Scottish Ballet Debuts at the Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

Photo Credit: Scottish Ballet

Having spent quite a bit of time in Europe, I have acquired a deep passion for the arts.  From watching an opera performed entirely in French to standing “in the round” at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, I’ve had a number of diverse experiences.  Last night, I attended the debut of Scottish Ballet at the Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. With a strong opening night and a packed auditorium, it was a wonderful way to kick off the 2011-2012 season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center.

Much of my experience with ballet has been in classic form. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the contemporary approach, performed to authentically classical musical pieces.   The company, with it’s Scottish origins, is currently touring the US for the first time in 25 years. Interestingly enough, the current program was the same one performed at the Edinburgh International Festival this past summer.

The double bill includes Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s masterwork titled Song of the Earth, which is a powerful celebration of the cycles of life. The piece is set to Gustav Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde, who’s lyrics offer a bittersweet reflection on human emotions.  Song of the Earth “explores man’s struggle to accept mortality” and the hope and renewal that accompany death.

Kings 2 Ends is a new piece created by contemporary choreographer Jorno Elo and set to the music of Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 1 and Steve Reich’s Double Sextet. The piece is lyrical and contemporary and much is left to one’s personal interpretation.

Whether you’re someone with a rich appreciation of dance or unfamiliar with ballet as an art, I encourage you to be open to experiencing the beauty, grace, and precision of this company.

Photo Credit: Scottish Ballet

Scottish Ballet is currently performing at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion through October 16th.

No compensation was received for this post. A huge thank you to Linda from Peachhead for the invite!

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Caryn Bailey

Caryn is a NICU nurse by day, blogger by night and mom 24/7. She savors the warm Southern California sun and loves to travel, shopping, baking, reading and frequenting her local tea room. Caryn created the column Lavishly Green for Peekaboo Picks Magazine to share her best tips for going green in style, she is the Former editor for Family Review Network, former OC Family Magazine online contributor, former Orange County Moms Blog contributor, former Evenflo Savvy Parent contributor, former member of the Totsy Advisory Board and former freelance writer for CBS Los Angeles.

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