Cincinnati Ballet’s World Premier of

Mozart’s Requiem

March 26th, 27th, 2010

Mozart’s Requiem (Requiem Mass in D Minor) was composed during the last year of his life. His last compositions is also considered one of his most respected and well known, including not only orchestra but vocal in form of choir and vocal soloist.

The choir, Xavier University Concert Choir.

The soloists,  Lisa Ericksen (soprano soloist), Maria Ventura (alto soloist), Cameo Humes (tenor soloist), Thomas W. Sherwood (bass soloist).

Now, who is choreographing such a great undertaking of a master’s work? Resident choreographer, Adam Hougland of course.

Mr. Hougland, who graduated from The Julliard School and went on to dance with The Limon Dance Company, Toronto Dance Theatre, The Lar Lubvitch Dance Company before starting his career as a choreographer.

Adam quotes the Requiem score as having a “dark, mysterious, song bird quality” that he “fell in love with” after listening to it. One of the dancers tells me that she is excited to be dancing in this ballet even with the dark theme. I wasn’t sure what made it dark until I watched the video on the ballet’s website, where Adam says the ballet is “…as much about death as it is making the most out of the moments you have here on Earth”.

Sounds beautiful to me.

The stage, which has been collaborated with Marion Williams, costume and scenic designer based in New York working in theatre, opera and dance, is modern and unique to anything that I have ever seen in the ballet world. Ms. Williams has worked with Adam Hougland four times in Louisville and he says that he worked well with her on this ballet as well. Pictures of the stage show scaffolding and models of people and chairs, which may explain the use of suitcases during rehearsals. Mr. Hougland describes the ballet as different scenes in different lives that may not make sense at first yet mesh well at the end.

If you really think about it, aren’t all of our lives intertwined in some way. I meet people everyday that through some other person or place or thing, have something in common with myself.

Luckily, I only have two weeks left to wait and see what appears to be an amazing opportunity to see such a well known choreographer come to our Cincinnati Ballet.

Ballet & Beer Thursday March 18th at 5:00pm

Performances,  March 26th and 27th 8:00 pm

March 27th 2:00 pm matinee