Amore Italiano | Oregon Ballet Theatre by Artslandia

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Oregon Ballet Theatre would like to express its most sincere thanks to our most generous sponsors THANK YOU!

LETTER FROM THE our part to you, our audience—a sign of our commitment to maintaining the traditions of our art form even while we break new ground. Just think: a contemporary (and friend!) of Hans Christian Andersen, a choreographer whose work is rarely performed in the U.S.—is now, thrillingly, part of our world here at Oregon Ballet Theatre, here in Portland.

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The Regional Arts & Culture Council, including support from the City of Portland, Multnomah County, and the Arts Education & Access Fund" "Work for Art, including contributions from more than 75 companies and 2,000 employees.

OBT is supported in part by a grant from the Oregon Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts

WELCOME TO THE OPENING PERFORMANCE OF OREGON BALLET THEATRE’S 26TH SEASON: AMORE ITALIANO! With this performance we dramatically expand the breadth of classical ballet in Portland by presenting, for the first time ever, the celebratory third act of Napoli by the Danish choreographer and ballet master, August Bournonville. We also welcome back one of North America’s most acclaimed choreographers James Kudelka, who is well known to Portland audiences and remembered vividly for his stunning Almost Mozart—created on OBT in 2006. Bringing the Bournonville style to Portland was a major undertaking, and I could not have imagined attempting it without the stellar team that we have assembled, headed up by the illustrious Frank Andersen—Founder of The Bournonville Foundation and the former Artistic Director of both the Royal Danish AND the Royal Swedish Ballets. I had the pleasure of working for Mr. Andersen at The Royal Danish Ballet some years back and it was there that I became captivated by the wonderfully sunny, sweet, and technically dazzling work of the Danish master. This style of ballet is a direct link to the very beginning of our art form close to 200 years ago, an unbroken lineage that has been preserved and cherished in Denmark continuously. Sharing this work with you is a highlight for our company, and it represents a substantial investment on

My relationship with James Kudelka is even more personal and goes back to 1985—when I joined Les Grands Ballets Canadiens (in Montreal) and was introduced to this dance maker’s unique approach to bridging classical ballet and contemporary context. I had the great fortune of working with Mr. Kudelka throughout my eight-year tenure at LGBC, and I credit him with unlocking much of my potential as a dancer through the challenge of his choreography. James has never been content with doing what has already been done before, but rather sets himself and his dancers new challenges all the time. His wit, his musicality, and his mastery of the classical ballet idiom endow him with a wonderful perspective, and it is a personal thrill to bring him together with Oregon Ballet Theatre yet again. Finally, what a treasure to include violinist Aaron Meyer in this performance that takes its inspiration from the exuberance of the Italian street scenes August Bournonville saw in the early 1800s and the pious yet somehow mysterious music of Carlo Gesualdo. Our Portland arts scene is so rich and varied and we relish the opportunity to “connect the dots” between our organization and the artists and groups that give our home base its distinctive appeal. Our deepest thanks to Aaron for sharing his artistry with us in this performance—and a note: pay close attention as you will get a sneak peek of this spring’s full-length ballet Beautiful Decay before his set is complete. Enjoy! Kevin Irving

Cover photo by Yi Yin. Dancers Kelsie Nobriga and Chauncey Parsons Wardrobe by Adam Arnold

FROM THE WELCOME TO THE FIRST PROGRAM OF OREGON BALLET THEATRE’S 2015–16 SEASON!

e are so glad you are here with us. OBT is our professional ballet company and you, the audience, are an integral part of our company. The dancers have dedicated their lives to their training and to developing the dance vocabulary and skill needed to take a choreographed musical piece, and bring it to the stage. The performance, and your enjoyment of it, is the entire focus of their efforts. Kevin Irving, our wonderful Artistic Director, spends a significant portion of his time thinking about how to surprise and delight you. Kevin consistently brings the best choreographers to Portland, and makes his artistic decisions with you in mind. His genius is in mentally placing himself in the same Keller Auditorium seat you currently occupy, and asking himself, “What would inspire my emotions?” The Oregon Ballet Theatre team has dozens and dozens of volunteers, contributors, board members, and professional staff

dedicated to placing the best and most creative product on stage. Dennis Buehler, Executive Director, heads up an ever-improving administrative staff that marshals every penny and makes sure it is applied towards the success of the performance on stage. The final member of the team is you. We count on you to enjoy, participate, critique, sit back, stand up, and be enveloped by the dancers’ performance and the music. Everyone’s effort, all year long, culminates with the interaction between our dancers onstage and our audience experiencing the performance. So, I say again, you are an important and integral part of the company. We are so glad you are here with us. Thank you for your support and for being a member of the OBT team. Sincerely,

