Houston Ballet Press: Stevenson to Retire in '03
A. Melon
Press Release - Ben Stevenson to Retire
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Press Release - Ben Stevenson to Retire
FOR RELEASE
MARCH 30, 2002
CONTACTS: KAY MASSMAN LOBB
BEN STEVENSON
TO RETIRE AS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON BALLET
AT END OF 2002 - 2003 SEASON
Stevenson to Assume Position of Artistic Director Emeritus,
Teaching at Houston Ballet Academy
and Staging His Ballets Nationally and Internationally
Houston, Texas -- Upon the expiration of his current contract at the end of
the company's 2002-2003 season, Houston Ballet Artistic Director Ben
Stevenson, who will reach age sixty-seven next spring, will retire as
artistic director of the company, and will assume the title of artistic
director emeritus. In his new role as artistic director emeritus, he will
teach in Houston Ballet Academy; work with Houston Ballet's second company,
Houston Ballet Youth Dancers; and continue to choreograph and stage his
ballets for companies nationally and internationally.
"We honor Ben Stevenson's extraordinary commitment and achievement as
artistic director over the past twenty-six years at Houston Ballet," said
Mrs. Barry J. Galt, president of Houston Ballet Foundation, and Mr. John H.
Smither, chairman of Houston Ballet Foundation. "We are excited and
grateful that Houston Ballet will continue to benefit from his talents as
artistic director emeritus, shaping the young artists of the Academy and
Houston Ballet Youth Dancers, who are the future of the professional
company. We are also fortunate that he has agreed to serve on the search
committee that will select his successor. With his help, we will be able to
select a leader who will carry on the tradition of excellence he has
established for many years to come."
"Houston Ballet is in a very strong position, and I want the company to
continue to grow," commented Mr. Stevenson. "I look forward to being part
of the positive development of Houston Ballet in the future. Teaching is my
love, it's what I'm best at, and I'll be able to devote more time to
teaching at Houston Ballet Academy. I look forward to helping develop the
dancers in our school who are the future of Houston Ballet."
A search committee, comprised of trustees of Houston Ballet Foundation, has
been formed to interview candidates for the position of artistic director.
Mr. Jesse H. Jones II, a member of Houston Ballet Foundation's executive
committee who currently serves as Vice President of the marketing
committee, will head the search committee. He will be joined by Mr. Isaac
Arnold, Jr., Mrs. Lorne Bain, Mr. Robert T. Blakely III, Mrs. Donald M.
Graubart, Ms. Karen J. Hartnett, Mr. Kenneth F. Jones, Mrs. Virginia
Mithoff, Louisa Stude Sarofim, Mrs. Mike S. Stude, and Mr. Nicholas L.
Swyka, Mr. Stevenson and Houston Ballet Managing Director Cecil C. Conner,
Jr., will also serve on the committee.
"We have put in place a blue-chip committee to select the next artistic
director of Houston Ballet," commented Mr. Jones. "We do not know how long
it will take to choose a successor. We intend to do a thorough search to
find a superb candidate who will be a worthy successor to Ben Stevenson and
who will assure the continued artistic excellence of Houston Ballet."
During Houston Ballet's 2002-2003 season, the company will pay tribute to
Mr. Stevenson's distinguished career as a choreographer and company
director. From March 13 - 23, 2003, Houston Ballet will perform his version
of Cinderella, his most popular production, the first full-length ballet he
choreographed in America (in 1970 for the National Ballet of Washington)
and the work which resulted in him being named co-director, with Frederic
Franklin, of the National Ballet. (Cinderella was also the first work by
Mr. Stevenson that Houston Ballet performed in September 1976.) In
September 2002, Houston Ballet will revive Five Poems, one of Mr.
Stevenson's most acclaimed abstract ballets. And in February 2003, the
company will unveil a new one-act work by Mr. Stevenson.
Mr. Stevenson will also be in the spotlight internationally. In October
2002, he will create a new version of the Russian classic The Fountain of
Bakhchisarai for the Central Ballet of China.
