The classics are Glen Tetley's Voluntaries and Hans van Manen's Grosse Fuge, works by two acknowledged giants of the contemporary ballet world. Both are being performed in Houston for the first time. And seen for the first time anywhere is Brigade, a brand-new large-scale work by Stanton Welch, Houston Ballet's artistic director, set to two scores by Benjamin Britten, Soir_es Musicales and Matin_es musicales.

"Simple Elegance" will receive six performances from tonight through September 17 at the Brown Theater in the Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston.

For information on this program and the rest of Houston Ballet's 2006-07 season — which includes, among other works, Copp_lia, Ben Stevenson's ballet version of Dracula, Stanton Welch's retelling in dance of Madame Butterfly and, naturally, The Nutcracker — visit www.houstonballet.org.