Cary Jackson Chairman of the OBT Board of Trustees

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Ansa Deguchi, Colby Parsons and Jordan Kindell. Photo by Tatiana Wills

2015|2016 Season

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George Balanchine’s

The Nutcracker Romeo & Juliet Beautiful Decay Dec. 12 - Dec. 26, 2015

Feb. 27 - Mar. 5, 2016

Apr. 14 - Apr. 23, 2016

503.222.5538 | www.obt.org | 818 SE 6th Ave

TODAY’S PROGRAM ROCK VIOLINIST

AARON MEYER

INTERMISSION

& HIS 6 PIECE BAND

NAPOLI ACT III

MUSIC Cadenza by Aaron Meyer

CHOREOGRAPHY August Bournonville

Variation on a Theme of Paganini by Niccolò Paganini, Aaron Meyer, and Tim Ellis

MUSIC Holger Simon Paulli and Edvard Helsted

L’inverno (Winter) from The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi, arranged by Aaron Meyer and Tim Ellis Including an excerpt from Beautiful Decay, choreographed by Nicolo Fonte. Coming to OBT in April 2016

GUITAR Tim Ellis KEYBOARDS Jean-Pierre Garau BASS Jamin Swenson DRUMS Mike Braun PERCUSSION Carl Smith LIGHTING DESIGNER Michael Mazzola The music from Aaron Meyer’s performance is featured on his new CD release and available in the lobby at intermission. Performance underwritten by Hedinger Family Foundation

SUB ROSA CHOREOGRAPHY James Kudelka MUSIC Carlo Gesualdo Madrigal selections: Moro, lasso, al moi duolo, Se la mia morte brami, Beltà poiché t’assenti, Canzone del principe, Gioite voi vol canto, Se non miro non moro, Se vi suol il moi duolo, Asciugate i begli occhi, Mercè grido piangendo, Languisce al fin, Tu m’uccidi o crudele COSTUME DESIGNER Christine Darch

WORLD PREMEIERE: March 29, 1842, Royal Danish Ballet, Copenhagen, Denmark

COSTUME DESIGNER Christine Meyers

OBT PREMIERE: October 10, 2015, Keller Auditorium, Portland, Oregon

Napoli was ballet master August Bournonville’s ultimate triumph and won him the status of “Danish ballet poet,” as Hans Christian Andersen called him in a letter following the premiere performance on March 29, 1842. Since then, Napoli has been danced in an unbroken tradition for 150 years and has come to represent the essence of August Bournonville’s creativity, both in steps and ideas. The ballet was choreographed after Bournonville visited Naples where he had been impressed by the local color and the vibrancy of life on the harbor of Santa Lucia. It appeared to be a city in constant movement. The first and third acts of Napoli were inspired by these Italian street scenes. Bournonville wrote in his memoirs: “From my window, in the course of an hour, I would witness more tableaux than I could use in ten ballets!” Act III of Napoli is a wedding celebration offering a joyous,

LIGHTING DESIGNER Michael Mazzola WORLD PREMIERE: October 10, 2015, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Keller Auditorium, Portland, Oregon

Gesualdo, an Italian prince and composer, discovered his wife in the act of adultery. His madrigal Moro, Lasso, was written in 1610, and is a tragic lament about a neglected lover who is dying in his agony. Excerpt from Moro, Lasso: “I die, alas, in my suffering, and she who could give me life, Alas, kills me and will not help me! O sorrowful fate, She who could give me life, Alas, gives me death!”

SCENIC DESIGNER Gene Dent

STAGERS Frank Andersen, Anne Marie Vessel Schlüter, and Eva Kloborg

PAUSE

VIOLIN Aaron Meyer

LIGHTING DESIGNER Michael Mazzola

“Moro, lasso, al mio duolo, E chi può darmi vita, Ahi, che m’ancide e non vuol darmi aita! O dolorosa sorte, Chi dar vita mi può, Ahi, mi dà morte!”

