THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 29, 1995 TAG: 9510270272
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 24 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines
The Richmond Ballet will present a repertory program featuring ``Chopiniana,'' a new piece that gives a glimpse of dance history, at Willett Hall at 8 p.m. Nov. 11.
The program also will include pieces by two contemporary choreographers, ``Tandem Spaces'' by William Soleau and ``Contra Pose'' by Eliot Feld.
The Richmond-based company, known as the State Ballet of Virginia, will open the Portsmouth Community Concert season. Memberships for the association's season of four programs, as well as individual tickets for the ballet, are now on sale.
``Chopiniana'' has been staged for the Richmond Ballet by Gemze de Lappe, who merged choreography by two great innovators in dance, Isodora Duncan and Michel Fokine. The two dance pieces were created to the same music by Frederic Chopin at about the same time early in this century.
De Lappe is one of the few Isadora Duncan experts actively teaching and re-staging the famous dancer's work.
Soleau's contemporary ballet, ``Tandem Dances,'' was created with elements of modern dance for the Richmond Ballet's 1993-94 season and the music was composed specifically for the ballet by Richmond composer, Jonathan Romeo. ``Tanden Dances'' features 10 dancers in four sections: Ascent, Innocence, Compassion and Darkness and Light.
The Richmond company was the first to perform Feld's ``Contra Pose'' outside of New York. The choreography is set to Symphonies nos. 2,3, and 5 by C.P.E. Bach. Created in 1990, the work explores unusual choreography with 18 dancers performing fast, angular movements in black unitards.
Other concerts on the Community Concert series include Brenda Boozer, mezzo-soprano, Dec. 8; the Vienna Choir Boys, Jan. 13, and the New Xavier Cugat Orchestra, April 8. All programs will begin at 8 p.m. at Willett Hall.
Season subscriptions are $35 for adults, $17 for students and $75 for family memberships. Reserved seats are available.
Single tickets for the ballet performance are $15 for adults and $8 for students. They are available at Willett Hall Box Office and from any Ticketmaster outlet. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by SUZANNE GRANDIS
The Richmond Ballet corps strikes a Contra Pose, by Eliot Feld. The
ballet will perform at Willett Hall on Nov. 11.
by CNB