ABT Dancer Craig Salstein Founds INTERMEZZO, a New Ballet Company

Craig Salstein, soloist with American Ballet Theatre, has created Intermezzo, a new ballet company.

Intermezzo's debut performances will take place at the 92nd Street Y from October 18-20, 2013. The program will feature a celebration of the composer Giuseppe Verdi with two new ballets. Five choreographers and eight dancers will tackle Verdi's String Quartet in E minor, and a suite from Un ballo in maschera (A Masked Ball) arranged for String Quartet, all played live by The Wyrick Quartet, led by Eric Wyrick, concertmaster of the New Jersey Symphony.

"It's not uncommon to see three or four Verdi operas at the Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, and La Scala in one season. His music is known to pull forth from the interpreter technique and passion, two words familiar to a dancer. INTERMEZZO hopes to create a place in the dance world where the dancers' technique and passion are drawn upon in new and vivid repertoire," said Salstein.

Marcelo Gomes (ABT), Lisa de Ribere (formerly with New York City Ballet and with ABT), Adam Hendrickson (formerly with New York City Ballet), Gemma Bond (ABT), and Raymond Lukens (Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School) will choreograph an ensemble of vibrant dancers.

Dancers will include Stephen Hanna, Carlos Lopez, Kaitlyn Gilliland, Nadezhda Vostrikov, Shoshana Rosenfield, Sarah James, Amber Neff and Aran Bell.

Charles Barker will serve as Music Advisor for the Program.