We invite you to visit ÜNI, Boston Ballet’s multimedia pop-up experience designed to be a portal to dance for the community. Created in collaboration with MASARY STUDIOS, ÜNI is both an intimate experience and a sculptural spectacle for the senses. Enjoy this unique experience as it travels across Boston this fall.
East Boston | Sunday, October 15 | 10 am–3:30 pm
Located on Meridian Street from Maverick to Porter and Bennington Street.
OPEN STREETS BOSTON events help people experience streets as public spaces where communities thrive.
City streets transform into vibrant, pedestrian-friendly boulevards where people can dream, play, and explore.
Be the first to hear where we’re going next.
With thanks to Jim and the late Virginia Aisner for their support of ÜNI public art pop-ups.
ÜNI concept by Mikko Nissinen, Denise Korn, and Deborah Moe,
created in collaboration with MASARY Studios.
EXPLORE THE FILMS
BALLET FILMS
RENAISSANCE PAINTING
Enjoy choreography from Nanine Linning created specifically for ÜNI.
Get up close to the art and witness the raw emotion of dancers Lia Cirio, Lawrence Rines Munro, and My’Kal Stromile. Filmed by Ernesto Galan. Editing and sound score by MASARY Studios.
BLAKE WORKS III (THE BARRE PROJECT)
William Forsythe returns to Boston with the dynamic and masterful ballet, Blake Works III (The Barre Project). This work pushes our art form into new territory yet again. The masterpiece was created for Boston Ballet in 2022 and is set to the propulsive and beautifully structured music of composer James Blake. An absolute powerhouse of dance, it is riveting to watch Boston Ballet dancers master Forsythe’s challenging and innovative technique.
CHOREOGRAPHY William Forsythe
MUSIC James Blake***
LIGHTING DESIGN Brandon Stirling Baker
COSTUME DESIGN William Forsythe and Howard Merlin, Tiler Peck Designs for Body Wrappers
ASSISTANT TO THE CHOREOGRAPHER Jodie Gates
WORLD PREMIERE May 5, 2022, Boston Ballet, Citizens Bank Opera House, Boston, USA
HALEY SCHWAN, BENJI PEARSON,
JI YOUNG CHAE, DEREK DUNN, DANIEL DURRETT, MY’KAL STROMILE
The world premiere of William Forsythe’s Blake Works III (The Barre Project) has been made possible by a generous gift from the Lisa and Tom Blumenthal Artistic Innovation Fund.
*** All songs written by James Blake Litherland (PRS) and performed by James Blake. “200 Press,” published by Sony/ATV Music Publishing (UK) Limited (GMR). Courtesy of 1-800-Dinosaur. “Buzzard & Kestrel,” published by Universal Music Publishing Group (GMR) and Buzzard and Kestrel LTD (ASCAP). Courtesy of Hessle Audio. “Lindisfarne I,” published by Universal Music Publishing Group (GMR). Courtesy of Universal Music Operations Ltd. “Lullaby for My Insomniac,” published by Sony Smash Hits Music Publishing (GMR). Courtesy of Universal Music Operations Ltd.
ZOOM IN
Feel as if you’re sharing the stage with Boston Ballet dancers in this virtual reality performance. Filmed for a 360-degree view, the dancers surround you with impressive and bold movements, choreographed by Ken Ossola. He and the dancers adapted to a new innovative working technique, rehearsing together through Zoom as Ossola choreographed from Europe.
