Fri 1/27 @ 7PM
Second chances are rare, especially when it comes to live performance. But that’s exactly what happens when the new Cleveland Ballet brings what they’re billing as a reprise of their October concert back to PlayhouseSquare. Whether you missed A Celebration of Dance and Music the first time or simply want to see it again, this Friday is your chance.
We had a wonderful experience watching Celebration last October. As many as eight top-notch local musicians playing live shared the stage with the dancers. Cleveland Ballet’s professional dancers exceeded our expectations as they performed the concert of all-new dances. Young students from School of Cleveland Ballet looked confident and polished as they executed the entertaining recital choreography they’d been given in the opening number. Internationally renowned tenor Mikhail Urusov shared the stage with dancers in two numbers. Victoria Mearini’s costumes in beautiful, harmonious colors and Trad A. Burns’ handsome, unobtrusive lighting design rounded out an ambitious concert that came off without a hitch.
There are a few changes from October’s concert. Friday’s concert is at the Hanna Theatre instead of the Ohio, and Ralitsa Georgieva-Smith, a faculty member at the Cleveland Institute of Music, replaces Alexandra Preucil as lead musician. In addition, 11-year-old Polina Kornyushenko and 13-year old Nicholas Oita will each sing a new operatic feature.
Cleveland Ballet appears to be in it for the long term. See them now and years hence you can say you saw one of their early breakout performances. Tickets are $45 at playhousesquare.org or phone 216-241-6000.
[Written by Elsa Johnson and Victor Lucas]
Cleveland, OH 44115