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6 Premieres That Have Piqued Our Interest This Month

November 7, 2022

November promises long-awaited premieres, from Andy Blankenbuehler’s latest musical to Wayne McGregor’s adaptation of a Margaret Atwood trilogy.

Gold Mine

Andy Blankenbuehler stands beside a ghost light in a largely empty theater as he speaks to a gathered group. Those in view wear face masks.
Kate Nash, Andy Blankenbuehler and book co-author Ted Malawer at the first rehearsal of MCC Theater’s Only Gold. Photo by Numad Group, courtesy Matt Ross Public Relations.

NEW YORK CITY  Andy Blankenbuehler’s third outing as a director-choreographer, Only Gold, gets its official off-Broadway opening this month after nearly a decade in development. The new dance musical, which features music written by British pop artist Kate Nash, follows a royal family’s arrival in Paris and the cascading effects on local townsfolk and nobility alike. The MCC Theater production unsurprisingly boasts a deep bench of dance talent—many of whom Blankenbuehler worked with as members of Hamilton’s original cast—alongside Broadway veteran Terrence Mann. Opening night is scheduled for Nov. 7. mcctheater.org.

Returning to Rite

A dancer in dark trousers and a bright blue shirt jumps straight in the air, arms flying into a V beside his ears. A cluster of a half dozen other dancers are to the right, leaning forward with hands behind their backs as they pause in coupe back, knees bent.
Stina Quagebeur’s Take Five Blues. Photo by Laurent Liotardo, courtesy ENB.

LONDON  For his first work for English National Ballet, Mats Ek revisits The Rite of Spring. Though he created a Rite for Cullberg Ballet inspired by the culture of Japanese samurai in 1984, this promises to be a wholly new version, featuring designs by Swedish artist Marie-Louise Ekman. William Forsythe’s well-loved Blake Works I and an expanded iteration of Stina Quagebeur’s virtuosic, jazz-inflected Take Five Blues complete the triple bill, appearing at Sadler’s Wells Nov. 9–12. ballet.org.uk.

Good Mourning

Two individuals stand at a barre set at an angle into the studio. One, in layers of rehearsal-wear, leans her elbows upon it and gazes distrustfully at the camera. The other, beside her, wears a flowing blue lace gown and a wolf head. Rope is tied to the barre and is rigged overhead out of sight; a pair of white sneakers dangles by its laces.
A rehearsal for mourning after mornings. Photo courtesy Anspaugh.

NEW YORK CITY  Vanessa Anspaugh’s mourning after mornings examines death and grieving rituals through the eyes of three archetypal female outcasts facing their own aging bodies. The work premieres at New York Live Arts Nov. 10–12. newyorklivearts.org.

Sing It Again

A black and white portrait of Rena Butler, who tilts her head toward a raised shoulder, hands in her pockets, as she gazes thoughtfully at the camera.
Rena Butler. Photo by Alexander V. Nichols, courtesy SFO.

SAN FRANCISCO  Choreographers, composers and writers across genres have found inspiration in the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Contemporary dancemaker Rena Butler will take her own stab at it this month, as she choreographs a new production of the Gluck opera for San Francisco Opera. Nov. 15–Dec. 1. sfopera.com.

Getting Jazzy in Jersey

A barefoot dancer in a lime green dress that flares around her knees jumps in parallel passé, opposite arm flung straight behind her. A trio of dancers in matching dresses in different colors surround her, smiling, as they shift through plié.
Carolyn Dorfman’s PRIMA! Photo by Steven Pisano, courtesy AMT Public Relations.

NEWARK, NJ  Carolyn Dorfman Dance appears at New Jersey Performing Arts Center for one night of its TD James Moody Jazz Festival with a premiere from Dorfman set to new music by jazz violinist Regina Carter, performed live. Rounding out the Jazz Legends and The Power of Now! program are Juel D. Lane’s NOW, which debuted in April, and Dorfman’s PRIMA! and Pastorale Pause. Nov. 16. carolyndorfman.dance.

McGregor, Atwood, Richter

Wayne McGregor is caught in profile in a white-walled studio. He gestures with one arm forward, a flattening gesture, as he speaks to the room. A dancer is visible from the waist up, out of focus, listening with hands on hips.
Wayne McGregor in rehearsal. Photo by Karolina Kuras, courtesy NBoC.

TORONTO Wayne McGregor collaborates with acclaimed Canadian author Margaret Atwood and noted composer Max Richter for his latest literature-inspired ballet triptych, MADDADDAM. In the speculative science fiction trilogy on which the evening-length is based, Atwood crafted parallel narratives taking place in a dystopian world brought about by unchecked corporate greed, genetic experimentation and pharmaceutical engineering, and the resulting biological catastrophe. Originally slated to premiere in November 2020, the new ballet (co-commissioned and produced by The Royal Ballet) will be unveiled by the National Ballet of Canada Nov. 23–30. national.ballet.ca.

andy blankenbuehler carolyn dorfman dance english national ballet juel d lane kate nash margaret atwood marie-louise ekman mats ek max richter mcc theater national ballet of canada new york live arts njpac only gold regina carter rena butler san francisco opera stina quagebeur terrence mann vanessa anspaugh wayne mcgregor william forsythe