Festival Ballet Theatre, Orange County’s resident professional ballet company, closes its 2019-2020 season with the full-length production of Tchaikovsky’s classic “Swan Lake,” which they last staged in 2015, also at the Irvine Barclay Theater. Guest artists Beckanne Sisk and Chase O’Connell from Ballet West will dance the lead roles of Odette/Odile and Prince Siegfried respectively in one of the greatest ballets of all time.
This magical production of Swan Lake is choreographed and staged by FBT Founder and Artistic Director Salwa Rizkalla, after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov.
Theater-goers can expect exquisite dancing and lavish costumes and sets, set to the iconic score by Tchaikovsky. Festival Ballet Theatre reveals elaborate new sets designed by scenic designer and graphic artist Ian Loveall for this year’s production. Swan Lake is an epic love story featuring a prince, an evil sorcerer, and woman who turns into a swan.
There will only be two Swan Lake performances: Saturday, March 21, 2020 at 7 PM and Sunday, March 22 at 2:00 PM at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. Tickets are $35-45 and are available online at thebarclay.org or by calling the box office at (949) 854-4607. For more information on Swan Lake and Festival Ballet Theatre, visit https://www.festivalballet.org/swan-lake-2020/
Festival Ballet Theatre is a nonprofit organization founded in 1988 by Salwa Rizkalla. Its mission is to enrich Orange County’s artistic and economic vitality, to inspire love and appreciation for dance, and to invigorate ballet by: • Presenting a season of exhilarating classical and contemporary performances
• Providing a nurturing environment for dancers and choreographers
• Offering stimulating educational outreach programs
For more information, visit www.festivalballet.org.
Artistic Director Salwa Rizkalla has contributed to the Orange County community for more than 30 years by
presenting excellence in dance performance through Festival Ballet Theatre and providing top-tier classical
ballet training at Southland Ballet Academy.
During her professional dancing career, Ms. Rizkalla graced the stage in leading roles in well-known classical
ballets as well as contemporary pieces. She had the privilege of working under the direction of world-renowned
choreographers Leonid Lavrovsky and Serge Lifar. As a young dancer, Ms. Rizkalla trained in the Vaganova
method and studied with Russian ballet masters. As the culmination of her training, Ms. Rizkalla completed a
Bachelor of Arts degree in Ballet Pedagogy. She established Southland Ballet Academy in 1983 and debuted
Festival Ballet Theatre in 1988. In addition to teaching and directing, Ms. Rizkalla was a faculty member of
several area institutions.
Many arts organizations have recognized her service. The Orange County Music and Arts Administrators and
Orange County Performing Arts Center jointly presented her the Orange County Arts Educator of the Year
Award for Secondary Dance (2003); Youth America Grand Prix awarded Ms. Rizkalla Outstanding Teacher
accolades since its inception; and Arts Orange County recognized Ms. Rizkalla with the Helena Modjeska
Cultural Legacy Award (2014). Ms. Rizkalla was named one of OC’s 100 Most Influential in 2017 by the OC
Register.
Ms. Rizkalla has been honored to impact the lives of hundreds of students and their families through her
teaching. She is proud to be a dedicated educator, an energetic promoter of the arts, and an active
participant in the cultural life of her community.
For more information, visit www.festivalballet.org.
Photo Credit: Festival Ballet Theatre