Since assuming the leadership of Houston Ballet in 1975, Mr. Stevenson has
transformed the company from a small provincial ensemble to one of
America's leading ballet companies. He has developed the troupe from 28
dancers in 1975 to 54 artists today, and has taken the company on
critically acclaimed tours across the globe: to London, Hong Kong, China,
Denmark, France, Italy, Spain, Scotland, Singapore, Canada, as well as to
New York, Los Angeles and The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Stevenson has been the recipient of several prestigious international
awards. In December 1999, he was named an Officer of the Order of the
British Empire (O.B.E.) by Queen Elizabeth II. In April 2000, he was
honored with the prestigious Dance Magazine Award. The New York Times chief
dance critic Anna Kisselgoff has hailed him as "indisputably a great ballet
teacher." (The New York Times, May 19, 1996) Jennifer Dunning of The New
York Times has observed that he is "one of the most successful
choreographers of full-length ballets in the United States today."
A native of the southern coastal town of Portsmouth, England, 65 year-old
Mr. Stevenson studied at the famed Arts Educational School, an institution
whose alumni include the dancers Anton Dolin and Antoinette Sibley and
actresses Julie Andrews, Jane Seymour, and Glynis Johns. He appeared with
the Sadlers Wells Ballet (the forerunner of England's Royal Ballet) from
1957-59; and danced with the London Festival Ballet (now English National
Ballet) from 1959 - 1968, first as a soloist, then as a principal, and
finally, as ballet master. Mr. Stevenson launched his career as a
choreographer with London Festival Ballet in 1967, staging a highly
successful production of The Sleeping Beauty.
Mr. Stevenson came to America in 1969 for a two-week vacation, and ended up
staying to direct the Harkness Youth Dancers from 1969-1971; the National
Ballet of Washington (as co-director with Fredric Franklin) from 1971-74;
and the Chicago Ballet from 1974-75, before coming at Houston Ballet in
1975.
# # #
1921 W Bell St | Houston, TX 77019 | (713) 523-6300 |
in...@houstonballet.org
Dance Girl
> ===================================================================
> Press Release - Ben Stevenson to Retire
> ===================================================================
>
> TO RETIRE AS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON BALLET
> AT END OF 2002 - 2003 SEASON
Finally!
Jeffrey E. Salzberg
danc...@mail.ru says...
Well, dancegirl, is there anyone you'd particularly like to see take
Stevenson's place? How about Trey McIntyre?
Dance Girl
How about someone from out side the HB Kingdom!
Jeffrey E. Salzberg
danc...@mail.ru says...
> > Well, dancegirl, is there anyone you'd particularly like to see take
> > Stevenson's place? How about Trey McIntyre?
>
>
> How about someone from out side the HB Kingdom!
Well, what qualities would you like to see them look for?
Dance Girl
Jeffrey, I'm here to take "cheap shots" at HB, remember?
Jeffrey E. Salzberg
danc...@mail.ru says...
> > Well, what qualities would you like to see them look for?
>
>
>
> Jeffrey, I'm here to take "cheap shots" at HB, remember?
Well, I'm hoping you're capable of engaging in a well-reasoned
discussion. Here's your chance to prove me right...or wrong.
So what kind of person *would* you like to see as AD of Houston Ballet?
TODDFOX0628
Someone who gets along with CC.
geoffrey kimbrough
> >So what kind of person *would* you like to see as AD of Houston Ballet?
>
> Someone who gets along with CC.
Well, the ability to deal with all the political realities of the
position is a given. To me, the interesting question is what *style*
of company HB is to be. The board has to answer the question:
"Was HB the leader in full-length stories because that was Stevenson's
forte, or did it become his strength because that's what his audience
wanted most?" Very tricky. It's hard to guess since the most vocal of
the fans are the ones who want change, and that may or may not be what
is needed.
Drosselmeyer
Dance Girl
> >So what kind of person *would* you like to see as AD of Houston Ballet?
>
> Someone who gets along with CC.
Another problem with HB!
TODDFOX0628
>
>Another problem with HB!
>
It was the same story at Joffrey when they were in New York and CC was there.
Francis Timlin
---Francis Timlin--- School of Law JB-20
206-685-1549; FAX: 206-543-5671 Email: f...@u.washington.edu
Dance Girl
> The "CC" in question would be Cecil Conner? Please elaborate....
That would be "Lord CC", please kneel.