Houston Ballet’s The Four Seasons

Antonio Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” is gorgeous enough on its own. But leave it to Stanton Welch, artistic director of Houston Ballet, to send the great composer’s score into the realm of the sublime with brand-new choreography. Welch’s world premiere ballet narrates the four seasons of a woman’s life, moving from the spring of youth to the wintry wisdom of old age. A majestic oak tree stands on the stage with the dancers, changing her leaves as the seasons do. The ballet promises to add a visual layer to Vivaldi’s music that will make the evening soar. The program also includes a revival of Williams Forsythe’s In the middle, somewhat elevated, a ballet danced to techno music on a bare black stage, and the company premiere of Jirí Kylián’s Petite Mort, set to piano concertos by Mozart.
Thu., Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., Sept. 22, 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m.; Fri., Sept. 28, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., Sept. 29, 7:30 p.m. Starts: Sept. 20. Continues through Sept. 30, 2007