thoreau

a scene from last seasons The Tempest

I'm going to see the opening night of Smuin Ballet's season. Their founder and patriarch died last spring - and one of the pieces tonight is one of his signatures. They took the loss of Michael Smuin very hard - and grieved very visibly in the community - so tonight they open their first season without him.

The Fall/Winter Program is an eclectic combination of Ballets that include Stabat Mater, one of Michael’s most beautiful ballets, Kirk Peterson’s west coast premiere of Reinin’ in the Hurricane and Smuin protege Amy Seiwert‘s World Premiere. 'Hurricane' is set to a variety of country western artists, while the other two are set to modernist classical music. It should be a real great program.

Ballet is one of those things you really need to see live. The energy communicated simply can't be absorbed any other way. It's like listening to a recording of Opera - versus sitting in the audience and watching someone work an Aria like a fine violin.

I'm also excited because this will be my first time attending a performance at the Palace of Fine Arts. It's a beautiful setting - and I'm really excited.