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BELLEVUE, WA - Just Look Up! Bellevues own CITY OPERA BALLET salutes the city's higher and higher skyline with higher education from across the lake to open the company's 2nd annual spring repertory program of Opera + Ballet in the City. University of Washington professor, Rachael Lincoln, directs her new contemporary masterpiece "Thieves and Beggars," welcoming to the stage COB Music Director, Philip Tschopp, to conduct a spectacular concert of opera plus classical and contemporary ballet, featuring the companys three divisions: Ballet Bellevue, Bellevue City Opera and Orchestra Bellevue.
Resident Choreographer, Jennifer Porter, stages three of her most popular contemporary ballets plus classic scenes from Swan Lake with swans Shannan Behrens, Tanya Bendis, Mija Bishop, Chessa Chalmers, Lorraine Constantine, Victoria Gutierrez, Julie Heffner and Mireya Mascarello . The program also previews COB 2016/17 Season opener Romeo and Juliet and the companys next three seasons of favorite operas: Cosi fan tutte (opening August 26, 2016), La Traviata ( August 2017), and La Boheme ( August 2018).
From among the regions finest vocalists, this reprise of last years Opera + Ballet features soprano Tess Altiveros, tenor Eric Neuville and Baritone Gregory Lewis singing Mimis aria (Si Chiamano) and the sublime duet between young lovers Mimi and Rodolfo which closes Act I of La Boheme. La Traviatas boisterous Brindisi duet replete with chorus and orchestra sparks the ear and heart with festive cheer.
With the effervescent overture to Cosi fan tutte, COBs Orchestra Bellevue stakes its claim to future seasons of its own concerts.
Dreamers Often Lie by guest choreographer and director, Amber Willett, is a first look into her all new ballet of Romeo and Juliet (to premiere October 2016) with music by Jon Steinmeier and designs by Bruce Jackson. Steinmeiers original score is the world premiere of the first new music to be written for Romeo and Juliet since 1935. William Shakespeares speech by Mercutio on the folkloric Queen Mab has inspired the presence of dark fairies which might have populated Juliets dream on the night before her arranged wedding to Paris. Torn between familial duty and her dizzying passion for Romeo, Juliet is plagued not only by visions of her imminent wedding day, but also of ominous fate to come. The duet of first love is danced by Chessa Chalmers and David Strong, returning to his native Bellevue for this production.
Jennifer Porters Duet to Pavane by Gabriel Faure, danced by Lara Seefeldt and Thomas Phelan, clicks the shutter on the subtle and not so subtle experience of getting to know you, and her Disconnected is back by popular demand to the music of Philip Glass* (Runaway Horses from Mishima). Sure to send the audience home laughing, Porters staging of the shows finale from Henry Purcells The Fairy Queen stars Nathan Cook and Thomas Phelan in a charming romp of drunk poets and scheming fairies entwined in some of the most delightful music from early opera ever set to pen and paper.
(*used by permission from Dunvagen Music)
Rachael Lincolns Thieves and Beggars is performed by her University of Washington dance students (Tess Abrahamson-Richards, Rosy Gentle, Ivana Lin, Jasmmine Ramgotra, Dominique See and Megan Stutesman) to the original score of Ivory Smith with costumes of Deb Skorstad, scenic design and projections by Grant Bowen and masks by Elijah Evenson.
In humble admiration for the Paris Opera Ballet model, Bellevues new CITY OPERA BALLET features not only Ballet Bellevue but also Bellevue City Opera, the companys new opera division. COBs inaugural opera, The Marriage of Figaro (August 2015), well-chosen as perhaps the most perfect opera ever written, was a great success, paving the way for the companys schedule of Cosi fan tutte (August 2016), La Traviata (August 2017) and everyones beloved La Boheme (August 2018). Orchestra Bellevue with Music Director/Conductor, Philip Tschopp, boasts players selected from the finest of the regions instrumentalists (members of the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, and Auburn Symphony), as well as our communitys top student musicians.
This production features an original score, commissioned by City Opera Ballet, composed by Jon Steinmeier. An eclectic composer and multi-instrumentalist, Steinmeiers compositions include everything from scores for films to commercial jingles. He has also worked with recording artists including Mavis Staples, Andrew Bird, and Mucca Pazza.
Jon Steinmeier grew up in Jefferson City, MO where he was the snare section leader of his marching drumline and a competitive classical pianist. Jon continued study in piano, percussion, and composition at the Wheaton Conservatory of music in Illinois, graduating with a B.Music degree in Composition, and winner of the Josephine Halverson Memorial Composition Prize in 2001.
Over the next 12 years in Chicago, Jon taught music and performed with artists including Mavis Staples, Bobby Conn, and Mucca Pazza. He also composed for Mucca Pazza, Redmoon Theater Company, feature film and television.
Now based in Los Angeles, Jon continues to composes for film, TV, and live performance; producing orchestral, hip hop, pop, rock, comedic and dramatic scoring. He also continues to perform as a pianist, drummer, percussionist, bass player, and singer for live and recorded projects, and has been honored to work with Rachel Ries, Opus Orange, Tim Booth, Andrew Bird, Duke Otherwise, and as band leader for Scot Nerys Boobie Trap show.
CITY OPERA BALLET is a non-profit organization based in downtown Bellevue, dedicated to bringing the finest professional arts to the region through performances of opera and ballet with live orchestra. This rare treasure in our city combines a passion for excellence, dedication to present outstanding regional talent, and the commitment to fully live musical presentation of classical works, contemporary masterpieces and new works by Northwest artists. Recent projects include Giselle (2014), Stravinskys Firebird (2014), Nutcracker (2014), Opera + Ballet (2015), and Handels Messiah: Ballet/Oratorio (2015). Future productions include Cosi fan tutte (August 2016), Amber Willetts Romeo and Juliet (October 2016), followed by two of Jennifer Porters most magnificent works, The Snowman (Thanksgiving weekend 2016) and Firebird (March 2017).
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LocationThe Theatre at Meydenbauer Center (View)
11100 NE 6th Street
Bellevue, WA 98004
United States
Categories
| Kid Friendly: Yes! |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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