikovsky’s classic score, performed live by the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra.
COME TO LIFE March 7-9 | Come To Life features contemporary works. Charlotte Ballet is excited to present Artistic Director Alejandro Cerrudo’s "Little Mortal Jump," a work that takes you on an emotional journey anchored by an eclectic music selection. Also experience Jiří Kylián’s iconic "Petite Mort," set to music by Mozart. Completing the program, Charlotte Ballet once again brings you a world premiere by award-winning choreographer Penny Saunders.
SWAN LAKE by Ib Andersen May 3-12 | For the first time ever, Charlotte Ballet presents "Swan Lake," one of the world’s most famous classical ballets that has transcended generations, with choreography by Ib Andersen accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s score.
CHOREOGRAPHIC WORKSHOP: FLIP June 6-8 | Dancers “flip” roles for our choreographic workshop series that focuses and uplifts the artists that live in Charlotte — giving them an opportunity to thrive creatively in the Queen City.