intoxicating, and seemingly endless stream of dance. At the 1842 premiere, an eye witness noted that the Danish audience, which then and now had a reputation for being reserved, “was completely carried away and became really quite Italian!” Napoli, also known as The Fisherman and His Bride, opens on the Santa Lucia wharf in Naples. Teresina, the beautiful daughter of the widow Veronica, is in love with a poor fisherman named Gennaro. Veronica tries to find a wealthier match for her daughter, but observing their true love, she relents and agrees to their marriage. Full of joy, the couple embarks on a moonlight sail on the Gulf. Here their story takes a sudden turn as a violent storm emerges and sets in motion a series of dramatic events including: the presumed death of Teresina, her sequester and transformation into a Naiad by the sea spirit Golfo, a heroic rescue by Gennaro with the help of divine intervention by a sacred relic, and the couple’s decision to forgo the paradise of Golfo’s undersea world and to return to Naples for their wedding. By the time we arrive at act III there is much to be celebrated. In the opening of act III, the townsfolk are gathered at the shrine of Monte Virgin near Naples. As Gennaro approaches, they shun him believing he was responsible for Teresina’s death at sea and believe him to be in partnership with evil forces. But after he is blessed by the town’s monk and the rescued Teresina appears, all these rumors are disproved and the couple’s wedding celebration can begin. The festivities are a bubbling series of dances: pas de six, solos, duets and trios, and culminate in the fiery tarantella! The happy couple then receives the traditional newlywed send-off in a gaily decorated peddler’s cart. Napoli is sponsored by the Scan|Design Foundation and the ScandinavianOREGON Heritage Foundation. BALLET THEATRE | P 3

COPENHAGEN EDITED BY SAM COLE

“FROM MY FIRST MOMENTS IN THE CITY, COPENHAGEN HAS TAKEN ME BY THE HAND AND SHOWN ME ITS MAGIC.” If there was ever a line to make one jealous of a world traveler, that’s it. The object of envy is OBT Soloist Candace Bouchard, who was one of six OBT dancers to take part in a week-long intensive program this July in Copenhagen, Denmark, home of the famed choreographer, August Bournonville. “While there are things that remind me of home—fit and friendly people, bicycles everywhere, tons of green space, food cart pods—Copenhagen’s rich history lends the city a cultural identity and weight that Portland is still very much in the process of developing. There are centuries-old palaces and churches with towers and gold-trimmed spires but also bold, newer structures, including two of the three theaters where The Royal Danish Ballet performs.” This envoy of OBT dancers was sent to Copenhagen to learn the Bournonville style of ballet leading up to the OBT premiere of act III of Napoli. Thanks to support from the Scan|Design Foundation and ballet master Frank Andersen, the OBT dancers spent the week at the Bournonville Summer Academy studying with some of the foremost experts on Bournonville style ballet. “Each day here begins with a basic barre, led by Eva Kloborg, former Principal Dancer and current Principal Character Artist with The Royal Danish Ballet. Former Royal Danish Ballet Artistic Director Frank Andersen and Bournonville teacher Anne Marie Vessel Schlüter also help throughout the class. All three of them are with us all day long. “The Bournonville ballet style differentiates from what U.S. students are accustomed to in a variety of ways. For example, there are six established Bournonville classes, one for each day of the week, save a rest day. Students brought up in the Bournonville style have the order of each class memorized. In the U.S. most schools use an ever-changing variety of steps depending on what the instructor wants to work on. “For me, the hardest element to pick up was the positioning of the head. We rarely angle our heads to look under our arms now, but it’s a hallmark of the Romantic Era. The head is heavy, and putting it in an unfamiliar direction can make you feel a little like you’re going to fall over, until you figure out all the other little adjustments to make!” Bournonville himself enjoyed the creative benefits of cultural exchange. Napoli, one of his best-known ballets, comes from time he spent in Naples, Italy. The brightness and energy of the choreography was inspired by the vibrancy of a city in constant movement. It goes to show how visiting a new city can open doors to new experiences. SNAPSHOTS TOP TO BOTTOM: Dancers(from l–r): Avery Reiners, Candace Bouchard, Jessica Lind, Jordan Kindell, Katherine Monogue, and Martina Chavez at the Museum Theatre in the Christiansborg Palace. Rehearsal with Candace Bouchard and Jessica Lind, photo by Avery Reiners On the street with Candace Bouchard and Jordan Kindell, photo by Avery Reiners. Jessica Lind coached by from Eva Kloborg, photo by Erin Gustafson. P4 | OREGON BALLET THEATRE

“From my perspective,” Candace mentions, “Danes are pleasant and somewhat reserved both today and in the Golden Age of the mid-19th century when Bournonville was active. Life seems enjoyable and getting through the day is done with ease and a small smile.” Candace also explains to us the concept of hygge, a staple in Danish culture. “It can be summed up as creating a warm atmosphere to enjoy the good things in life with family and friends.” Hygge is also a part of culture in neighboring Scandinavian countries—it seems to be a cultural antidote to long, dark winters. The direct manner of the Danes comes through even in the dancing. “It isn’t about egotistical bravura or competing to do the most pirouettes or getting your leg above your head all the time. It’s about beautiful steps presented straightforwardly in interesting combinations that complement the music. "Most of what I’m thinking of is how grateful I am to have seen Denmark firsthand, especially since so much of what was there when Bournonville was creating ballets still stands. I felt immersed in the style, both in and out of the studio, as if I could really experience the culture that produced this art and, therefore, understand better how to bring it to life.”

