In a collection featuring a world premiere, the 20th anniversary of Artistic Director Stanton Welch at Houston Ballet featuring Tu Tu and the Houston premiere of a George Balanchine creation, Houston Ballet has built a mixed rep program designed to show off its dancers’ versatility.
First soloist Monica Gomez will be dancing in all three segments of the mixed rep which opens this Thursday, September 21 at the Wortham Center. In Stanton’s Tu Tu, created originally for the San Francisco Ballet, she is one of three couples dancing to Ravel’s Concerto for Piano in G major — hers is the fast-moving and fiery gold couple.
She’s also dancing in the world premiere of Delmira by Belgian-Colombian choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. It focuses on the life and tragic death of trailblazing poet Uruguayan poet Delmira Agustini who was killed by her husband when she was only 27 years old.
And then there’s Stars and Stripes by Balanchine, originally dedicated to the former New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, with music by the March King John Philip Sousa. LaGuardia was mayor of New York during the Great Depression and World War II. Stars and Stripes is known for its classical dance and (obviously) patriotic themes.
“This is our first triple bill of the season. The three of them are very challenging artistically and technically,” she said. Tu Tu, she described as “really challenging the edges of classical ballet in a very fun, playful way.”
She thinks everyone will enjoy Stars and Stripes. “It has exuberant, patriotic touches. It also has a little bit of humor in it.”
She said everyone was excited about the world premiere of Delmira and mentioned she’d had the opportunity to work with choreographer Lopez Ochoa when she was still in Cuba. Gomez had been with the National Ballet of Cuba before defecting to the United States and joining Houston Ballet in 2015.
In describing Lopez Ochoa, Gomez said the choreographer knows exactly what she wants but at the same time is very open to change. I really enjoy her creativity.”
Asked which one of the three dances has been the most difficult for her, Gomez waivered for a while but settled on Stars and Stripes because of the very classical demands — “a lot of turns, a lot of jumps, very challenging on stamina.”
Asked how she plans to get through all the segments in one program, Gomez said, “I think it’s kind of being present in the moment and enjoying every single piece and not thinking on the future. That would make me anxious and nervous But I think taking one step at a time and being present on stage and enjoying being there and having all those people enjoying and looking at this piece.”
“The last piece will be the release of the stress and I will just enjoy.”
Audiences have come to expect the kind of variety this program promises, Gomez said, and she believes they will leave the theater “inspired and recharged.”
Performances are scheduled for September 21 through October 1 at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturdays at the Wortham Center, 501 Texas. For more information, call 713-227-2787 or visit houstonballet.org. $25-$215.
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This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2023.
