ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – To the delight of audience members of all ages, the New Mexico Philharmonic and the New Mexico Ballet will perform Alice in Wonderland at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 9 at Popejoy Hall in Albuquerque.
The newly appointed artistic director of the New Mexico Ballet, Natalie Harris, has created an extraordinary ballet telling of Lewis Carroll’s classic Alice stories, which are the basis of a successful 2010 Johnny Depp movie and its soon-to-be-released sequel, Alice through the Looking Glass.
This fantastical ballet, featuring Alice, the Mad Hatter, Tweedledum, Tweedledee and more favorite Carroll characters, will showcase a mixture of entertaining classic and contemporary elements with the help of community partners. Movable costume pieces have been crafted using the 3D model software SketchUp and 3D printers led by innovators from Intel and CNM.
"Alice in Wonderland is not your typical fairytale ballet. Uncanny, strange and quirky are just a few words I use to describe this wonderful ballet," said Natalie Harris, New Mexico Ballet Company (NMBC) artistic director and choreographer of Alice in Wonderland.
Conducted by associate concertmaster and New Mexico native David Felberg, the NMPhil will perform memorable music, including Sergei Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 1 and Alexander Glazunov’s “Winter,” “Summer” and “Autumn” from The Seasons.
"I am excited about our collaboration, now in its 4th year,” said Marian Tanau, NMPhil executive director. “This collaboration has led to out-of-the-box programming of story ballet performances set to wonderful, live music from the Phil and performed at the highest artistic standards by the New Mexico Ballet Company.”
NMBC dancer Amanda Murray said, “Performing Alice in Alice in Wonderland is fulfilling a childhood dream. It has been amazing having the opportunity, with the challenges of all the dancing and acting, as well as the fun of dancing with everyone in the company.”
Reserved tickets range from $20 to $68 and are $10 for students with a valid student ID. Tickets are available online through nmphil.org and unmtickets.com; in person at UNM Ticket Offices at The Pit, UNM Bookstores and Albertsons Supermarkets in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe; also by phone at 505 925-5858.
About the New Mexico Philharmonic
The New Mexico Philharmonic enriches the lives of New Mexicans through musical excellence, educational opportunities and community engagement. As the major professional orchestra in the state, the New Mexico Philharmonic is committed to inspiring audiences of all ages and backgrounds through its artistic excellence, innovative programming and educational and community engagement. Formed in 2011, the New Mexico Philharmonic is a non-profit corporation and is proud to be the first arts organization in New Mexico to receive Piñón recognition from Quality New Mexico’s Performance Excellence program. This designation recognizes that the NMPhil uses systematic processes to manage the organization as a business focused on our audiences, our donors and our results. For more information, see nmphil.org.
About the New Mexico Ballet
For 43 years the New Mexico Ballet Company has supported the arts community by bringing innovative, high-caliber productions to New Mexico stages. NMBC has three major productions a year: The Nutcracker and a new story ballet, both at Popejoy Hall with the New Mexico Philharmonic, and a mixed repertoire show choreographed by our dancers. NMBC has attracted world-renowned guest artists, such as Mikhail Baryshnikov, Susan Jaffe, Natalia Krassovska, Philip Neal, Maria Kowroski and current stars of American Ballet Theatre and New York City Ballet, all while providing a means for young dancers to launch professional dance careers. Each year NMBC champions arts in education for New Mexico school children through school shows at local theaters and onsite workshops and performances. These efforts provide more than 8,400 New Mexico school children access to dance arts annually. NMBC is excited for the future and remains committed to enriching the lives of New Mexico's arts community, artists, and audience members alike. For more information, see newmexicoballetcompany.com