Boston Ballet and Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen present Fall Experience, a program featuring four innovative and diverse works: Crystal Pite’s The Seasons’ Canon, a world premiere by Principal Dancer Lia Cirio, Sabrina Matthews’ Ein von Viel, and Resident Choreographer Jorma Elo’s Plan to B. Fall Experience runs October 24–November 3 at the Citizens Opera House.
“There is no better way to welcome our audiences to Boston Ballet’s 61st season than this program that showcases a diverse selection of works that are relevant to today and to the artform,” said Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen. “We are proud to continue our work to spotlight female artists. Three of the ballets are choreographed by women, including Crystal Pite, one of the greatest choreographers on the world stage today. I’m also thrilled to celebrate our own Lia Cirio, for her 20th season as a dancer with the Company as well as the debut of her second world premiere for Boston Ballet on the Opera House stage. I’m thrilled to bring back Sabrina Matthews’ fascinating Ein von Viel and Jorma Elo’s ever thrilling tour de force Plan to B, one of the first works he created on the Company.”
The Seasons’ Canon
A highlight of the entire season, Crystal Pite’s The Seasons’ Canon is an extraordinary and immense ballet featuring 54 dancers on stage. Originally created for Paris Opera Ballet, this is the first work by Crystal work that Boston Ballet has presented. Set to Max Richter’s rendition of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Pite’s choreography draws on human emotion and her own life experiences.
“For me, the process of creation is like looking through a lens. It’s an opportunity to see the world in greater detail and clarity. It’s a magnified experience. Choreography is a way for me to grapple with the very meaning of creation. It is the crafting, colliding, collaging, framing, layering and excavating—the acts of making, and of seeing—that most deeply connect me to nature and all the beauty and brutality it contains,” said Pite. “The Seasons’ Canon is a gesture, an offering. It’s my way of confronting the vastness and complexity of the living world, while at the same time giving thanks for it.”
World Premiere
Principal Dancer Lia Cirio has been an artist with the Company for 20 years, and this world premiere marks her second choreographic work for the Boston Ballet main stage. Cirio’s ballet showcases neo-classical pointe work, her own personal style, and her ability to highlight the unique talent of her fellow dancers.
“I am increasingly drawn to art and dance that challenge my thinking and move me through their interpretation of choreography and embodiment of music,” said Cirio. “I am deeply aware of Boston Ballet dancers’ immense talent, which I witness daily. It is a true honor to create with them, and I hope our collaboration brings out the best in us all.
This piece, my second for the Boston Ballet main stage, reflects everything I’ve learned as a professional dancer. While it is neo-classical in technique, it is also distinctly my own, infused with my quirks, thoughts, and inspirations. I was initially drawn to Auerbach’s preludes for their emotional dynamism, where so much is expressed in mere moments. My set, reminiscent of paper sculptures, embodies both vulnerability and strength, qualities that drive my choreography. Additionally, I am inspired by an end-of-the-world, dystopian atmosphere, adding another layer to this work.”
Ein von Viel
Set to Bach’s beloved Goldberg Variations, Sabrina Matthews’ ballet is an intimate dance between two artists and a solo pianist. The piece was originally commissioned by Mikko Nissinen for Alberta Ballet in 2001 for two male dancers. For Fall Experience 2024, the casting subverts traditional gender roles—the duet will be performed by two males or two females, depending on the performance.
“Ein von Viel is an intricate and soulful collaboration between two dancers and a pianist. The simplicity of a trio is juxtaposed by the required complex technical skills. The artists are interconnected and strengthen one another, and are elevated by Bach’s celebrated Goldberg Variations. The work explores our human connection. Revisiting Ein von Viel with Boston Ballet is a pleasure. Boston Ballet is committed to excellence, and perpetually pushes the boundaries of artistry and physicality,” Matthews said.
Plan to B
Returning for the first time since 2014, Jorma Elo’s Plan to B is one of the most dynamic and thrilling ballets ever created. Six dancers captivate in a flurry of solos, duets, and trios that move with passion and velocity to the vivacious music of Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber. The ballet reflects on the inevitable unpredictability of life and the hesitation and nervous energy we experience when we take leaps into the unknown.
“I am very excited to work on Plan to B with the great Boston Ballet dancers,” said Elo. “It is always touching to see how they completely immerse themselves in the musicality and choreography.
Plan to B changed my life fundamentally. Revisiting the piece always brings me back to the moments with the original cast in the studio. The creation was really triggered by the shared experiences with those dancers. I think the nervous energy of the unknown, wanting to make this composition shine, is a big part of the ballet’s soul and is something that every generation of the new dancers performing it can relate to on some level.
Sylvia Popes’ support of Plan to B’s premiere 20 years ago and her continued support of my career has been vital in making it possible for me to create. I’m very happy that Mikko is bringing back this work, and it will be very interesting to see how Boston audiences react to this year’s version.”
