May 3, 1990: Boston Ballet presented a historic American and Soviet production of Konstantin Sergeyev’s staging Swan Lake featuring principal dancers from the Boston, Kirov, and Bolshoi Ballet Companies. Sergeyev and his wife, Natalia Dudinskaya, came to Boston to stage the work. Joining Boston Ballet were Nina Ananiashvili and Alexei Fadeyechev from the Bolshoi; and Aleksandr Lunev, Yulia Makhalina, Tatyana Terekhova, and Konstantin Zaklinsky from the Kirov. The “Glastnost Swan Lake”, as it was nicknamed, was picked up by news outlets across the US, from New York to LA. Anna Kisselgoff of the New York Times stated “A huge risk and the most imaginative project to come down the ballet pike in a decade, Boston Ballet’s new Swan Lake…is a fabulous production and a major success”
Sep 4, 1991: The brand new Boston Ballet studios at 19 Clarendon Street officially opened. The new space, designed by architect Graham Gund, was built on the site of the decaying Pennock Building, a converted parking garage, which had been the company’s home since 1975. The new building added over 40,000 square feet to the previous space, with a main studio designed to provide rehearsal space equal to that of the stage at the Wang Center.
Oct 10, 1991: Boston Ballet’s CITYDANCE program officially kicked off on Thursday, October 10, 1991. The program was “designed as a long-term project that, over many years, will integrate the professional company so that it reflects the city’s multicultural population” (The Boston Globe, October 11, 1991 – Patti Hartigan). Bruce Marks is quoted as saying “This is about giving young people the chance to be who they can be: an artist, a dancer, a choreographer, or even an artistic director.” In the first year Citydance auditions were held at 37 schools in Boston and Lynn, with nearly 300 students attending Citydance sessions at the 19 Clarendon Street Studios.
Nov 1, 1992: Under the direction of Jonathan McPhee, the Boston Ballet Orchestra releases the first recording on its own label. The recording of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker became one of the best-selling Nutcracker recordings of all time.
Apr 15, 1993: Boston Ballet presented the company premiere of Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella. Karen Scalzitti, Jennifer Gelfand, and Trinidad Sevillano shared the title role originated by Gaye Fulton in April 1970.
Apr 30, 1994: Boston Ballet celebrated 30 years with a special gala featuring the world premiere of Twyla Tharps Waterbaby Bagatelles, a piece choreographed specifically for Boston Ballet. Dance critic Dale Harris, said of the piece “What we watch with mounting delight is a group of young people at the very peak of their physical powers, exulting in their beauty and litheness, eager to show themselves off to the world.”
Nov 10, 1995: In a sneak preview of the full-length piece which would premiere on March 21, 1996 as part of the “Hot and Cool” program, Boston Ballet dancers performed excerpts from Lila York’s The Celts during the half-time show of the Boston Celtics. The completed piece of 28 dancers showcased many of the company’s strong male dancers, and was set to music by The Chieftains, William J. Ruyle, Bill Whelan, Celtic Thunder, and Dan Ar Braz.
