“Dance should speak in vivid images with strength and at the same time with beauty.”

                – E. Virginia Williams, Founder

 

  • Violette Verdy becomes Artistic Director

    01 March 1983

    The Company announced that the Ballet's founder, E. Virginia Williams, would step down as Artistic Director of Boston Ballet, turning sole directorship of the company to Violette Verdy. Williams would stay on as Artistic Advisor. Verdy had a long history with Boston Ballet, appearing as a guest artist in the early years of the company. She had joined Boston Ballet on tour in 1980 and had become Co-Artistic Director in 1981.

     

    Violette Verdy teaching class, circa 1982
    Unsigned photograph
    Boston Ballet Archives
  • Boston Ballet Orchestra

    01 October 1983

    Founded in 1983, the Boston Ballet Orchestra created a cohesive and stable group of contracted musicians, many of whom are still performing with Boston Ballet. Prior to this time, most live orchestra performances which accompanied the ballet were comprised of a group of free-lance musicians, many members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, who were contracted series to series with various guest conductors. Some performances where accompanied by The Boston Symphony Orchestra or the Boston Pops Orchestra.

     

    Boston Ballet Orchestra with Principal Conductor Jonathan McPhee, circa 2013
    Photograph by Ernesto Galan
    Boston Ballet Archives

     
  • Violette Verdy becomes Artistic Director
  • Boston Ballet Orchestra