Roving Pittsburgher Report - Are You a Good Swan or a Bad Swan? A Review of Swan Lake, PBT's Feb 13th 2014 Performance

Are You a Good Swan or a Bad Swan?
Review of Swan Lake, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Feb. 13th 2014 Performance
From:  Roving Pittsburgher Report and PositivePittsburghLiveMagazine.com
Written By:  Stephanie Curtice  |  Feb.14, 2014

I have been to many classical performances, yet at this one I found myself as one of those people confused about when to clap. At the symphony, don’t clap between movements. But, at the ballet? I didn’t know. Surprisingly, I had only been to a ballet one other time, as a child when I went for a school field trip to the Nutcracker. This is, of course, another ballet composed by Tchaikovsky. I don’t know why I hadn’t gone more, but I’m glad this was my first “big kid” trip to the ballet. And what better one, than the quintessential Swan Lake? It was beautiful and astonishingly athletic. I was worried that I wouldn’t follow the plot without words or singing, but there was no need. The story line was clear and medium of ballet told it perfectly. I was surprised of how moving the story was. It was truly beautiful.

Julia Erickson

(photo credit: Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre)

So, being the New Girl in the Burgh but a Kansas girl at heart, I’d have to ask. “Are you a good swan or a bad swan?” To which Odette would reply, “Oh, I’m not a swan at all… I’m a princess.” One could tell from the opening night crowd at the Benedum, Swan Lake is a classic fairy tale. There were many tutu and crown wearing little girls gazing in aw of the swan princess ballerina story. Very cute!

The ballet begins kind of like Cinderella. The Prince Siegfried (Robert Moore) at the castle, being told by his Queen Mother there will be a ball. And to that ball all eligible princesses shall attend, each in hopes that he will choose her to be his bride. After planning, the Prince and his friends go hunting in the forest. Then taking aim at a beautiful swan, he sees the most amaizing thing. The white swan magically turns into a beautiful maiden named Odette (Julia Erickson). They quickly fall in love and she tells him of her curse.

Julia Erickson, Robert Moore, and swans

(photo credit: Nick Coppula)

The third act begins at the ball where the Prince is presented several princesses, who showcase dances of their native lands. Though he still has Odette in his heart, he is captivated by Odile, whose likeness is of Odette’s but darkly enchanting as a black swan. As he professes his love to Odile (also danced by Julia Erickson), the evil Sorcerer (Nurlan Abougaliev) exposes his disguise and trickery.

After a second intermission, Odette and the other swans share in their sadness of the curse, turn of events, and impending doomed life of forever living as a swan. The Prince arrives to beg for forgiveness and their true love is reaffirmed. Unfortunately, because the Prince was tricked into falling for Odile, Odette is destined to remain a swan forever. The only way to break the curse and kill the evil Sorcerer at this point is Odette’s death. Together in true love, the Prince and Odette leap to there deaths, off of a cliff, into the lake. The end.

Ok, so maybe instead of fairy tale like, its more Romeo and Juliet like, and the “happily ever after” is more suggested to be restricted to the afterlife. But I think that minor detail floated right over the heads of all of the little princesses in the audience.

Yoshiaki Nakano

(photo credit:

Rosalie O'Connor Photography)

Things I did not know about Swan Lake the ballet:

• There are a few prescribed sets of choreography for the entire show, and the choreography used in this presentation was by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, circa 1895.
• There are multiple possible endings for the ballet.
• Originally Odile was just an enchantress, not a swan/girl like Odette
• The score most frequently used is actually an arrangement by Tchaikovsky’s brother Modeste and Ricarrdo Drigo.
• The “Swan Theme” was used in Dracula, the 1931 film starring Bela Legos, and The Mummy, the 1932 film starring Boris Karloff.

How you might ask do I know these super informative tidbits? Well, that last one was compliments of my sweet boyfriend, who loves old movies. And for the others, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre posts a very useful resource for called the Audience Production Guide at their website. If you are a fledgling ballet attendee, like myself, I would definitely recommend checking it out before you see the show.

The evening was full of graceful dancing including the signature “fluttering of wing” by the swans, fun and athletic leaps by the Jester (Yoshiaki Nakano), pristine pirouettes by Odette, and festive dances by the hopeful princess guests in the Czardas, Spanish, Neopolitan and Mazurka styles. Every aspect of the dancing and finely played music was engaging. It was a great first experience at the ballet!

