The Magic Flute and Susannah . At Lyric Opera of Chicago, where Mr. Schuler is resident lighting designer, he has created lighting for such productions as Mourning Becomes Electra, Ariadne auf Naxos , Rise and Fall of the City of Mahogonny, and Ring Cycle . Mr. Schuler was born and raised in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he studied with his mentor Gilbert W. Hemsley, Jr. whom he assisted for three years throughout the country. He has achieved national and international acclaim as a theatrical lighting designer for such organizations as New York Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, De Nederlandse Opera, Opera National de Lyon, San Francisco Opera, Salzburg Festival, La Scala, and American Ballet Theatre. He is also a founding partner in Schuler and Shook, Inc., whose theatrical consulting projects include the renovation of the Civic Opera House and the new home of the Washington Opera. The Artists
BEN STEVENSON O.B.E. Choreographer
with L’Orchestre de L’Opera National de Paris, which won the Cannes Classical Music Award for Best DVD in the category of Concert and Ballet Recordings, and Le Corsaire with ABT which won an EMMY for Outstanding Classical Program in the Performing Arts. Mr. Florio’s upcoming engagements for the 2025 and 2026 seasons include performances with Ballet Zurich, Houston Ballet, Norwegian Ballet, Ballet del Teatro Colon, Ballet de l’Opera National de Bordeaux and the Vienna State Ballet.
Ben Stevenson, a native of Portsmouth, England, received his dance training at the Arts and Educational School in London. He appeared with the Royal Ballet and English National Ballet where, as a principal dancer, he performed lead roles in all the classics. He has received numerous awards for his choreography, including three gold medals at the International Ballet Competitions. For his contributions to international dance, Mr. Stevenson was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) by Queen Elizabeth II in December 1999. In April 2000, he was presented with the Dance Magazine Award. In 2018, Mr. Stevenson was acknowledged by the Chinese government as one of the most influential Foreign Experts in the past 40 years since China initiated its policy on Reform and Opening Up. Mr. Stevenson assumed the artistic directorship of Texas Ballet Theater in July 2003. In 2022, Mr. Stevenson was named Artistic Director Laureate in recognition of his lengthy tenure. Previously he served as artistic director of Houston Ballet (1976-2003), elevating the company from a regional troupe to an internationally acclaimed ensemble. DESMOND HEELEY Costume and Scenic Design Desmond Heeley is an internationally acclaimed designer whose work spans the worlds of theater, opera, Broadway, and ballet. Winner of several Tony awards, Mr. Heeley’s productions for Houston Ballet also include Ben Stevenson’s Coppélia, The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, The Snow Maiden , as well as Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Solitaire . He has designed sets and costumes for John Cranko, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, and many others. His designs have been seen in a number of productions at the Metropolitan Opera, The Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Sadler’s Wells, La Scala in Milan, The National Ballet of Canada, Stuttgart Ballet, New York City Opera, and numerous productions on Broadway. He has worked with such luminaries of the stage and screen as Vivien Leigh, Richard Burton, Peter O’Toole, and Mikhail Baryshnikov.
GARRETT KEAST Guest Conductor
A desire to unify hearts and minds through the spirit and messages of music is at the core of Garrett Keast’s work. Known for his ability to inspire and connect with musicians and audiences alike, the Berlin-based conductor is widely recognized for his musical depth with a wide range of repertoire both in the concert hall and opera house. Keast has become known in recent years for his symphonic conducting and expertise in American repertoire as well as for his rise as founder and conductor of his critically acclaimed orchestra, the Berlin Academy of American Music. Keast enjoyed an enduring partnership with John Neumeier’s esteemed Hamburg Ballet, where he conducted over 130 performances across eight major productions both in Hamburg and on tour to cities such as Tokyo, Baden-Baden, and Los Angeles. His extensive repertoire also includes The Nutcracker with the New York City Ballet, Swan Lake with the Opéra National de Paris, and Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet, and The Nutcracker at the Royal Swedish Ballet. He has also led numerous productions with prestigious companies such as Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, the Royal Danish Ballet, the Finnish National Opera & Ballet, and the Staatsoper Hannover. Keast began his career as Associate Conductor of New York City Opera before launching his career in Europe with engagements at the Paris Opera, Orchestre de Paris, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester. Today, he regularly appears at top venues including Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Brussels’ BOZAR, the Staatsoper Hamburg, Seoul Arts Center, Theater an der Wien, and the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden. Described as drawing out “refined and concentrated playing” with “assured sensitivity” (Financial Times), Keast has conducted performances with orchestras including the Tonkünstler Orchester, Deutsches Sinfonie-Orchester Berlin, Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Orchestre National Capitole Toulouse, Philharmonique de Monte Carlo, the Atlanta Symphony, and the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra.
LISA J. PINKHAM Lighting Design (Re-creation)
Lisa J. Pinkham has designed lighting for over 200 ballets, operas, and plays. Her lighting can be seen in the repertories of many national companies. She enjoys a successful relationship with Stanton Welch AM, and has designed the lighting for many of his ballets, including Maninyas, Taiko, Tu Tu, and Falling for San Francisco Ballet; Madame Butterfly for Boston Ballet and Houston Ballet; Clear for American Ballet Theatre; and Swan Lake, Play, Cinderella, Tapestry, Marie, The Rite of Spring, Sons de L’âme, Paquita, The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, Romeo and Juliet, Zodiac, Giselle, The Nutcracker, Sylvia, and Sparrow for Houston Ballet.
ERMANNO FLORIO Guest Conductor
As a symphony orchestra conductor and music arranger with a deep understanding of the art of ballet, Mr. Florio’s career spans over forty years, during which time he has been the Music Director of several of the worlds most distinguished ballet companies including Houston Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, the Dutch National Ballet, and the National Ballet of Canada. He exhibits an unwavering dedication to music for dance, with an internationally established career as a leading figure in the realm of ballet conducting. He has a passion for the art form, and an ability to guide orchestras towards a harmonious synergy with the dancers. Mr. Florio has led performances with the resident ballet companies at many of the world’s most prestigious opera houses and his extensive discography of video recordings include the award-winning performances of Don Quichotte
DUANE SCHULER Lighting Design
The Sleeping Beauty is one of Duane Schuler’s four collaborations with designer Desmond Heeley for Houston Ballet. Other designs for Houston Ballet include Ben Stevenson’s The Snow Maiden, Coppélia, and The Nutcracker. Mr. Schuler has also created lighting for several Houston Grand Opera productions including
HOUSTON BALLET
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