CHOREOGRAPHY + FILM DIRECTION Ken Ossola
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY + EDITOR Ernesto Galan
MARĺA ÁLVAREZ, TYSON CLARK, PAUL CRAIG, CHYRSTYN FENTROY, JOHN LAM, NINA MATIASHVILI, TIGRAN MKRTCHYAN, ALEC ROBERTS, HALEY SCHWAN, PATRICK YOCUM
COSTUME DESIGN Ken Ossola in collaboration with Lisa Dezmelyk
SET DESIGN Benjamin J. Phillips
LIGHTING DESIGN Brandon Stirling Baker
FIRST ASSISTANT CAMERA Paul Speziale
PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER Craig Margolis
PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS Brian Pitcher + Karen McConarty
HEAD CARPENTER Michael Quigg
ASSISTANT CARPENTER/FLMAN Devin Higgins
PRODUCTION ELECTRICIAN Jon Gonda
ASSISTANT ELECTRICIAN Kurt Illinger
DECK ELECTRICIAN Lauren Scattolini
HEAD PROPERTIES Robert Siders
TECHNICAL COORDINATOR Jason Helias
TRANSPORTATION Troiani & Sons
Chain motors provided by JCALPRO
SOUNDTRACK “Fratres” by Arvo Pärt*
Performed by Gidon Kremer, violin and Keith Jarrett, piano
*By arrangement with European American Music and Universal Music Group
The premiere of Zoom In, choreographed and directed by Ken Ossola, is generously supported by First Republic Bank.
LA VOIX HUMAINE
“Written by Jean Cocteau in 1928 and set to music by French composer Francis Poulenc in 1958, La Voix Humaine gives an insight into the heart and mind of a woman having a final phone conversation with her lover who is leaving her for someone else. In her isolation, solitude, desperation, and despair, she must deal with letting her beloved go. Themes of isolation, letting go of a loved one, and farewell resonate with me and many of us in the times we live in.”–Nanine Linning
CONCEPT, CHOREOGRAPHY & FILM DIRECTION Nanine Linning
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY & EDITOR Ernesto Galan
JI YOUNG CHAE
DEREK DUNN, LASHA KHOZASHVILI, RYAN KWASNIEWSKI, SOO-BIN LEE, MOLLY NOVAK, BENJI PEARSON, LAWRENCE RINES MUNRO,
MY’KAL STROMILE, PAULINA WASKI, NATIONS WILKES-DAVIS
COSTUME DESIGN Shane Maxwell + Erica Desautels
HAIR DESIGN Rachel Padula-Shufelt
SET DESIGN Benjamin J. Phillips
LIGHTING DESIGN Brandon Stirling Baker
FIRST ASSISTANT CAMERA Paul Speziale
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Brian Pitcher
REHEARSAL DIRECTOR Russell Kaiser
PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER Craig Margolis
CREATIVE PRODUCTION Kristin Carr
HEAD CARPENTER Michael Quigg
ASSISTANT CARPENTER/FLYMAN Devin Higgins
PRODUCTION ELECTRICIAN Jon Gonda
ASSISTANT ELECTRICIAN Kurt Illinger
DECK ELECTRICIAN Lauren Scattolini
HEAD PROPERTIES Robert Siders
TECHNICAL COORDINATOR Jason Helias
TRANSPORTATION Troiani & Sons
Chain motors provided by JCALPRO
MUSIC “La Voix Humaine” from Francis Poulenc with text by Jean Cocteau.
Original recording of La Voix Humaine, 1959, with Soprano Denise Duval and Orchestre National de l’Opera-Comique, conducted by Georges Pretre.*
*By arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes and Warner Music Group
The premiere of La Voix Humaine, choreographed and directed by Nanine Linning, is generously supported by the
Krupp Endowment for Contemporary Dance.
Special thanks to Peggy Olislaegers, Kyle Patrick, the Poulenc Estate, Thomas Guggi and Patrick Marin.
DEVIL’S/EYE
“My goal was to make a ballet that’s both fun to dance and fun to look at—something that would have audiences dancing through the aisles—and I think we did that. You’re not used to hearing rock and roll in this context. DEVIL’S/eye invites audiences to experience music by The Rolling Stones in a new way, and perhaps appreciate their songs even more.”
