Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), which was originally built 60 years ago as a summer home for New York City Ballet (NYCB), is once again getting ready to welcome what The New York Times has hailed as “the foremost creative ballet troupe in the world” on July 8–11.
This year’s NYCB residency brings with it six performances of two programs across four days. First up is A Midsummer Night’s Dream, George Balanchine’s full-length adaptation of the Shakespearean comedy, the first work NYCB performed at SPAC way back in the day. “The return of A Midsummer Night’s Dream—the very first performance presented on the SPAC stage in 1966—brings us beautifully full circle, honoring the legacy that has shaped this venue for six decades,” said SPAC CEO Elizabeth Sobol. The four SPAC performances (taking place July 8, 9, and 10 at 7:30pm and July 11 at 2pm) will feature a large cast of children from the Capital Region performing alongside NYCB’s dancers.
The residency’s other program—which will be performed on July 10 at 2pm and July 11 at 7:30pm—is being dubbed “Innovators & Icons.” It’s comprised of three works: Serenade, the first original ballet Balanchine created in America; Opus 19/ The Dreamer, a Jerome Robbins ballet set to Sergei Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 1; and a new work by NYCB Principal Dancer Tiler Peck, fresh of its world premiere at the company’s Spring Gala. “From enduring masterpieces by Balanchine and Robbins to an exciting new work by Tiler Peck, this residency reflects the extraordinary range of artistry that makes NYCB’s annual summer home at SPAC truly one of a kind,” Sobol said.
In an effort to make these shows more accessible to the Saratoga community, SPAC will once again be offering special ticket promotions, including $40 under 40 amphitheater seats for attendees under the age of 40 and a $99 Family Four Pack of amphitheater seats. The popular Kids in Free program (which gets kids a free lawn ticket with an accompanying adult purchase or 50 percent off amphitheater tickets) will also be expanded from children 12 and under to children 16 and under for NYCB performances.
Tickets go on sale to SPAC members on February 16 at 10am and to the general public on February 25 at 10am.
