Playing from strength in 1993-94, Ballet West has assembled a season of "Love and Legend," consisting of four full-length works, three of them among the most popular in its repertory.
Accordingly, the company will open with "The Sleeping Beauty," a revival of its visually stunning 1986 production, which played Washington, D.C. to outstanding success that year. The Tchaikovsky favorite was last seen here in February 1991.Performances will be on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 17 and 18, also Sept. 22-25, at 7:30 p.m., with Saturday matinees at 2 p.m., all in the Capitol Theater.
In addition, Ballet West Ambassadors sponsor a preview performance on Thursday, Sept. 16, as the company's annual Tribute to Business, designed to thank corporate supporters and encourage further involvement of the financial community. The evening will begin with a buffet party at the Red Lion Plaza, followed by the 7 p.m. performance. For tickets to this event, call 299-5533 or ArtTix, 355-ARTS.
One of the world's 10 most favorite fairy tales, "Sleeping Beauty" by Perrault needs little introduction to modern audiences - the story of a beautiful princess cursed by an evil fairy to sleep for 100 years, until she is awakened by the kiss of a prince brave enough to deliver her from her overgrown castle.
Ballet West's production is perhaps its most lavish visually. Peter Cazalet designed the sets and costumes in French Baroque style, compatible with the time of Perrault, who wrote during the reign of King Louis XIV (the Sun King). More than 300 costumes, constructed by David Heuvel and his staff and kept current by costumer Bill Brewer, feature a prodigality of nets, laces, satins and brocades, trimmed in gold and silver braid, lace and intricate beading.
"The Sleeping Beauty," originally choreographed by Marius Petipa, was premiered in St. Petersburg's Maryinsky Theatre in 1890. All Western versions of the ballet owe much to Nicholas Sergeyev, who staged it for the Diaghilev Ballet Russe in London in 1921. Ballet West artistic director John Hart has restaged the present production, assisted by Elaine Thomas. Hart himself performed in 200 "Sleeping Beautys" during his dancing days with Sadlers Wells and the Royal Ballet.
Princess Aurora-Prince Florimund couples are Jane Wood and Jeffrey Rogers, Wendee Fiedeldey and Robert Arbogast, Erin Leedom and Gilles Maidon, Pamela Robinson and Richard Bradley. Dancing the Lilac Fairy are Lisa Lockerd and Lisa Choules.
All performances will feature the Utah Chamber Orchestra, conducted by music director Terence Kern. For single tickets ranging from $8-$45 and mini-package offers, call or come to the ArtTix box office, 50 West 200 South, or Albertsons ArtTix outlets.
Ballet West will tour "Sleeping Beauty" to the Val Browning Center in Ogden, Oct. 8 and 9. Tickets may be obtained from the Ogden Symphony Ballet Association, 399-9214.
- PLAYING AN IMPORTANT SUPPORTING ROLE in "The Sleeping Beauty" is the newly remodeled and enlarged orchestra pit, on display for the first time since its completion this past summer. Architect Don Mahoney of Eaton Mahoney Associates discussed goals and gave his opinions on the remodeling.
"Our principal aim was to increase the size of the pit, while not destroying the acoustics," he said. "We needed to provide space for stage crews to load and unload, and we had to relocate a corridor that people used to get from backstage to the dressing rooms. All this under pressure of a compressed time frame, four weeks in all, to do lots of excavation, a lot of work."
Though his assignment was architectural, Mahoney was at the theater daily, partly to make inspections, partly because he was fascinated with the problem-solving job.
"The choices were to go farther back under the stage or take some space out front," Mahoney continued. "We chose to come into the auditorium five feet, and sacrifice the first two rows of seats for productions like the ballet and opera, which need big orchestras. These seats can be raised or lowered hydraulically, and in actual fact we have been able to add two rows of seats in front, which can be raised for Broadway shows or productions using smaller orchestras, or no orchestra. So on average we increased the size of the house, which will help the county recoup its investment quite rapidly."
Finished on schedule at a cost of $310,000, the pit will now accommodate up to 74 instrumentalists, in contrast to the former 53 maximum. The podium can also be lowered or raised depending on the needs of the conductor.
- ON WEDNESDAY, Sept. 15, at 6:30 p.m. in the Capitol Theater the Salt Lake Ballet Guild will sponsor a "Sleeping Beauty" symposium, featuring Hart, Kern and Brewer. There will be discussion, light refreshments and dress rehearsal of Act I. Tickets are $2 adults, $1 children.