Additional Performances:
Friday, Feb 14th  |  8 PM  |  Benedum Hall

Saturday, Feb 15th  |  2 PM  |  Benedum Hall

Saturday, Feb 15th  |  8 PM  |  Benedum Hall

Sunday, Feb 16th  |  2 PM  |  Benedum Hall

By: Stephanie Curtice

Good News and Cultural Reporter

PositivelyPittsburghLiveMagazine.com

RovingPittsburgher.blogspot.com
TheNewGirlintheBurgh.blogspot.com

(c) PositivelyPittsburghLiveMagazine.com 2014

The Nutcracker, More than Just a Ballet, a Pittsburgh Tradition

A Fashion Show for Little Girls and Night Out for the Family

Review of The Nutcracker Ballet

by Good News Reporter, Joanne Quinn-Smith

Sugar plum fairies, toys coming to life, magicians, a man walking on stilts, oh my!  What a fantasy performance is The Nutcracker for both children and adults.  This was my four year old granddaughter’s second year to see it but it was the sixty something previous date who suggested we should go ahead.  If the truth were to be known he knows all the songs and starts to hum them as soon as they begin.  What a family tradition if you haven’t started it, START NOW.

There is pageantry not just in the many bedazzled and colorful costumes and performances on stage but it is a veritable fashion show of little girls dressed up in their sequined, satin and studded Christmas dresses with bows and patent leather shoes and delightful jewelry and a small tiara here and there.

The Nutcracker performed by the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre never ceases to amaze me at its ability to capture and keep the attention for the duration of toddlers, middle schoolers, teens, young adults, couples and yes, Senior citizens.  But if you think it’s just for children, think again.  The Nutcracker Ballet is one of the most romantic Christmas traditions right up there with the movie, “It’s a Wonderful World.”  

A timeless classic with toys coming to life and multiple ethnic dances and superlative scenery and costuming, it is a buffet of interesting sights and sounds and yes smells too.  It’s a nice touch to walk into the theatre to the aroma of roasted almonds, pecans and cashews.

And the opulent setting of the Benedum, well it’s both child and adult and senior princesses’ idea of romance, glamour and the elegance of days gone by.   Great family night, great date night!  Dad’s you will be a hero for buying the tickets and escorting all of your princesses.  Mom’s you will be the Queen for suggesting it.

My favorite scenes are the ethnic dances, Pas de Caractère (A dance that is nonclassical, a character dance, national or folk dance.)   The Arabic and the Chines fire dragon and Cossacks are my absolute favorites.  And the score, well it gives Tchaikovsky a chance to continue just a bit of his robust war sounds in the battle with the Mouse King while tripping through also winter wonderland scenes and fairies dancing and romantic interlude.   Also Zack Brown has outdone himself with Costumes and Scenery. 

Did you know about the Pittsburgh Connection?

It is Christmas Eve in the early years of the 20^th century at the Stahlbaum home in Shadyside.  On the Street outside, Godfather Drosselmeyer and his Nephew unload mysterious packages from their carriage.  This is a house that actually existed in Shadyside at the turn of the twentieth Century. 

Also the Pittsburgh Ballet is to be commended for its use of younger local talent to fill the many small roles in the Nutcracker.  I especially liked and so did my granddaughter, the tiny bumble bees that shook their tales in the finale. 

As the last scene ended my 4 year old granddaughter put two thumbs up and said, “A big thumbs up for The Nutcracker.”

Always worth far more than the price of admission:

Performances still available:

*Friday, December 14, at 7 PM
Saturday, December 15, at 2 PM
Saturday, December 15, at 7 PM
Sunday, December 16, at 12 PM
Sunday, December 16, at 4:30 PM
Thursday, December 20, at 7 PM
Friday, December 21, at 7 PM
Saturday, December 22, at 2 PM
Saturday, December 22, at 7 PM
Sunday, December 23, at 12 PM
Sunday, December 23, at 4:30 PM
Friday, December 28, at 7 PM - Best Availability
Saturday, December 29, at 2 PM - Best Availability
Saturday, December 29, at 7 PM - Best Availability
Sunday, December 30, at 12 PM - Best Availability

Purchase tickets:

http://pbt.culturaldistrict.org/production/31961/nutcracker

Radio Host and Serial Blogger, Joanne Quinn-Smith is the host of PositivelyPittsburghLive™ Internet Talkcast and TechnoGrannyShow™  On her shows, Joanne has interviewed over 1800 guests.  As an advocate for small Business, she was awarded the National Small Business Administration Journalist of the Year Award.  She is also the publisher of PositivelyPittsburghLiveMagazine.com which is a 2010 National Stevie Award finalist for best Media Website or Blog. PPL Mag features the GOOD NEWS, about Pittsburgh  and is  Pittsburgh’s First internet radio and TV network. PPL Mag attracted 2.25 million visitors last year.  Her radio network has accumulated over one million listeners. The Creative Energy Officer of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates, Joanne also teaches her online media platform building to small businesses in a client personalized, “Web2.0 Gorilla Branding Training™”.  Connect with Joanne at:  http://joannequinnsmith.com

