Event
Miami City Ballet
with the Naples Philharmonic
Miami City Ballet
Naples Philharmonic
Gary Sheldon, conductor
Balanchine/Mozart — Divertimento No. 15
Robbins/Debussy — Afternoon of a Faun
Robbins/Debussy — Antique Epigraphs
Verzola/Lecuona — Sentimiento
Miami City Ballet returns for another program featuring the classic choreography of Balanchine and Robbins as well as a new work by Durante Verzola. Opening with Balanchine’s Divertimento No.15, set to Mozart’s piece of the same name, which Balanchine considered the finest divertimento ever written. Then, enjoy former MCB student Verzola’s newly commissioned work, which showcases his gorgeous choreographic style, fused with the lush designs of Miami-based international fashion designer Esteban Cortázar. The program concludes with Robbins’ ethereal Antique Epigraphs, inspired by Greek mythology and poetry, as well as his Afternoon of a Faun, which tells of two dancers meeting in a sun-soaked ballet studio, stretching, preening and drifting together, transfixed by their own reflections.
Preview at 7pm
Join members of Miami City Ballet’s artistic team before the performance for an insightful 30-minute preview discussion about the program.
Miami City Ballet
Miami City Ballet
Described by The New York Times as “an exceptional troupe, by Balanchine standards, anywhere in the world,” Miami City Ballet (MCB) is led by Artistic Director Lourdes Lopez and is considered a leader in the field — nurturing new choreographic voices, creating innovative collaborations and opening new avenues of inclusivity within classical ballet.
Founded in 1985 by Miami philanthropist Toby Lerner Ansin and Founding Artistic Director and ballet legend Edward Villella, MCB is universally admired as one of the world’s preeminent interpreters of the choreography of George Balanchine. Its repertory of more than 100 ballets, including 12 world premieres, was built upon the Balanchine repertory, style and technique and then expanded to include beloved classical works of importance and exciting new choreography by contemporary and ground-breaking artists. MCB maintains annual seasons in Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Broward and Collier Counties, serving more than 132,000 patrons in South Florida through four diverse repertory programs; the treasured Christmas fairytale, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®; and an expansive national touring program. MCB has toured extensively throughout the United States, Canada and Europe and its 2016 debut at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater was hailed by the national press as a resounding success. The New York Times’ Alastair Macaulay wrote, “Of all the ballet troupes who have visited the Koch in recent years, none looks so truly and completely a company.”
Naples Philharmonic
Naples Philharmonic
Founded in 1982, the Naples Philharmonic normally performs over 140 orchestral and chamber concerts, as well as opera and ballet, education, community and special event concerts from September through June each year.
Meet the Musicians
Jack Everly
Principal Pops Conductor Meet Jack
James Ehnes
Artistic Partner Meet James
Radu Paponiu
Associate Conductor Meet Radu
Alvin Ho
Assistant Conductor Meet Alvin
Gary Sheldon
Gary Sheldon
Gary Sheldon returns for his 12th season as principal conductor for Miami City Ballet. He previously held positions with San Francisco Ballet, Atlanta Ballet and BalletMet. He has guest conducted for numerous ballet companies throughout the United States, Canada and Europe, as well as at the Aspen Music Festival, Fairy House Festival at Artpark, Grant Park Music Festival, Spoleto Festival USA, Meadow Brook Amphitheatre and Tanglewood Music Festival.
Sheldon was a prizewinner in the BBC’s Rupert Foundation Conducting Competition and the American Symphony Orchestra’s Leopold Stokowski Conducting Competition, and he recently won top prize for orchestral conducting in The American Prize in Conducting competition. Sheldon currently holds positions with the Lancaster Festival in Ohio (artistic director) and The Festival at Sandpoint in Idaho (principal conductor). He is a native of Bay Shore, New York, and a graduate of The Juilliard School and Institut de Hautes Études Musicales in Montreux, Switzerland.
Program Information
Program Information
View this month's program book to get general information about Artis—Naples and to read articles about this month’s activities. View the program insert* for specific information about this event.
Program Book
* Program inserts will be available online approximately ten days prior to the event.