Blue ribbon society Ballet can be daunting. So we came up with something for a new generation of dance fans:

The Blue Ribbon Society OBT’s inviting all of Portland to enjoy ballet with friends... And games... And snacks... And free beer Join in and let us shake up your ideas of what ballet can be Tickets start at $15

for groups of 10 or more. For more information, contact OBT Group Sales: 503.227.0977x225 or sam.cole@obt.org

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As you settle in for Amore Italiano, we hope to provide you with an immersive and authentic experience, as if you are seeing Europe right alongside August Bournonville. “Denmark may sit at a slightly higher latitude, but Portland’s winter days are also pretty long and dark, and I think we’ve developed our own brand of hygge here. That cozy feeling. The value placed on spending quality time with quality people and quality food—that idea resonates with Portlanders…or this particular Portlander, at least.” To read more about this exciting project visit the obt blog at oregonballettheatre. wordpress.com/blog/ This cultural exchange made possible by:

OREGON BALLET THEATRE | P 5

AUGUST BOURNONVILLE Choreographer, Napoli August Bournonville was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, on August 21, 1805. A dancer, choreographer, ballet director, and teacher who directed The Royal Danish Ballet for nearly 50 years, he established the Danish style of dance based on bravura dancing and expressive mime. His distinctive style is noted for its precision, neatness, lightness, and gaiety. It is filled with bouncy jumps, speedy footwork, small quick steps, and beats done while the upper body is held still. He was trained by Vincenzo Galeotti, the Italian dancer and choreographer who became the founder of The Royal Danish Ballet, as well as by his father, French dancer Antoine Bournonville, who arrived in Copenhagen from Stockholm in 1792. Bournonville became a solo dancer at the Royal Ballet in Copenhagen at an early age. He created a style, although influenced from the Paris ballet, entirely his own in which elegance and grace dominated. As a choreographer, he made a large number of original ballets with very varied settings: from Denmark, Italy, Scotland, Russia, and South America. In Le Conservatoire, Bournonville dramatized memories of his years of study in Paris where the key theme was harmony and grace. In his ballets, the harmony of the dance reflects the harmony of the soul: ballet steps are infused with joyful exuberance. Among his ballets still performed, three have become treasures of the Danish ballet repertoire. La Sylphide, Napoli, and A Folk Tale represent the essence of Bournonville’s artistic outlook. In these ballets, Bournonville maintained that art should be positive, its purpose to elevate us and to make us harmonious human beings. They are dedicated to a world of order, meaning, beauty, and harmony in which balance prevails. Bournonville also directed the Swedish Royal Opera at Stockholm from 1861–64 and staged several of his works in Vienna from 1855–56. In 1877, following his return to Denmark, he retired and was knighted. Bournonville was a central

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figure in Danish culture who also fought to improve the social status and security of his dancers. He died on November 30, 1879 in Copenhagen. Source: International Dictionary of Ballet, 1993

JAMES KUDELKA Choreographer, Sub Rosa James Kudelka is widely acknowledged as one of North America’s most innovative choreographers. His mastery of both classical ballet and modern/contemporary dance has earned him commissions from companies— some 25 in all—as stylistically diverse as American Ballet Theatre, Chicago’s Hubbard Street Dance, and Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal. Even as a student at Canada’s National Ballet School, Kudelka demonstrated a choreographic interest in exploring innovative approaches. While adept in the classical ballet vocabulary, he infuses it with a contemporary sensibility acquired from his intense interest in modern movement idioms. Kudelka’s work covers an impressive range, from virtuoso pas de deux, through large-scale and always arresting adaptations of such classics as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and Cinderella, to boldly innovative creative collaborations with dancers, designers, and musicians. Kudelka has never been afraid to tackle psychologically challenging subject matter in his story ballets—he views dance as a primary medium of artistic discourse—and through his gift for movement metaphor infuses poetic, emotional meaning into his many nonnarrative works. After nine distinguished years as artistic director of the National Ballet of Canada (1996–2005) James Kudelka continues to undertake collaborative projects that engage and challenge him as a choreographer.