— Stephen Galloway
CHOREOGRAPHER Stephen Galloway
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY + EDITOR Ernesto Galan
LIA CIRIO + PATRIC PALKENS CHYRSTYN FENTROY + TIGRAN MKRTCHYAN CHISAKO OGA + JOHN LAM
HALEY SCHWAN + GEARÓID SOLAN
TYSON CLARK, DANIEL COOPER, DANIEL DURRETT, LOUISE HAUTEFEUILLE, SAGE HUMPHRIES, NIKOLIA MAMALAKIS, ABIGAIL MERLIS,
BENJI PEARSON, LAWRENCE RINES MUNRO, ADDIE TAPP, AO WANG, SCHUYLER WIJSEN
MUSIC “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” by The Rolling Stones*
COSTUME DESIGN Stephen Galloway
LIGHTING DESIGN Brandon Stirling Baker
REHEARSAL DIRECTOR Russell Kaiser
PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER Craig Margolis
STAGE MANAGER Heather Olcott
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER Sarah Bord
HEAD CARPENTER Michael Quigg
ASSISTANT CARPENTER/FLYMAN Devin Higgins
PRODUCTION ELECTRICIAN Jon Gonda
ASSISSTANT ELECTRICIAN Kurt Illinger
DECK ELECTRICIAN Lauren Scattolini
HEAD PROPERTIES Robert Siders
TECHNICAL COORDINATOR Jason Helias
TRANSPORTATION Troiani & Sons
Chain motors provided by JCALPRO
The world premiere of DEVIL’S/eye, choreographed by Stephen Galloway, has been made possible by generous gifts from a Commissioners Circle including Amy and David Abrams, Leslie and Howard Appleby, Warren and Mary Naphtal, Alison and Frank Quirk, and D. Ellen Wilson.
*Performed by The Rolling Stones; Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards; Published by ABKCO Music, Inc;
Courtesy of ABKCO Music & Records, Inc; www.abko.com
60TH SEASON SPOTLIGHT
Abstract movement in black and white inspired by Boston Ballet’s 2023-2024 season. Filmed by Ernesto Galan.
JEFFREY CIRIO, VIKTORINA KAPITONOVA, TIGRAN MKRTCHYAN, TYSON CLARK, CHYRSTYN FENTROY, SANGMIN LEE, ADDIE TAPP, LASHA KHOZASHVILI, MARÍA ÁLVAREZ, DEREK DUNN, JOHN LAM, DANIEL DURRETT
LA MER
“At the heart of La Mer is the theme of oceans. I wanted to create scenes that address sirens as a metaphor for our behavior of greed, deep sea mining, dead zones, and oil spills, as well as pristine oceans and extraordinary natural forces. My goal with this ballet was to create a new world where video, set, and light fully merge with dance and music.”– Nanine Linning
CONCEPT, CREATION, CHOREOGRAPHY Nanine Linning
MUSIC La Mer and Nocturnes: III. Sirènes by Claude Debussy
SOUND COMPOSITIONS Yannis Kyriakides
DRAMATURGY Peggy Olislaegers
COSTUME DESIGN Yuima Nakazato
VIDEO SCENOGRAPHY Heleen Blanken
LIGHTING DESIGN Brandon Stirling Baker
STAGE DESIGN Benjamin Phillips
CHOIR Lorelei Ensemble, Beth Willer, Artistic Director
SOUNDSCAPE SOPRANO Kristia Michael
WORLD PREMIERE April 6, 2023, Citizens Bank Opera House, Boston, MA
JEFFREY CIRIO, JI YOUNG CHAE, SAGE HUMPHRIES, SOO-BIN LEE, MARÍA ÁLVAREZ, DANIEL RUBIN, LAWRENCE RINES MUNRO,
MY’KAL STROMILE, ÁNGEL GARCÍA MOLINERO, TYSON CLARK, VIKTORINA KAPITONOVA, DANIEL DURRETT, MATTHEW BATES
Nanine Linning’s world premiere La Mer has been made possible by generous gifts from a Commissioners Circle, including Lisa and Tom Blumenthal, the Stephanie L. Brown Foundation, Lori M. Heinel, and Brynja Vifilsdottir and Hannes Smarason. Additional support has been granted by the Dutch Culture USA program of the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in New York.
