Pacific Beach-based City Ballet of San Diego, under the direction of Steven and Elizabeth Wistrich, offers two performances of the three-act ballet, “Don Quixote,” at California Center for the Arts in Escondido on May 7-8.
City Ballet of San Diego closes its 29th season – On the Town – with Elizabeth Wistrich’s full-length ballet of “Don Quixote” – a lavish production based on Miguel de Cervantes’ epic novel.
Audience members can follow the adventures of the errant knight, Don Quixote, and his squire, Sancho Panza, on their travels to find the beautiful Dulcinea whom Don Quixote has only seen in his dreams. This three-act story is ballet storytelling at its best complete with opulent scenery designed by Robert O’Hearn and costumes designed by world-renown designer David Heuvel.
Directors Steven and Elizabeth Wistrich, formerly of the Boston Ballet and Stuttgart Ballet, have created a lavish production with their company of professional dancers. Fashioned after the choreography of Marius Petipa and Aleksander Gorsky, resident choreographer Elizabeth Wistrich has created a staging of the popular ballet that has thrilled audiences for over 150 years, all told through the delightful music of Ludwig Minkus.
“Don Quixote has it all – great storytelling, humor, magic and even moving windmills – and great music performed by our own City Ballet Orchestra. This is the perfect ballet for the whole family to enjoy and a wonderful treat for mother on Mother’s Day weekend,” said Steven Wistrich.
Tickets are $32-$99. Students, seniors, and the military can purchase discounted tickets at $5 off the regular price.
Groups of 10 or more to receive 15% off the regular price. Purchase at cityballet.org. Forty-five minutes prior to each performance is a free pre-concert lecture for ticket holders.
City Ballet is a nonprofit organization committed to furthering the ballet art form. The company produces classic and contemporary ballet programs that critics rave as “polished, eye-catching and delightful,” and “highly entertaining and professional.” The company is best known for performing works by George Balanchine, founding artistic director of New York City Ballet. City Ballet is one of a few ballet companies to receive permission from The George Balanchine Trust in New York City to perform his ballets.