FRANK ANDERSON Director/Stager, Napoli Frank Andersen became Artistic Director of The Royal Danish Ballet in 1985. His first term ended in 1994 when he took over as Artistic Director of the Royal Swedish Ballet until 1999. He then resumed his post at The Royal Danish Ballet from 2002 until 2008. In 2002, Andersen was among five artists to receive the Dance Magazine Award in recognition of outstanding contribution to the field of dance. In 2004 the American Scandinavian Foundation made Andersen “Man of the Year” in the U.S. In 2008, Andersen was awarded Commander of the Danish Dannebrog Order. Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, Andersen began training at The Royal Danish Ballet School at the age of seven. He also studied under Vera Volkova, Stanley Williams, and Nora Kiss. He was accepted to the corps of The Royal Danish Ballet in 1971 and became a principal in 1977. His dancing has been described as conveying a love of life, humor, and charm in roles such as Geert in The Kermesse in Bruges, Gurn in La Sylphide, Franz in Coppélia, and Puck in John Neumeier’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In 1976, Andersen and Royal Danish Ballet principal Dinna Bjørn founded the Bournonville Group. Known in the U.S. as “Soloists of The Royal Danish Ballet,” this ensemble of 8–10 dancers toured the world for ten years as ambassadors of Bournonville’s work. They performed in the U.S., Canada, Central America, France, Italy, Sweden, Holland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Thailand. Andersen has staged more than 30 productions of August Bournonville’s ballets for many internationally recognized companies including: A Folk Tale for The Royal Danish Ballet in 1991—with set and costumes by Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II, La Sylphide for the National Ballet of China in 1999, and Napoli act III for the National Ballet of Cuba in 2008. In 2010, Andersen, together with his wife Eva Kloborg,

(see bio in this program), staged Bournonville's La Conservatoire and The Flower Festival in Genzano for the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet, and this culminated in major presentations at the Hanoi Opera House in May 2010. Since 1997, he has been Artistic Advisor to the National Ballet of China, visiting the People’s Republic on many occasions. In 2014, he published the first book in Chinese about The Royal Danish Ballet and August Bournonville. In 2013, he became the first Dane to be a Professor with the Beijing Dance Academy. Andersen is thrilled to share his passion for August Bournonville’s choreography with Portland audiences in this Oregon Ballet Theatre premiere production of Napoli Act III.

CHRISTINE DARCH Costume Design, Sub Rosa Christine Darch designs and builds costumes and sets for choreographers Julia Adam, Marc Brew, Val Caniparoli, Robert Dekkers, Jorma Elo, Jodie Gates, Adam Hougland, Jae Man Joo, James Kudelka, Gabrielle Lamb, Edwaard Liang, Matthew Neenan, David Palmer, Gina Patterson, Brian Reeder, Dwight Rhoden, Amy Seiwert, and Merián Soto. She has been commissioned by Ballet Arizona, Ballet Memphis, Atlanta Ballet, Axis, Charlotte Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Complexions, Diablo Ballet, Houston Ballet, Imagery, Israel Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Le Ballet Nice Méditerranée, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Pennsylvania Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Post:Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Smuin Ballet, Washington Ballet, and BalletX. She lives in New York with acclaimed ballet composer Matthew Pierce. Upcoming projects include world premieres for Nicolo Fonte for BalletX and three for Complexions Contemporary Ballet at the Joyce. This is her second collaboration for OBT with Mr. Kudelka.

GENE DENT Set Designer, Napoli Gene Dent has created set and lighting designs for many of Portland’s memorable productions. In addition to his set designs for Oregon Ballet Theatre’s 1994 production of Romeo and Juliet, Dent created lighting designs for many OBT works including Between Two Worlds, Promise of Shadows and early productions of The Nutcracker. He recently designed sets and lighting for the Broadway Rose production of Thoroughly Modern Millie and created lighting designs for The Sound of Music and The Drowsy Chaperone. He received two 2012 PAMTAs for the sets and lights for the Broadway Rose world premiere of Ripper. He designed the sets for the Broadway Rose production of Les Misérables, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Always Patsy Cline. Dent has worked with Oregon Children’s Theatre for more than 20 years, designing sets and lights for Diary of a Worm, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and The Magic School Bus as well as lighting design for the company’s first production, Treasure Island. Other Portland Companies include: Portland Opera, BodyVox, and Pixie Dust Productions. He’s designed for opera companies in Vancouver, Seattle, and New Orleans. In addition, Dent served as Production Designer, creating set and lighting designs for Portland's Singing Christmas Tree for many years. Dent is president of SCi 3.2, which designs and builds parade floats for major festivals throughout the west.

EVA KLOBORG Stager, Napoli Eva Kloborg was educated at the Ballet School of the Royal Theatre. She became an apprentice in 1964 and in 1966 a dancer of The Royal Danish Ballet where she was appointed character dancer in 1992. In 2007, she celebrated her 40th anniversary as a dancer with The Royal Danish Ballet. Today she is a Principal Character Artist with the company.

