somethingbeautiful Asheville Lyric Opera has Something Beautiful just for you. PAGE 7 The Asheville Area Piano The Ashville Ballet presents The award-winning string quintet The newly finished 6.5-acre Forum’s 10th Anniversary “Les Sylphides,” the pure white Bearfoot performs “new-timey,” Pack Square Park creates a Fall Benefit Concert at Diana classical ballet set to Chopin’s “post-bluegrass,” “newgrass” fun and vibrant showcase for Wortham Theatre. PAGE 17 beautiful music. PAGE 5 music September 25. PAGE 22 our city. PAGE 20 PRINTS COLOR RAPID RIVER ARTS performance Asheville Symphony Presents it’s 50th Season Opening Concert he Asheville Symphony Orchestra BY STEVEN R. HAGEMAN will celebrate the opening concert of its 50th season on Satur- day, September 18 at 8 p.m., at Thomas Wolfe Au- Tditorium in downtown Asheville. The concert will consist of works by Tchaikovsky, Szymanowski, and Hindemith, conducted by Music Director Daniel Meyer, with violinist Rachel Barton Pine as featured soloist. Due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts, Mr. Nicolas Kendall, originally scheduled to ap- pear, will not be performing. The 50th season festivities will begin with the lovely Suite from The Sleeping Beauty, Opus 66a by Peter Ily- Led Zeppelin stars Robert Plant and Jimmy ich Tchaikovsky. The composer was elated Page, and a recording of her favorite rock by the results of his work on this piece, and songs entitled “Storming the Citadel”. wrote to his patroness, Nadezhda von Meck: The concert will conclude with Sym- “I think the music for this ballet will be one phonic Metamorphosis on Themes of Carl of my best works. The story is so poetic and Maria von Weber, written in 1943 by Paul so grateful to set to music that I have been Hindemith. Maestro Meyer describes this quite carried away by composing it and have composer’s most popular work as “power- written it with that warmth and enthusi- ful, brazen, and celebratory”. Hindemith asm which always determine the value of a emigrated from his native Germany to the work.” The original ballet is over 3 hours U.S.A. in 1940, and based this piece on some long, and the Suite is a condensation of its of the lilting melodies written by Weber, a major themes. Today, The Sleeping Beauty German early-Romantic composer (1786- is often described as the masterpiece among 1826). Although the idea was originally Tchaikovsky’s ballet scores, although the intended for a ballet to be choreographed by others are Swan Lake and Nutcracker ! the famed Leonide Massine, that project did The Violin Concerto No. 1, Opus 35 not reach fruition, and the plan came full by Polish composer Karol Szymanowski is a circle when George Ballanchine used this fascinating and dreamlike work. Written in music for his ballet Metamorphoses in 1952. 1916, its premiere was delayed by the Rus- Two free presentations will be offered sian Revolution, so the piece was not heard for those who enjoy having extra exposure until 1921, in Warsaw. The composer took to the music and its background. On Friday, inspiration from the poem May Night, writ- September 17 from 3 to 4:30 p.m., at the ten by Tadeusz Micinski, and the expres- Reuter Center on the Campus of UNC- sionistic music suits the fantastical imagery Asheville, Music Director Daniel Meyer will in the poem. Szymanowski’s work has discuss the musical works and introduce the become popular in Europe in recent years featured soloist, and Mountaine Mort Jonas — his style is influenced by both the Ger- will speak about the lives and times of the man masters, and French composers such composers. Then, on Saturday, September as Debussy and Ravel. This will be the first 18 from 7 to 7:30 p.m., Meyer will present performance by the Asheville Symphony of an abridged version of his talk on the musi- one of his evocative pieces. cal works, and will introduce the soloists, American violinist Rachel Barton in the Banquet Hall of the Asheville Civic Pine has been described in The New York Center. Both events are free of charge and Times as “a greatly gifted young violinist,” open to the public. and in the Washington Post as “an excit- ing, boundary-defying performer — Pine displays a power and confidence that puts IF Tickets for the performance her in the top echelon of recitalists.” She are available through the has appeared as a soloist with many of the YOU Symphony office or the most prestigious orchestras, and has been GO Asheville Civic Center box featured on CBS Sunday Morning, and five office, and range in price from times on NBC’s Today show. In addition to $53 to $19 (with discounts available for her frequent appearances with orchestras, in students). Visit www.ashevillesymphony.org recitals, and in chamber music, her love of or call (828) 254-7046 for more information heavy metal music has led to many non-clas- on this concert, or to purchase subscriptions sical projects, including a performance with for the Symphony’s 50th season. 