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THERE’S SOMETHING WILD AT THE DETROIT OPERA HOUSE!
THE GRAND RAPIDS BALLET COMPANY PRESENTS:
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
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A Classic Children’s book transformed into a Ballet Delight!
March 31, 2007
DETROIT, Michigan, March 2, 2007…Welcome to a world where monsters, mischief and magic abound: the land of the Wild Things! The classic children’s book that forever changed the genre, Maurice Sendak’s 1964 Caldecott Medal-winning WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE is transformed into an enthralling children’s ballet by the Grand Rapids Ballet Company. The story literally leaps from the pages of the book in this larger-than-life performance by Michigan’s only professional ballet company. Originally scheduled to perform at the Detroit Opera House March 31 at 2 p.m., the company has added an extra performance March 31 at 5 p.m. by popular demand.
The story of mischievous Max and the wonderful Wild Things he encounters has been captivating the imaginations of children of all ages for decades. Now this beloved story is presented in a dramatic ballet format for young audiences to enjoy. The ballet, premiering in 1996, has been performed in cities across the country to wide acclaim and comes to the Detroit Opera House for the first time this March. Featuring sets and costumes designed by author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, music composed by Detroit-native Randall Woolf and choreography by Septime Webre, Artistic Director of the Washington Ballet, this performance is a great opportunity for children and adults to see literature come to life through live theatre. The 2007 spring dance season at the Detroit Opera House is sponsored by the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund.
As part of a special educational offering, the Grand Rapids Ballet Company is conducting a parent and child movement for ages 3-5 and a ballet technique master class for young dancers, ages 8-10. Both classes are $12 and take place before the show at the Detroit Opera House at 11 a.m., Saturday March 31.
Maurice Sendak is an award-winning author and illustrator for numerous children’s books. Besides winning the 1964 Caldecott Medal for WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, his list of famous books includes the Little Bear series with Elise Holmelund Minarik; Hector Protector; Higglety Pigglety Pop!; In the Night Kitchen; and The Animal Family. He is the recipient of the 1970 Hans Christian Andersen Medal, the 1983 Laura Ingalls Wilder Award from the American Library Association, and a 1996 National Medal of the Arts. In 2003, Sendak received the first Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, an international prize for children’s literature established by the Swedish government.
Composer Randall Woolf is a Detroit native who studied composition privately with David Del Tredici and Joseph Maneri and at Harvard where he earned a Ph.D. In 1999-2000, Woolf was a Guggenheim Fellow. Woolf’s works have been performed by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Two, New Millennium Ensemble, the EOS Orchestra, conductor Ransom Wilson, the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, the Seattle Symphony, and Bang on a Can/SPIT Orchestra.
The Grand Rapids Ballet Company is currently celebrating its thirty-fifth season, where it remains committed to its mission, to lift the human spirit through the art of dance. A proud recipient of the ArtServe Michigan Governor’s Arts Award for Outstanding Cultural Organization, Michigan’s only professional ballet company has a rich history marked by steady growth, a commitment to excellence, and strong community support. With small beginnings in 1971, the Company began as the Grand Rapids Civic Ballet. Today, the professional company consists of 14 full-time dancers and one apprentice. Original programming, innovative choreography and a commitment to excellence are hallmarks of the Grand Rapids Ballet Company. With artists invested in the community and a community that supports the arts, the Grand Rapids Ballet Company has created a flourishing arts center for all of Michigan, and continues to provide the highest level of excellence in dance theatre and education for all individuals.
Tickets for the Grand Rapids Ballet’s WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE at the magnificent Detroit Opera House, March 31 are only $20, and are available in at the Detroit Opera House ticket office (1526 Broadway, Detroit, 48826), by phone at (313) 237-SING (7464) or online at www.MichiganOpera.org. Tickets are also available at all TicketMaster outlets, by phone at (248) 645-6666 or online at www.TicketMaster.com.
The Grand Rapids Ballet Company presents
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
Saturday, March 31, 2007 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 31, 20075:00 p.m.
At the magnificent Detroit Opera House
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