Sarasota Ballet stages works by Balanchine, de Valois and Graziano

Sarasota Ballet's first program of 2016 features two classic 20th century works by giants of the ballet world along with a 2015 piece by the company's resident choreographer.

It opens Friday at the FSU Center for the Performing Arts, but unless you have tickets you're only chance to see it is on Monday. The first five performance are completely sold out, so the company has added an extra Monday matinee.

The program is titled "Balanchine, de Valois & Graziano." George Balanchine's "Emeralds" is the first act of his three-part "Jewels" ballet. It's set to music by Gabriel Faure.

Ninette de Valois founded Britain's Royal Ballet and was one of the most daring ballet choreographers of the mid-20th century. Her work "The Rake's Progress," from 1935, is based on a series of paintings by William Hogarth that detail a young man's decline into debauchery and madness.

Company choreographer Ricardo Graziano premiered his work, "In a State of Weightlessness," which is set to Philip Glass music, at the 2015 Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival.

Details: Jan. 28-Feb1, FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Show times: 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 2 p.m. Monday. Tickets: $35-$105. Information: 941-351-8000, asolorep.org.

--Marty Clear

This story was originally published January 27, 2016 at 5:57 PM with the headline "Sarasota Ballet stages works by Balanchine, de Valois and Graziano ."