Boston Ballet Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen announces Robert Perdziola as the set and costume designer for the new production of the holiday classic,
The Nutcracker, which will debut in November 2012. The new production will be created throughout 2012 and designed for The Boston Opera House, Boston Ballet’s home venue.
“I’m thrilled to begin the journey of creating a new
Nutcracker production with Robert,” said Nissinen. “He brings a wealth of experience and an unbridled imagination to this process. I know the new production will capture the adventure and fantasy of
The Nutcracker, as well as the artistic excellence a world-class production requires. We can’t wait to take audiences on this journey with us.”
“I’m very excited to be doing my first fully realized Nutcracker with Mikko and Boston Ballet,” said Perdziola. “The company has had a well-loved and very good production for many years. My challenge is to produce something equally as endearing, yet fresh and vivid and unique.”
Perdziola has designed sets and costumes for the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Opera Boston, Glimmerglass Opera, Manhattan School of Music, and the Juilliard School of Drama. His designs for ballet include sets and costumes for American Ballet Theatre’s
Pillar of Fire and
Le Spectre de la Rose, scenery designs for Miami City Ballet’s
The House of Bernarda Alba, and sets and costumes for San Francisco Ballet’s
Reflections of Saint Joan.Perdziola received a 2008 Helpmann Award nomination in costume design for
Arabella at the Sydney Opera House. In 2006, He designed costumes for the world premier of David Carlson and Colin Graham’s new opera,
Anna Karenina, performed at the Florida Grand Opera and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. In the UK he has designed
Le Nozze di Figaro and
Cosi Fan Tutte at the Garsington Opera. Other works in Europe include
Cosi Fan Tutte for Opera Monte Carlo, and Gounod’s
Faust for Niedersachsische Staatsoper Hannover. His designs for theatre are frequently featured at the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington D.C. and the Signature Theatre.
Perdziola is the recipient of three Helen Hayes Awards for costume design (The Country Wife, Don Carlos, and Lady Windermere’s Fan) and the Irene Sharaff Young Master Award. He is on the board of directors for The Tobin Foundation for Theatre Arts.
In spring 2012, Perdziola is designing
Capriccio (sets and costumes) for the Metropolitan Opera,
The Merry Wives of Windsor (sets and costumes) for Stratford Shakespeare Festival, and
An Ideal Husband for the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington D.C. His sets and costumes for Boston Ballet’s
The Nutcracker will premiere in November 2012.
For a preview video of designs and news and updates on Boston Ballet’s 2012 Nutcracker please visit: www.bostonballet.org/nutcracker2012.Since 1963, Boston Ballet has been one of the leading dance companies in the world on stage, in the studio and in the community. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen and Executive Director Barry Hughson, the Company maintains an internationally acclaimed repertoire and the largest ballet school in North America, Boston Ballet School.
Boston Ballet maintains a repertoire of classical, neo-classical and contemporary works, ranging from full-length story ballets to new works by some of today's finest choreographers. Boston Ballet's second company, Boston Ballet II, is comprised of dancers who gain experience by performing with the Company and independently, presenting special programs to audiences throughout the Northeast.
Boston Ballet School, the official school of Boston Ballet, has a long-standing dedication to providing excellence and access to dance education. It reaches more than 10,000 students, ages 9-month to adult each year through its four core programs: Children’s Program, Classical Ballet Program, Adult Dance Program and Pre-Professional Program. Boston Ballet’s award-winning community outreach initiatives include Citydance, Taking Steps, and Adaptive Dance. The wide array of dance programs are held at three studio locations in Boston, Newton, and Marblehead with additional programs throughout New England, as well as at community centers and in the Boston Public Schools.
Boston Ballet gratefully acknowledges the following institutional partners:
State Street Corporation, 2011 Presenting Sponsor, The Nutcracker
The Boston Foundation
Massachusetts Cultural Council
National Endowment for the Arts
