SAN JOSE
– Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley warms the winter with a mixed
repertory program of works by
”
Nahat, Flindt
&
amp; de Mille
”
, on Valentine’s weekend, through Sunday at the San Jose Center
for the Performing Arts in downtown San Jose.
SAN JOSE – Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley warms the winter with a mixed repertory program of works by “Nahat, Flindt & de Mille”, on Valentine’s weekend, through Sunday at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts in downtown San Jose.
The program includes Dennis Nahat’s “Summerscape,” Agnes de Mille’s “Rodeo,” and the West Coast Premiere of Flemming Flindt’s setting of “Miraculous Mandarin”…three dances of passion, love, and lust.
At each performance, guests will be greeted with free chocolates handed out on silver salvers, entertained by musical ensembles playing throughout the theater, and by photographers ready to take free souvenir photos of you and your significant other before the first curtain – Valentine’s gifts from Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley!
“Summerscape” celebrates love. Dennis Nahat’s free-flowing abstract ballet is a refreshing affirmation of life and summer romance under the sun set to Concerto No. 2 in F Major for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 102 by Dimitri Shostakovich. Large hanging sculptures by world-renowned artist Dorothy Gillespie adorn the stage as 24 dancers in white leotards and tights with purple, blue, and yellow accents reflect the colors of the artwork suspended above them.
The humorous, romantic work is neo-classical in form and comments on summer love … found and lost. “Summerscape” was first performed by Cleveland Ballet on Oct. 15, 1982, at the Hanna Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio.
“Miraculous Mandarin” is a fierce, forceful tangle of human desire, greed and violence set to one of Béla Bartók’s most notable scores. Flemming Flindt’s setting of the classic 20th Century ballet makes its West Coast Premiere with Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley.
Flindt originally created the piece for Danish Television in 1967 and then later that year brought it to the stage for Royal Danish Ballet. Flindt (and his then wife, Vivi Flindt) danced the lead roles in those productions. It was later mounted in London, Buenos Aires, and Dallas (when he was Artistic Director for Dallas Ballet.)
The story centers around a woman who is forced by a group of thugs to seductively lure men to their robberies and death. A wealthy Chinese man (hence the title) falls victim to the charms of the woman, but his passion is so strong that the gang is unable to kill him … until she finally yields to his desire.
“Rodeo” is a heart-warming story about a Cinderella from the American West. Choreographed by dance and theatre legend Agnes de Mille, and set to the famous commissioned score by Aaron Copland, it was the inspiration for her choreography in the award-winning musical “Oklahoma!” which took Broadway by storm in 1943.
“Rodeo” (subtitled ‘The Courting at Burnt Ranch’) is an ‘American fairy tale’ focusing on a young Cowgirl determined to win the affections of the Head Wrangler with her rodeo skills. Its patriotic Western flavor was an instant hit at its wartime premiere in 1942 by Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.
“Nahat, Flindt & de Mille” will be presented for five performances only at Center for the Performing Arts, 255 Almaden Boulevard in downtown San Jose. Tickets are $22 to $68 with discounts available for seniors, students and groups. For information call (408) 288-2800 or visit www.balletsanjose.org.
