Thought you might like to see a closer look at the orchestra pit.
Orchestra Pit at The Capitol Theatre – Members of Ballet West’s Orchestra – The Utah Chamber Orchestra
Concertmaster Rebecca Moench Pianist and member of Air Supply – Jed Moss
Maestro Terence Kern
The Gongs
-Mark
Elsye Borne is here staging George Balanchine’s THE PRODIGAL SON. So good to be hearing the incredible Prokofiev music in our Ballet West studios! Some pictures from today’s Prodigal Son rehearsal.
Elyse Borne and Christiana Bennett
Christiana Bennett and Kate Crews
Kate Crews
Christiana Bennett and Christopher Sellars
Christiana Bennett, Elyse Borne, Christopher Sellars, Owen Gaj, Elizabeth McGrath, Jason Chinea, Emily Adams and Thomas Mattingly.
-Mark
The artists and staff of Ballet West are making sure we keep ourselves ready for two performances of MADAME BUTTERFLY this weekend in Ogden. Along with that we are also learning Balanchine’s THE PRODIGAL SON (Elyse Borne from the Balanchine Trust is here), POLOVTSIAN DANCES FROM PRINCE IGOR and we are also relearning LES BICHES which was taught to us by Howard Sayette and Georgina Parkinson back in September. But that is not all! We are also working on two of our ‘Innovations’ pieces. Peggy Dolkas and Thomas Mattingly are also spending hours in the studios with the artists and staff to create their world premieres. Below are some pictures from Thomas Mattingly’s rehearsals.
Jason Chinea, Aidan DeYoung, David Kim, Alexander MacFarlan, Aaron Orlowski and Christopher Sellars
David Kim and Thomas Mattingly
Thomas Mattingly, Jason Chinea, Aidan DeYoung, David Kim, Alexander MacFarlan, Aaron Orlowski
-Mark
Don’t miss this opportunity. GONG is only performed by American Ballet Theatre, The Royal Ballet and Ballet West! If you love Giselle and Romeo and Juliet, you’ll adore Madame Butterfly.
Romi Beppu
Christiana Bennett and Hayden in stage rehearsal.
Stephanie Fenz and Jason Chinea backstage.
Arolyln Williams and Annie Breneman.
Beau Pearson, Michael Bearden and Kate Crews
Romi Beppu and Nicholas Leschke
-Mark
Mark Morris sent a special “Merde” to Ballet West for the opening of GONG.
In the ballet world we say merde instead of good luck because saying good luck is considered to bring bad luck.
Thank You Mark Morris!
-Mark
Dear Ballet West Supporters,
The Website was recently down and we may have lost your comments.
Please check and if your comment is missing by all means resend!
-Mark
And here is another reason why you should get tickets.
Rex Tilton and Romi Beppu Photo by Beau Pearson
I bet you’ll want to see it more than once!
-Mark
Please welcome Houston Ballet Soloist Nicholas Leschke who will perform with Ballet West in the role of Pinkerton, partnering Ballet West Principal Artist Romi Beppu beginning this Friday night. Make sure you get your tickets ASAP – Madame Butterfly is selling fast!
Born and raised in Newton, Wisconsin, Nicholas Leschke began his dance training in the nearby city of Manitowoc with Jean Wolfmeyer. After four years of training at the Virginia School of the Arts, Mr. Leschke performed with Ballet Austin for one year. In July 1996, Mr. Leschke joined Houston Ballet as an apprentice and quickly moved through the ranks to become a soloist in 2000. Mr. Leschke’s repertoire includes a variety of roles. In classical ballets, he has been featured in Manon, Madame Butterfly, Peter Pan, Dracula, Don Quixote, Giselle, Swan Lake, Cinderella, Romeo and Juliet, Cleopatra, Les Patineurs, The Snow Maiden, The Firebird, and The Nutcracker. His contemporary repertoire includes The Four Temperaments, Serenade, Etudes, Four Last Songs, Gloria, Sinfonietta, Without Words, Ghost Dances, Sergeant Early’s Dream, Second Before the Ground, Touched, Bound, Indigo, Bruiser, Company B, In the Beginning, Steppenwolf, In a Whisper, and Flames of Eros.
Also, here are two photos from tonight’s stage rehearsal.
Peggy Dolkas and Romi Beppu
Romi Beppu and Hayden
-Mark
