Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven turns inward, while Petrichor opens outward—towards life, desire, and connection.
About the program
Ulysses Dove created Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven in 1993, set to Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten. Built on layered canons dissolving into silence, the choreography transforms classical virtuosity into a stripped-back, architectural language. A former member of the Paris Opera research group, Dove conceived this work in response to the loss of loved ones during the AIDS crisis, a disease that would later claim his own life. This marks the first presentation of the piece in France.
Petrichor, the first work by Pontus Lidberg for the Ballet of the Nice Opera, was originally created for the Miami City Ballet. Its title refers to the scent of earth after rain. Set to a concerto by Philip Glass, it blends structural minimalism with emotional lyricism. Dancers move with fluid precision, like birds of paradise, shaping a world in renewal.
Cast & production
Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven
Choreography Ulysses Dove
Music Arvo Pärt (Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten)
Sets & costumes Jorge Gallardo
Lighting Martin Säfström
After the original creation by Björn Nilsson
Petrichor
Choreography Pontus Lidberg
Reconstruction Michelle Kane
Music Philip Glass (Violin Concerto No. 1)
Costumes Spiridonakou
Projections Jason Carpenter
Lighting Brandon Stirling Baker
Musical direction Kyrian Friedenberg
Violin Věra Nováková
Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice
Ballet de l’Opéra Nice Côte d’Azur
