Grand Rapids Ballet: Alice In Wonderland

Christopher Wheeldon's ballet adaptation of Lewis Carroll's *Alice's Adventures in Wonderland* comes to Grand Rapids. The work is a three-act narrative ballet with music by Joby Talbot, featuring a large percussion section and four female voices. Commissioned by The Royal Ballet and the National Ballet of Canada, it premiered in 2011 and is the first full-length narrative ballet from the Royal Ballet since 1995. Wheeldon intended to create a lighter, more friendly ballet, with a central role designed to captivate audiences.

The performance follows Alice from a garden party into Wonderland, where she meets characters including the White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, and the Queen of Hearts. The Grand Rapids Ballet company performs this production, bringing to life the story that includes the trial of the Knave of Hearts and Alice's encounters with the Caterpillar and the tea party. The choreography emphasizes physicality and storytelling.