Desmond Heeley News

TDF, the not-for-profit service organization for the performing arts, has just announced that celebrated costume designer ANN HOULD-WARD and legendary scenic designer RICHARD HUDSON are among the 2024 TDF/Irene Sharaff Award recipients.

A very special part of Stratford Festival history is coming to Stratfest@Home: the 1966 production of Shakespeare’s Henry V.

Taylor & Francis Group, the largest publisher in performing arts, has released the first book on the history of the theatre-costume business under its Routledge imprint. Written by a trio of practicing professionals with vast and varied experience, the book features interviews with award-winning actors, designers, and the costume makers themselves.

Houston Ballet begins its 2020 performances with The Sleeping Beauty by former Artistic Director, Ben Stevenson OBE. This story ballet, as part of Houston Ballet's 50th anniversary season lineup, honors the lasting legacy Stevenson built from 1976-2003.

Set in a pastoral German village, GISELLE has all the components of a quintessential romantic work. The titular character is a beautiful young woman living with her strict-yet-loving mother (Lorna Geddes). Although a local forester (Piotr Stanczyk) wants to marry her, Giselle has fallen for another man in the village a?" the Count of Silesia, Albrecht (Harrison James), who has donned a disguise to escape the responsibilities of his noble status. When the forester exposes the Count's identity, Giselle goes mad and dies a?" in some productions by suicide, but in this version it seems more likely that a pre-existing heart condition is to blame. She returns as a Wili in the second act to defend Albrecht from the other Wilis and their queen (Heather Ogden), who force men in the woods to dance to their death.

Karen Kain, Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, today announced the principal casting for Giselle which will feature several milestone events as well as important debuts. Giselle opens the 2019/20 season, which celebrates Ms. Kain's 50th anniversary with the company, and is onstage November 6 a?" 10, 2019 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. #GiselleNBC

For the first time in over a decade, Houston Ballet brings back Copp lia, a family-friendly treasure created by former Houston Ballet Artistic Director Ben Stevenson OBE. Serving as Artistic Director of Houston Ballet from 1976 to 2003, Stevenson developed a wide repertory and is credited with transforming Houston Ballet into one of America's leading ballet companies.

Houston Ballet Artistic Director, Stanton Welch AM, announces the company's 2019/20 season, celebrating 50 years of creativity. The golden anniversary will be reflected in every performance during the season, showcasing Houston Ballet's signature style for the timeless, iconic and innovative.

Houston Ballet is back in full force to rehearse for the upcoming season and celebrate its triumphant return home to the Wortham Theater Center.

The Merry Widow returns to the stage in 2018 with a whirl of fabulous frocks and a generous splash of champagne. The tangled tale of love and diplomacy will be delighting audiences in Sydney from 28 April to 19 May 2018, Canberra from 25 to 30 May and Melbourne from 7 to 16 June.

Legendary ballet costume designer HOLLY HYNES and costume and scenic designer ZACK BROWN are among the 2018 TDF/Irene Sharaff Award recipients which were just announced by TDF, the not-for-profit service organization for the performing arts. Ms. Hynes was selected to receive the 2018 TDF/Irene Sharaff Lifetime Achievement Award for costume design and Mr. Brown will receive the Robert L. B. Tobin Award for Sustained Excellence in Theatrical Design. The awards are presented through TDF's Costume Collection. The awards will be presented at a ceremony on Friday, April 20, at 6:30pm, at the Edison Ballroom (240 West 47th Street).

Director Isaac Klein stops by the studio to talk about his new book, SCHOOL OF DOING, featuring the lessons of Master Teacher, Director, and personal mentor, Gerald Freedman.

The Dallas Opera is proud to present the second mainstage production of the 2017-2018 Motives Unmasked! Season: Giuseppe Verdi's tender and bittersweet romance, LA TRAVIATA, opening on Friday, October 27, 2017 (The Amy and Vernon Faulconer Performance) at 7:30 p.m.in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in Downtown Dallas. Verdi's tragic-yet-beautiful tale of a fallen woman consistently appears at or near the top of the list of the world's most popular operas.

Coming this fall, The School of Doing is a comprehensive guide to the craft and teachings of internationally renowned stage director and educator Gerald Freedman, including lessons on acting, directing, text analysis, comedy technique, camera technique, Shakespeare, musical theater, design, pedagogy, and show business.

The Dallas Opera announces its magnificent kick-off event of the 2017-2018 Season FIRST NIGHT. Dedicated philanthropists Dianne and Mark H. LaRoe chair the festivities and Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger are Honorary Chairs. The Presenting Sponsor is Deutsche Bank Wealth Management.

The Dallas Opera will open single ticket sales for the five outstanding productions of the 2017-2018 “Motives Unmasked!” Season on Monday, July 10, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. (Central).

The Dallas Opera is proud to announce the names of the six distinguished professionals selected to participate in the third annual residency of the Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors at The Dallas Opera taking place November 5 - 19, 2017 in Dallas, Texas:

The Dallas Opera is delighted to announce the winner of the 2017 "Maria Callas Debut Artist of the Year" Award: luminous Italian-American soprano Marina Costa-Jackson.

This year marks the 140th anniversary of Swan Lake, opening tonight at the National Ballet of Canada and continuing through June 25.

Past Tony winners Anika Noni Rose and Matthew Broderick announced the 2011 Tony Awards nominees live from the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in New York City.