2 September 2010 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 14, No. 1 PRINTS COLOR Vol. 14, No. 1 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — September 2010 PRINTS COLOR Haywood Arts Regional Theatre Western North Carolina’s Award-Winning Theatre A Hilarious Look at Fishing, Beer and the Meaning of Life BALSAM RANGE IN CONCERT! August 14th at 7:30 PM at Eaglenest Entertainment in Maggie Valley, NC AUGUST 25 - SEPTEMBER 5 Tickets: $15 at the Performing Arts Center This is a special event benefi tting HART. THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER THEATRE 250 Pigeon Street on Highway 276 S. in Waynesville Visit www.harttheatre.com or call 828-456-6322 for Tickets. September 2010 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 14, No. 1 PRINTS COLOR RAPID RIVER ARTS performance Remarkable Asheville Ballet Productions Classical + Rock ‘n Roll + a Surprise he Asheville Ballet opens its 2010- BY ANN DUNN 2011 Season with a double bill: the pure white classical ballet “Les Sylphides” set to Chopin’s beau- Ttiful music, and “Free Fall,” a world premier set to the music of the hot new Chapel Hill Post-Rock band, Kangaroo, who will perform live on stage. We continue our tradi- tion of commissioning new work from promising young artists, creating an excit- ingly contrasting performance experience for our audience, and promoting the history of dance. And there is a surprise! “Les Sylphides,” choreo- graphed by Michael Fokine for the impresario Dhiagilev, premiered in 1908. The bal- let is a lyrical contemplation on the essence of ballet itself “Les Sylphides” – there is no plot, just twenty-five – separated from story. There minutes of breathtaking beauty. is no plot, just twenty-five minutes of breathtaking beauty. Our ver- Fokine. Four years later he premiered sion, in the tradition of evolutionary perfor- our first featured ballet, “Les Sylphides.” mance art, celebrates the original choreogra- Hmmm?! We will see the remarkable, phy while highlighting the strengths of The historical, and ground-breaking Duncan Asheville Ballet’s own soloists: Lyle Laney, solo set to Chopin’s “Mazurka,” danced by Allison Hertzberg, Fleming our own Amy Kohler. Lomax and Lisa Leithman. Then, when you see “Les Featured roles also go to Sylphides,” you will have senior teens Conner Hall and an interesting comparison Athaya Sriskul, our exchange with Fokine’s version. student from Thailand. The Asheville Ballet “Free Fall.” What to say? promotes professional You will be out of your seat. excellence in perfor- Your children will love it. mance and teaching, This is dance that never stops, promotes educational but also engages all your outreach to children and emotions along the way. The underserved groups, band Kangaroo is live on stage promotes audience edu- (violin, drums/percussion, cation in the belief that guitar, bass). They are part the community wants to of the choreography. Dick learn and grow through Kowal of WCQS is taping “Free Fall” will engage all their artistic experiences, them live, in performance. your emotions. and especially produces Going Beyond Racism So your response will be part memorable productions of Kangaroo’s next CD. An octet, a solo, a that stimulate, enthuse, and entertain. trio, a quintet, a pas des deux, and a nonet Through Understanding & Respect – all set to the driving, intricate, sometimes romantic, sometimes heart-pounding music IF Performances are at Diana Learn how YOU can make a difference! of Kangaroo. This is original choreography YOU Wortham Theatre, with (we have had so much fun all summer mak- GO curtain times of 7:30 p.m. on ing this movement) set to original music by Saturday, October 2 and 2:30 NEXT NINE WEEK SESSION a stunning young band. p.m. on Sunday, October 3. The surprise: We will open with an Ticket prices range from $20 to $40. Tuesdays at 7:00 pm at Asheville Middle School historically accurate Isadora Duncan solo All children’s tickets are $15. Bring the September 14th - November 9th by the Duncan-Certified professional, Amy entire family! Group rates are available. For Kohler. In 1904, Isadora premiered a collec- tickets, call the box office at (828) 257-4530. Register online at www.buildingbridges-asheville.org Visit www.ashevilleballet.com for more tion of solos set to Chopin’s piano music. 5HJLVWUDWLRQ)HHFor more information call 828-777-4585 Guess who was in the audience? Michael information. Vol. 14, No. 1 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — September 2010 5 RAPID RIVER ARTS we love this place Studio 10 Fine art gallery features two exhibits you don't want to miss! Moni Hill is quickly becoming one of Asheville’s most sought after artists for personal RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE collections.