By Kathi E.B. Ellis for WFPL
November 11th, 2017
With the opening of the Louisville Ballet’s current mainstage season on Friday night, Louisville’s fall arts season is now truly in full swing.
Producing Artistic and Executive Director Robert Curran has paired together two ballets set to music by Stravinsky.
First on the program is Balanchine’s Rubies, one of three suites in his Jewels full-length ballet. Jewels celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and Louisville Ballet joins New York City Ballet, the Royal Ballet and other companies worldwide producing this gem of Balanchine’s quintessential modern American choreography.
Balancing the program is a revisioning of another Stravinsky ballet, The Firebird, with Australian choreographer Lucas Jervies. And what a reconception this is. Only those with intimate knowledge of the original could quibble at his connection with the music, as he plumbs the emotional breadth of Stravinsky’s score.