Kloborg has danced a large number of roles with The Royal Danish Ballet since her debut as Calliope in Apollo in 1966, including: Aureole, Chopiniana, Opus 1, The Moors Pavane, Andrea and Louise in The King’s Volunteers on Amager, Elisa and Victorine in Le Conservatoire, Pas de Deux from The Flower Festival in Genzano, Teresina in Napoli, Effy in La Sylphide, and Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet. As a character dancer she has also performed: Madge and Anna in La Sylphide, the Queen in Swan Lake, the Queen and Carabosse in The Sleeping Beauty, the Stepmother in Cinderella, Madame Larina in Onegin, Mrs. Christine and Muri in A Folk Tale, Veronica in Napoli, the Pianist in The Lesson, and Bertha in Giselle. From 1990–2008, she has been a fulltime Ballet Mistress and a teacher at the Royal Ballet School, as well as The Royal Danish Ballet in the Bournonville repertoire. She has also been teaching Bournonville classes as guest teacher in NYC at Perry Dance, with Alicia Alonso and the National Ballet of Cuba, at the Stanislawski Theatre Ballet in Moscow, at the Vietnam National Ballet in Hanoi and with the Finnish National Ballet. In addition to these many responsiblities she is a permanent guest teacher with the Inoue Ballet in Tokyo, with the National Ballet of China in Beijing, and with Nina Ananiashvili and the State Ballet of Georgia in Tbilisi. Kloburg is co-producing August Bournonville’s ballets around the world with Frank Andersen. The cities include: Florence, Cuba, Tallinn, Beijing, Tokyo, Prague, Shenyang, Moscow, Ljubljana, Hanoi, Havana, Stockholm, New Zealand, Helsinki, and Tbilisi. In 2013 and 2014 she staged and produced La Sylphide in Montevideo, and Napoli Act III in The Hague, Vancouver, and Lisbon. Kloburg is a Knight of the Danish Dannebrog.

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AARON MEYER Violinist Concert Rock Violinist Aaron Meyer performs cutting edge original music combining world, progressive rock, and contemporary classical styles of music with his six-piece rock orchestra. Classically trained at 5 years old, Meyer debuted with the Philadelphia Orchestra at age 11, and subsequently has soloed with international symphony orchestras including the Oregon Symphony and the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra in Thailand. Aaron has performed with the band Pink Martini, Smokey Robinson, and Everclear. Aaron travels the world performing concerts and conducting his music education workshops and master classes. Aaron’s newest album features the music from tonight’s performance and is available in the lobby. For more info on Aaron: www.aaronmeyer.com

CHRISTINE MEYERS Costume Design, Napoli Christine Meyers is a Costume Designer, Production Designer, and Cinematographer who has created for opera, theatre, dance, and film. Current works include Sex with Strangers at Portland Center Stage and The Legend of Georgia McBride with Anita Yavich at MCC Theater in New York. Her work spans genres, including a recent collaboration with experimental dance company zoe|juniper, a music video for The Head and the Heart’s “Let’s Be Still,” Crayola at Oregon Ballet Theatre, and the classic Tartuffe at Seattle Shakespeare Company. Other plays include Seattle Repertory Theatre’s Circle Mirror Transformation, This, and Speech and Debate; and the earlier Peter Pan, The Highest Tide, and The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears at Book-It Repertory Theatre, and Twelfth Night and Julius Caesar at Seattle Shakespeare Company. Film credits include the 48-hour film short Lethal Cotillion, which was chosen to screen at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, and the indie feature Bhakti Boy. She has created dissolving dresses and P8 | OREGON BALLET THEATRE

special effects for Alice in Chains’ video “Lesson Learned.” Her work with the International Handel Festival in Göttingen, Germany, included draping on Orlando, which was brought to Drottningholm Palace in Sweden.

ANNE MARIE VESSEL SCHLÜTER Stager, Napoli Anne Marie Vessel Shlüter was born in 1949. She trained at the Ballet School of the Royal Danish Theatre. She became an apprentice in 1965 and in 1967 she was engaged as a dancer by The Royal Danish Ballet. In 2001, Vessel Schlüter became a Ballet Master at The Royal Danish Ballet. As a soloist Vessel Schlüter has danced Eleonora and Marchen in The Kermesse in Bruges, and Swanilda in Coppélia, the pupil in The Lesson, Clara in The Nutcracker, Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and soloist roles in Napoli, The Flower Festival in Genzano, La Conservatoire, La Sylphide and Far from Denmark. Vessel Schlüter began teaching in 1979. From 1988 until 2006 she was Director of the Ballet School at the Royal Danish Theatre. In addition to teaching, Vessel Schlüter has staged a number of Bournonvilleballets at the Royal Theatre. In 1991, she staged a new version of A Folk Tale together with Frank Andersen, and in 2004 a new version of The King’s Volunteers on Amager. In 1998, she recreated August Bournonville's ballet Bellman for the Royal Swedish Ballet’s 175th anniversary. She has also instructed a number of ballets for the students at the Ballet School. Vessel Schlüter assists Frank Andersen for his Bournonville productions worldwide. In Florence, Cuba, Prague, Moscow, Montevideo, Lisbon, Tallinn, and Beijing and she teaches in the Bournonville style at The Royal Danish Ballet. In 2005, she published an updated version of the Bournonville School at the Royal Danish Theatre. Vessel Schlüter is a Knight of Dannebrog First Order Class.