Boston Ballet is grateful for support from the Liberty Mutual Foundation’s Climate Resiliency Initiative to incentivize climate consciousness and action. Special thank you to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
DISCOVERING LA MER
“The ocean connects and sustains everyone and every living part of the planet. Collaborating with Boston Ballet offers an exciting new way to convey that message, as well as the fact that, although the ocean faces many threats, it is also a rich source of inspiration, hope, and of solutions to many of our most pressing challenges.”
– Peter de Menocal, WHOI President and Director
Docuseries produced by
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Ernesto Galan at Scalped Productions
EDITORS
Daniel Latimer at Bearwalk Cinema
Brian Tortora at Bearwalk Cinema
Daniela Goncalves at Bearwalk Cinema
CREATIVE PRODUCERS
Deborah Moe at Boston Ballet
Kristin Carr at Boston Ballet
ADDITIONAL CINEMATOGRAPHY
Daniela Goncalves at Bearwalk Cinema
Premices Films
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Rachel Ketterer at Boston Ballet
Boston Ballet is deeply grateful to the supporters of La Mer, with deepest appreciation to the Commissioners Circle: Lisa and Tom Blumenthal, Stephanie L. Brown Foundation, Lori M. Heinel, Brynja Vifilsdottir and Hannes Smárason
IN COLLABORATION WITH
WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION
SNOW SCENE FROM THE NUTCRACKER
Filmed for a 360 degree view, watch the snowflakes surround you as you jump inside the iconic Snow Scene from Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker. The Nutcracker Prince invites Clara to join him on a journey through the Magical Forest after she saves him from the evil Mouse King. Clara and the Prince meet the Snow Queen & King and their dancing snowflakes, and continue on their journey to the Kingdom of the Sweets.
CHOREOGRAPHY Mikko Nissinen
VIDEOGRAPHY + EDITING Ernesto Galan
MUSIC P.I. Tchaikovsky
SET AND COSTUME DESIGN Robert Perdziola
SNOW KING & QUEEN
JEFFREY CIRIO & JI YOUNG CHAE
SNOWFLAKES
Crystal Serrano, Louise Hautefeuille, Abby Merlis, Nina Matiashvili, Lauren Herfindahl, Demi Trezona, Kyra Muttilainen,
Alainah Grace Reidy, Sage Humphries, Brooke Wilson
VIDEO ART BY
MASARY Studios
MASARY is a transdisciplinary artist collective reconsidering environments through site-specific installations using sound, light, interactivity and performance. Founded in 2015, the group is based in Fort Point, Boston. The group’s work on ÜNI with Boston Ballet includes additional creative and technical assistance from Jenny Oliver, Justin Keith, Ari Weinkle, Rae Occhipinti, Kyle Stetson, and John Escobar.
VECTOR DANCE
A study of movement by connecting the medium of painting to the gesture of dance.
MEMBRANE
This audio-visual artwork explores the idea of a portal, as experiencing it might transport the viewer from one dance piece to the next.
PARTICLE COLLIDER
An investigation into hyper-synchronized sound and movement. The sound score is intimately connecting to the movement, direction and gravitational forces of the particles on screen.
HELEEN BLANKEN
Art created for the stage performance of Nanine Linning’s La Mer.
SIRENES | OIL SPILL | WAVES
MUSIC La Mer and Nocturnes: III. Sirènes by Claude Debussy
SOUND COMPOSITIONS Yannis Kyriakides
CHOIR Lorelei Ensemble, Beth Willer, Artistic Director
SOUNDSCAPE SOPRANO Kristia Michael
Heleen Blanken is a visual artist who lives and works in Amsterdam. She levitates across the fields of installation art, new media, cinematography, scenography, and sculpture.
Influenced by the complex exchange between humanity and the natural environment, her artistic practice explores the different layers of our aesthetic perception of the natural world while defining traditional artistic dichotomies like the organic vs. artificial and analog vs. digital. In her work, she raises questions on how we contemplate ideas of nature.