Visions of Sugar Plum Fairies and Pointsettias

Poinsettias and Pointe Shoes

by Good News Reporter

Joanne Quinn-Smith

Poinsettias & Pointe Shoes Friday, November 30, 2012  was designed by the Pittsburgh Ballet and Phipps Conservatory to both delight and warm the hearts of visitors.  Both organizations outdid themselves.  There was  stuff for the whole family.  A preview of the ballet left no doubt that attendees would continue their tradition of attending the Nutcracker. Also the combination of the ballet show and being able to wonder the rooms of the Botanical Gardens-----------------show just made perfect sense.  The magic of a traditional ballet and the 1893 glasshouse enveloped visitors in a Christmas wonderland.

The sentinel at the entry of the show was a Victorian hearth and the sampling of the Nutcracker included the Sugarplum Pas de Deux from the PBT’s annual performance of Terrence S. Orr’s The Nutcracker.  This classic by Tchaikovsky has become a holiday tradition around the world since its premier in Russia in 1892, coincidentally one year before Henry Phipps opened his conservatory in Pittsburgh. 

Strolling through the  Winter Flower Show & Winter Light Garden  With seasonal blooms, twinkling lights, aromatic greens and other adornments, really made one feel like you were “coming home for the holidays.” In addition to the annual winter delights a brand new outdoor Winter Light Garden exhibit will shine nightly with scores of whimsical LED light forms.

With more days gone by nostalgia, there is a Garden Railroad in the South Conservatory.  An elaborate model train display chugs through miniature living landscapes sprinkled with groundcover, sedums and other low-growing plants. This year, Phipps takes us back on a trip in time to 1893 to celebrate the debut of Phipps Conservatory and its connection with the World’s Fair.

Of course viewing the Winter Flower Show at night - a time when glowing candles light the walkways and live music filed the air, made the  experience even more magical.  There are more than 30 varieties of poinsettias along with paper whites and amaryllis — even though awe inspiring they aren’t the only features that shout Christmas.

The theme of this year’s show, “Come Home for the Holidays,” plays out in warm, homey touches that Phipps officials hope will give visitors that fuzzy, sentimental feeling of the holidays. A large Victorian dollhouse, handmade by Phipps volunteers, stands in the Welcome Center. A Victorian-style hearth, complete with a faux-flickering fire, greets visitors in the Palm Court. In the nearby Serpentine Room, doors salvaged from Construction Junction stand along the windy path, with wreaths hanging on the doors.  This is a smorgasbord of visual treats and something for everyone including the old fashioned market where children can play at shopping and period trees decorated for the 1893 era. 

What a novel idea to put the romance of the Nutcracker to a backdrop of the visual romance of Phipps 1893 Glasshouse.  It is a little girl’s dream and a big girl’s fantasy.  As the carol says:  “for kids from 1 to 92,”  Phipps wishes a Merry Christmas to you.  Moms and dads you will revel in the delight on children’s faces as they wonder through flowers and Christmas trees and Santa Claus displays.  Significant others, well just take a look at the cozy couple in the foyer in our final picture.  A picture is worth a thousand words.  Peruse ours and you will get the idea that you should “Come home to Phipps for the holidays on your way to The Nutcracker by the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. This just could be the most perfect romantic or family evening out.  Visions of Sugar Plum Fairies and Victorian Christmases will dance in your head for many seasons to come.

The Winter Garden exhibit will be open until 10 p.m. daily from Nov. 23-Jan.6. Learn More  

Nutcracker will play at the Benedum from December 7 thru 30^th  http://www.pbt.org/performances/nutcracker

Radio Host and Serial Blogger, Joanne Quinn-Smith is the host of PositivelyPittsburghLive™ Internet Talkcast and TechnoGrannyShow™  On her shows, Joanne has interviewed over 1800 guests.  As an advocate for small Business, she was awarded the National Small Business Administration Journalist of the Year Award.  She is also the publisher of PositivelyPittsburghLiveMagazine.com which is a 2010 National Stevie Award finalist for best Media Website or Blog. PPL Mag features the GOOD NEWS, about Pittsburgh  and is  Pittsburgh’s First internet radio and TV network. PPL Mag attracted 2.25 million visitors last year.  Her radio network has accumulated over one million listeners. The Creative Energy Officer of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates, Joanne also teaches her online media platform building to small businesses in a client personalized, “Web2.0 Gorilla Branding Training™”.  Connect with Joanne at:  http://joannequinnsmith.com