AMY WATSON Guest Principal Artist, Napoli and Sub Rosa Originally from Washington, D.C., Watson trained at the School of American Ballet and performed with the Suzanne Farrell Ballet before joining the corps de ballet of The Royal Danish Ballet in 2000. In 2003, she was appointed soloist and in 2007, principal dancer. Watson’s roles as a principal included Other Dances, Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Teresina in Napoli, Kitri in Don Quixote, Anita in West Side Story, Titania and Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the Ballerina in Études, Myrtha in Giselle, Irma in Abdallah, Victorine in Le Conservatoire, Lescaut’s Mistress in Manon, Olga in Onegin, Sophie in The King's Volunteers on Amager, Effy in La Sylphide, Calypso and Kirke in The Odyssey, Eleonora and the pas de deux in The Kermesse in Bruges, Princess Henriette in The Little Mermaid, Mercedes in Don Quixote, Betsy in Anna Karenina, and Babe in Twyla Tharp’s Come Fly Away. Watson created a leading role in Bournonville Fantasy by Thomas Lund, Jacopo Godani's Uncontaminated, the principal part in Jo Strømgren’s Air and in Jorma Elo's Lost on Slow, and the soloist part in Anna Lærkesen's Wings and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui's L'Homme de Bois. Watson has performed at Alexander Kølpin’s Copenhagen International Ballet as well as with soloists and principals of The Royal Danish Ballet at the Dance Salad Festival in Houston, Texas. Watson has received a Helena Rubinstein Scholarship, a George Balanchine Scholarship, the Grant of Albert Gaubier (2004) and the Grant of Ulla Poulsen (2005). In 2011, she received the Order of the Dannebrog from Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.

O R E G O N

B A L L E T

T H E A T R E

P R E S E N T S

Dancers left to right: Kimberly Nobriga, Sarah Griffin, Katherine Monogue, and Eva Burton. Photos by Tatiana Wills.

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Classes for students ages 3 to pre-professional / Enrollment is ongoing throughout the school year

Generous underwriting M. J. Murdock support provided by Charitable Trust

CLASSES FOR ADULTS TOO! VISIT OBT.ORG/ ADULTCLASS_INFO.HTML FOR DETAILS

The Clark Foundation

JAMES KUDELKA with

INTERVIEW BY MARTY HUGHLEY.

“I think once someone has experienced his work their world will be a little richer.” So said Laurence Lemieux of Montreal’s Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie about James Kudelka, just before the troupe made its Portland debut in 2007 with an evening of Kudelka’s dances. “The kind of work that’s so hard technically that it can’t be perfect,” she continued. “And that’s like a really beautiful metaphor for life.” Followers of Oregon Ballet Theatre, however, already had a richer world, courtesy of Almost Mozart, a bit of gorgeously contained dynamism created for OBT in 2006. In 2009, the acclaimed Canadian choreographer returned to OBT with the world premiere of Hush, an abstract, large-ensemble piece set to etudes for solo harp. And Kudelka, the former artistic director of the National Ballet of Canada, has shared his creative riches with dozens of companies, from American Ballet Theatre to Hubbard Street Dance to Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal. “I can’t overstate the impact working with James over the years had on me as a dancer, or the impact that seeing his work has consistently made on me as an audience member,” says OBT Artistic Director Kevin Irving, who has known the choreographer for decades. “James inspired me to push myself harder than I thought possible and enabled me to reach new heights as an artist—he pushed my technique, he pushed my stamina, and he pushed my ability to connect to the audience. It is a happy coincidence that, in this small world of ballet, James Kudelka is already well known here in Portland and that I am able to bring his unique perspective back to our audience.” Prior to his latest visit to Portland, Kudelka answered questions via email, commenting on his artistic inclinations and the creation of a new work expressly for the Amore Italiano program. The following exchange has been edited for brevity.

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Of the many companies you’ve created work on, what distinguishes OBT? I think Portland is what distinguishes OBT. It is a very interesting city, rather like San Francisco was in earlier decades. Through White Bird and their series, there continued to be a dance presence in Portland that had been lost in most other parts of the continent. At least this was true when I was (last) in Portland. How does your familiarity with the company (in various incarnations) and with Kevin Irving affect your approach to an OBT commission? I am coming to Portland knowing that I have been there before and with an open mind as to what the company is becoming. I know that the OBT I worked with had a very good work ethic and was assured that was in the blood, in the founding, of the company.

