Now in its ninth year, APASSIONATA, Europe’s number one show features more than 40 horses and has been seen by more than five million fans in over forty cities.

APASSIONATA will make its North American debut on April 27, 2012 at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky. The new show entitled “The Beginning” will kick off an eighteen month, sixty-six city North American arena tour. Joining the APASSIONATA creative team for the United States will be an American team of creators who credits include spectacular shows like “Walking With Dinosaurs,” “EFX,” Siegfried and Roy, and Broadway hits like “Chicago, “Les Miserables,” “The Producers” and the recent Hugh Jackman show.

With varied acts from all over the globe — hand selected to represent and illustrate the many facets of the relationship between man and equine — from fine refined dressage movement to comedic affection to exhilarating trick riding— these horses amaze with a depth and breadth of the grace and beauty of their species. This show has a rare quality of being able to enchant audiences — and its status has been built up over a decade to its current success — half a million people see the show every year in Europe — and now they are coming to the United States.

Different breeds have been brought together from Europe and North America to create this evocative, thrilling theatrical event, where everything from the courageous to the compassionate, and the complex to the comic is observed.

APASSIONATA is a sponsor of the annual Kentucky Derby Festival as part of the US launch. Mike Berry, President & CEO, Kentucky Derby Festival, said, “The Kentucky Derby Festival is thrilled that the highly acclaimed APASSIONATA tour will make its U.S. debut in Louisville as part of the Kentucky Derby Festival’s official event schedule. Kentucky is widely known as the ‘Horse Capital of the World,’ so it’s only fitting that this magical equine event be showcased in the Bluegrass State. APASSIONATA promises to be an unforgettable experience for everyone who attends.”

Although the schedule of rehearsal is not 100% confirmed – here is what it is likely to be (for planning purposes). Horses arrive to US mid February to beginning of April. They have to be sequestered (quartine) for a time once they arrive. From April 7 to 18 the horses will receive training and rehearsal in Croton, Ohio; the company travels to Louisville on April 18 and rehearses there through the opening on Friday, April 27; after that they are in a different city every week.

The show’s success in Europe has been so remarkable and consistent that its producer-creator Peter Massine and his American producing partner Tanya Grubich were motivated to bring the experience and excitement of APASSIONATA to North America, which boasts the largest equine interest in the world.

Until APASSIONATA, horses had been seen by the public in competitive horse shows, dressage exhibitions, competitive racing, and American rodeos – but in APASSIONATA, Massine entirely re-envisioned how horses could be brought to the stage in a thrilling, dramatic and mesmerizing theatrical presentation.

Starting in 2003, APASSIONATA became an immediate sensation wherever it played. Soon after in 2004, the show began receiving accolades honoring creative and business endeavors including last year’s PRG Live Entertainment’s “Best Show” award, among the highest honors in live entertainment on the European continent.

In January 2011, on the occasion of the APASSIONATA’s engagement at London’s The 02 arena, the London Sunday Express said, “You have never seen a horse show like it. APASSIONATA is the Royal Variety on four legs … the result is pure magic.”

Visit http://apassionata.com/usa/index.php for show footage.

About the North American Creative Team

Scott Faris has staged a dozen productions of the Broadway musical “Chicago” worldwide, as well as productions “Les Misérables, “ “Cabaret,” “Cats,” and “Grease.” He is also known for helming spectacular entertainments and was part of the production that created Siegfried & Roy at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas, “EFX!” at MGM Grand, and “Bette Midler – The Showgirl Must Go On” at Caesar’s Palace. For arenas he directed “Walking With Dinosaurs – The Arena Spectacular” which toured North America for four years, and conceived and directed George Lucas’ “Live Adventure” arena tour in Japan.

Faris said, “The show brings together top class horsemanship and many exotic breeds of horses not often seen here. APASSIONATA gives the audience an experience that will not be forgotten. The intense communication between horse and rider will thrill horse enthusiasts and audiences of all ages.”

Joining Faris is five-time Tony winning costume consultant William Ivey Long; the recent production “Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway” marked Long’s sixty-first Broadway credit over more than four decades of achievement. Long has collaborated with Susan Stroman nine times, including “The Producers” (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Awards), “Young Frankenstein,” “The Music Man,” “Contact,” “Crazy For You” (Tony, Outer Critics Circle Awards), “A Christmas Carol” at Madison Square Garden, and “Double Feature” at New York City Ballet. Other Broadway credits include Grey Gardens (Tony Award), Hairspray (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Awards), Chicago, The Boy From Oz, Swing, Guys and Dolls (Drama Desk Award), and Nine (Tony, Drama Desk, Maharam Awards). Long also designed costumes for the Rolling Stones Steel Wheels Tour and for Siegfried and Roy at the Mirage Hotel.

Lighting designer Ken Billington has designed over 80 Broadway and 70 Off-Broadway shows including “Chicago,” “Fame,” “Lily Tomlin in The Search for Signs…,” “Candide,” “Annie,” “Sweeney Todd,” “Side by Side by Sondheim,” and “On the Twentieth Century.” His other projects include “Fantasmic!” at Disneyland, “Jubilee!” at Bally’s Las Vegas supervising “Riverdance” and for 26 years, the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular. Ken is the recipient of the Tony, Drama Desk, Los Angeles Drama Critics, and Ace Awards, as well as the Lumen for his architectural lighting.

Projection designer Darrel Maloney has designed for broadcast TV, commercials, film and theatre. His projection and video designs for Broadway include Green Day’s “American Idiot” and “Everyday Rapture” for Roundabout Theatre. Choreographer Lorin Latarro choreographed Encore’s “Fanny” at City Center, “Live From Lincoln Center” for PBS, Green Day’s “American Idiot” (Associate), and Cy Coleman’s “The Best Is Yet To Come” for David Zippel (Ovation Award) at The Rubicon and off-Broadway. As a performer, Lorin has been in 14 Broadway shows including lead roles in “Movin’ Out,” “Guys and Dolls,” “A Chorus Line,” “Fosse,” “Kiss Me, Kate,” and “Spamalot.” She has danced with Martha Graham, Twyla Tharp and Momix.