Joffrey Ballet
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Copyright 2010, Michigan Opera Theatre tz -< NORTHERN TRUST IS PROUD TO SUPPORT THE DETROIT OPERA. n o -a o 9. ~ I- Z Ll.J :E :r:: u "'"Z Ll.J OPERA RERUNS OF AMERICA'S FUNNIEST HOME INJURIES Sin ce o ur fo unding in 1889, N o rthern Tru st ha s nurtured a cu lture of coring and a commitm ent to invest in the communities we se rve. ~ Northern Trust Bloomfield Hills Grand Rapids Grosse Pointe Forms 248·593·9300 616·233·0834 313·881·1030 northerntrust.com Copyright 2010, Michigan Opera Theatre BR(iVO CONTENTS 2006 Fall Season The Official Magazine of the Detroit Opera House BRAVO is a Michigan Opera Theatre WELCOME publication Letter from David DiChiera ...... ........ .... ........... .... ..................... 4 Dave Blackburn, Managing Editor Contributors ON STAGE David DiChiera Karen VanderKloot DiChiera Dracula .......................................................................................... 6 Ella M. Fredrickson Behind the Dracula Legend ...... ... ....... .. .... .. ......... .. .. .. .. ... ... ... .... l 0 DeBose Heyward Roberto Mauro Elizabeth Miller Porgy &: Bess ....................... ..... ...... .. .. .. .. .... .. ....... .... ....... .... ........ 12 Judith Slotkin Notes from Catfish Row .... .... ........... ......... .... ... ..... .... .... .... ....... 16 Publisher Echo Publications, Inc. The Barber of Seville ............ .... ... ...... .. ............ ...... .. .... .. ... ...... .. 18 Royal Oak, Michigan What's in a Premiere? .. .. ........................... .... ......... .... .... .... ....... 20 www.echopublications.com Tom Putters, president The Nutcracker .............. .. .... ....... ......... ...... ................ .......... .... .22 Toby Faber, Advertsing Sales Director History of the Joffrey Ballet.. .................................................... 24 Physicians' services provided by Henry Ford Medical Center. Too Hot To HandeL .................. .. .. .. .... .... .... ............... ... .. ......... 26 Handel's Messiah (With a Twist) .... .... ... ....... .. .... .... .... .... .......... 30 Pepsi-Cola is the official soft drink and juice provider of the Detroit Opera House. Artist Profiles ....... ........ .... ............................ ..... ......... .. .. ... ........... .. 31 Cadillac Coffee is the official coffee of the Detroit Opera House . Chorus and Orchestra ................................................................... 3 7 Steinway is the official piano of the Detroit Opera House and Michigan MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE Opera Theatre. Steinway pianos are Board of Directors and Trustees ............ .. .. .. .. .. ................. .. ............ 38 provided by Hammell Music, Administration and Staff. .. .. .. ................. .. ....................... .. .......... ...39 exclusive representative for Steinway Family Album ............................. .... .. .......................... ........... ....... 40 and Sons in Michigan. President Tuxedo is the official CONTRIBUTORS provider of formalwear for the Increasing Regional Philanthropy Program Update .. .. .. ...... ..... .... ... 44 Detroit Opera House. Avanti Society ... ... ............. ... .. ....... .. .... .. .. ..... .. ... ..... ...................... .. 46 Michigan Opera Theatre is a nonprofit Campaign to Restore the Detroit Opera House ...... .. ................... .. .48 cultural organization, whose activities are supported in part by the Michigan Michigan Opera Theatre Contributors .. .. ..... .... ....... ... ... ..... ..... ... .. .. 51 Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, the National Endowment for the Arts, MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE and other individuals, corporations Community Programs ...... .... ............ .... ....... .... ............... ..... .......... 58 and foundations. Michigan Opera Theatre is an Equal Opportunity Volunteers ...... ....... ......... ........ .... .... ..... ... ... ............. ..... ...... ............ 60 Employer. General Information ....... .... ....... .... ..... ... ... ... ...... ..... ..... ............. ..... 