Nashville Ballet's Winter Series feat. Sinatra Suite
Sinatra's Notcha Typical Ballet
by Martin Brady
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Nashville Ballet's first major effort of 2009 is a wide-ranging program. There's clearly a thematic move to exploit Valentine's Day with a performance of Twyla Tharp's Sinatra Suite, in which the company dances to some of Ol' Blue Eyes' swoonier recordings. But there's much more here to showcase the ensemble's talents--starting with artistic director Paul Vasterling's original light classical piece "Adjustable Wrench," plus the opus "Clowns and Others," which features the choreography of the late Salvatore Aiello, whose work has become a Nashville Ballet repertory staple. Aiello's frolicking vignettes present 14 dancers examining the foibles of human nature, with Robert Marler performing the Prokofiev accompaniment live. The program concludes with "Jungle," in which exotic birds come to life through James Canfield's choreography, enacted in front of artist Tom Cramer's setting of fluorescent colors and shifting objects. There's a special matinee on Feb. 21 for children ages 3-up, mixing "Clowns and Others" with the charming narrated ballet "Degas and the Little Dancer" and an excerpt from Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty ("The Rose Adagio").
Fridays-Sundays. Starts: Feb. 13. Continues through Feb. 21, 2009
Fridays-Sundays. Starts: Feb. 13. Continues through Feb. 21, 2009
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