American Ballet Theatre’s ‘Like Water For Chocolate’ at Segerstrom Center for the Arts
Segerstrom Center for the Arts presents the North American Premiere of Christopher Wheeldon’s latest ballet Like Water for Chocolate from American Ballet Theatre for six performances from Wednesday, March 29 through Sunday, April 2. Center audiences will be the first in the country to experience this magical Mexican love story with the stellar dancers of ABT translating this richly layered story.
Single tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s Like Water for Chocolate start at $29 and are available online at SCFTA.org, at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, or by calling (714) 556-2787. For inquiries about group ticket discounts for 10 or more, call the Group Services offices at (714)755-0236.
Co-presented by the Center and ABT, led by Artistic Director Susan Jaffe, this three-act work is set to an original score by Joby Talbot and inspired by Laura Esquivel’s captivating and best-selling novel of the same name. This family saga set in 19th-century Mexico tells the story of Tita, a young Mexican woman who is overwhelmed by a sense of duty and family tradition, unable to marry until her mother dies.
In the novel, Esquivel writes, “For Tita, the joy of living was wrapped up in the delights of food.” Emotion runs deep, her only form of expression spilling out from the kitchen— influencing everyone around her in startling and dramatic ways. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she falls in forbidden love with her wealthy neighbor Pedro. Their hidden passion has far-reaching—and devastating—consequences.
Esquivel’s original novel has sold more than 4.5 million copies around the world and has been translated into more than 30 languages, while the memorable film adaptation won ten Ariel Awards (Mexico’s highest film honor) including Best Picture and, at the time of its release in 1992, was the highest-grossing foreign film in the United States and Canada.
Like Water for Chocolate received its World Premiere from The Royal Ballet on June 2, 2022, at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. Following the North American Premiere engagement at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, the New York Premiere will take place Thursday evening, June 22 at 6:30 P.M. at the Metropolitan Opera House, through Saturday, July 1 during ABT’s Summer season at Lincoln Center.
Like Water for Chocolate is a co-production between The Royal Ballet and American Ballet Theatre and is Christopher Wheeldon’s latest full-length ballet, marking a reunion of the creative team who delivered the critically acclaimed Royal Ballet productions Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (2011) and The Winter’s Tale (2014). Wheeldon is celebrated for his expressive choreography and theatricality and has worked extensively with the world’s leading dance companies. In 2014, he directed and choreographed the stage version of the musical An American in Paris and recently directed and choreographed MJ The Musical, winning the Tony Award for Best Choreography.
Wheeldon worked closely with Esquivel to reshape her story of magical realism into an entertaining and engrossing new ballet with a newly commissioned score by Joby Talbot and designs by Bob Crowley. Mexican conductor Alondra de la Parra will lead Pacific Symphony with the addition of featured Mexican musician Tomás Barreiro on solo guitar. Lighting is by Natasha Katz and video design is by Luke Halls.