62 ENDOWMENT FOR• THE ARTS Detroit Opera House Copyright www.Mic2010, MichiganhiganOpera.org Opera Theatre BRAVO 3 Greetings and Welcome! he 2005-2006 season was an excep to the many great artists who have tional triumph for Michigan Opera performed in this opera with our TTheatre and the Detroit Opera company-Leona Mitchell , Gregg Baker House, and as we open the fall 2006 season and Carmen Balthrop, to name just a few. of opera and dance, there is much excite For 2006, we present a lavish production of ment to look forward to. Last year saw great Porgy and Bess, and an extraordinary cast of artistic successes in acclaimed productions talented artists, sure to make a lasting of Norma, La Boheme, Aida, Cinderella and impression. Salome, along with one of our most exciting In November, I look forward to sharing and successful DaimlerChrysler Dance with you a time-honored classic, Rossinis Series to date. I'm also proud to note some The Barber of Seville, and the dynamic tremendous bricks-and-mortar accomplish international cast we've assembled. Often ments in the opening of both our new parodied but never duplicated, Barber is the parking center and the new Ford Center for quintessential comic opera, complete with Arts and Learning. With these milestones at infectious music and one of opera's most our back, we've continued working dili notorious schemers. A charming tale of love gently to ensure that the coming year will be told with razor-sharp wit, it will warm your the Michigan Opera Theatre repertoire, and even brighter. The 2006-2007 seasons are heart and make you laugh out loud. And, likely new to many in our audience, aptly themed Obsessed with Opera & with its familiar score, novices and opera Mozart's The Abduction From the Seraglio. Dance, as we at the opera house are fans alike are sure to leave the show We'll bring the season to a dramatic close, certainly that. humming, "Figaro I Figaroll FI-GA-ROI!I" with Gounod's gorgeous music and a tale of The 2006-2007 dance season will making this a perfect opportunity to intro true love, Romeo and Juliet. showcase unique, innovative productions duce a friend to the art of opera. Of course, it is paramount that I take a like the Royal Winnipeg Ballet's Dracula Even now, as we prepare to open the fall moment to acknowledge the generous and Dayton Contemporary Dance season, there is a palpable excitement sponsors who have contributed to make Company's Color-ography-inspired by the around the opera house, with regard to our these incredible performances possible. In works of renowned American painter Jacob holiday programming. this challenging economic climate, I feel an Larwrence-alongside more classical works Back by popular demand, the Joffrey exceptional gratitude for our corporate like The Nutcracker and Swan Lake, danced Ballets unforgettable Nutcracker kicks off partners, as well as the foundations and by two of our nation's most respected the season like no other holiday production. individual donors who have graciously companies; the Joffrey Ballet and American A stunning ballet, The Nutcracker incorpo extended their support so that we may all Ballet Theatre. We're also very excited to rates Tchaikovsky's magical score, incredible enrich our lives with the arts. This support share with you a special children's ballet, Victorian scenery, graceful choreography is critical to Michigan Opera Theatre and Where The Wild Things Are, danced by the and some 65 talented local children. This the Detroit Opera House, and to the cultural Grand Rapids Ballet-Michigan's premier year, we will again offer special family wellbeing of our entire community With professional ballet company This will be a matinees, including the Sugarplum Parade, that in mind, I would like to offer my heart banner year for dance at the Detroit Opera face painting, pictures with Santa, picnic felt thanks to our season sponsors, The Ford House, and I hope you'll join us for all the lunches and all the trappings that make this Motor Company, for making our fall opera fun. event fun for the whole family season possible, and DaimlerChrysler, for Opera fans, too, have much to enjoy We Now in its fifth year, our partnership their unwavering support of dance. I'm also open the fall season with a perennial with the Rackham Symphony Choir returns pleased to extend my gratitude to JP favorite, the Great American Opera, Porgy Too Hot To Handel to the opera house stage. Morgan Chase for underwriting four and Bess. Michigan Opera Theatre has a A unique Jazz-Gospel version of Handel's performances in our dance series this long history with this work. Though it well-known Messiah, Too Hot To Handel season and Compuware for making the premiered in 1935, I'm very proud that we will move you in ways no other holiday Joffrey Ballet's appearance possible. were among the first opera companies to show can. We bill this show as "a hand I thank you too, for joining us for this truly embrace it, way back in 1975. I'm also clapping, soul-stirring holiday rapture," and .production and hope that you may return very proud that this work, alongside Joplin's I promise, you'll be dancing in the aisles as for many more. Treemonisha (staged in 1983) and some of the world's finest Jazz and Gospel Danielpours Margaret Gamer (2005) have musicians bring this incredible music to life. Enjoy the performance I given us so many opportunities to celebrate Looking ahead to 2007, our spring opera the African American experience and season offers something for