Opposite photo: Michael Linsmeier, Xuan Cheng, & Jordan Kindell in James Kudelka's Almost Mozart. Opposite photo : James Kudelka rehearsing with Alison Roper for Oregon Ballet Theatre's 2006 premiere of Almost Mozart. Photos by Blaine Truitt Covert.

I DON’T THINK WE SHOULD THINK OF A NIGHT IN THE THEATRE AS ALWAYS HAVING TO BE AS GOOD AS A NICE WARM BUBBLE BATH FOR OUR SOULS. OBT initially announced that you’d be using music by Luigi Boccherini for the new piece. What led you to decide that Carlo Gesualdo’s music was a better fit? Do you bring in set plans about structure based on the music, or is it more about using the dancers to develop moods and ideas? Yes, I chose Boccherini but never felt comfortable with it, since my new ballet will share a program with Napoli Act 3. I was always concerned that the character of the suite I had imagined was too similar to the spirit of Napoli. I happened on Gesualdo’s madrigal Moro Lasso, and that lead me to the very dramatic story of the brutal murders of his wife, her lover, and his child. It seemed to me that to go completely the opposite direction to Napoli in tone, and mood, and orchestration was a better idea. I like that the music sounds sacred, but the poetry of the text is secular. I like that the meter (the time signature) is almost impossible to know, so the music is all texture and atmosphere and though motifs repeat you don’t always hear that coming. In my choreographic world of love, sex, and death, all three of these share a place in the score as in the composer’s life. It is extraordinary that a man capable of such jealousy and violence and paranoia could also be such a genius of harmony in vocal writing. I am coming to Portland with all this in mind, but I do not know yet how this will play out. I won’t know how many people I even want in the ballet until I get on the plane. You’re noted for, among other things, great stylistic range. Will Portland dance fans be experiencing a new side of your creative personality with this piece? I promise to be exactly the same but incredibly different. Q&A with JAMES KUDELKA CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

OREGON BALLET THEATRE | P 1 1

Q&A with JAMES KUDELKA CONTINUED

Your work has had a reputation for complexity and technical difficulty, and there’s a wonderful quote you gave to Dance Magazine years ago to the effect that the challenge keeps dancers “from smiling vacantly at the audience.” Do you still see your work that way, or have dancers caught up with your technical demands, much in the way the works of Philip Glass and Steve Reich have become a bit less foreboding for succeeding generations of musicians? Dancers nowadays are certainly more adept than in the mid-20th century. At that time, a big ballet company really would only have had one or two women capable of dancing Swan Lake or Giselle. Now that is not true; many could do the steps, but I still don’t think that you would want to watch all of these dancers dance these roles. There is always room for risk. The performer has to be willing to risk personally, spatially, and musically. The combination of these three things makes for good theatre and good dancing and should easily skirt mediocrity. It’s often noted that your facility with both classical ballet and contemporary forms is a key to your great success. In your mind, are there clear divisions between them or is it all part of a broad vocabulary? Michel Fokine wrote that each dance should create its own vocabulary and create its own world based on its own needs. He was a choreographer able to go from pointe shoe to character shoe to bare feet because that is what the scenario demanded. I think that a lot of the "new" ballet that came about in the ‘80s through choreographers like Forsythe and Kylián looked much better when it sat on the type of ballet dancers who were steeped in a much more solid ballet technique. These days...there is actually a lot of not very good ballet technique now going on underneath some very flashy choreography. Lately, I have become more enamoured of a kind of quiet transparency, which is much more related to Hush, that I made for OBT. The duet from Almost Mozart was similar. I imagine that the new work will be in this transparent vein.

Photos by Blaine Truitt Covert. Candace Bouchard in James Kudelka's Almost Mozart. P12 | OREGON BALLET THEATRE

Photos by Blaine Truitt Covert. Martina Chavez & Brian Simcoe in James Kudelka's Almost Mozart.

TRUST IN THE PROCESS IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT TO ME THAN UNDERSTANDING IT. Does a given piece tend in one direction or the other based on the theme, the initial group of dancers, or something more organic to the process? I don’t know how I do what I do, but I have to trust that when I get to the studio, and the situation, that something will surface and there will be a ballet at the end of the process. Trust in the process is much more important to me than understanding it. In an interview for SF Ballet a few years ago, you talked about wanting a have a new work “go sort of emotionally or psychologically very, very, very down.” How do you balance an interest in emotional depth and thematic complexity—and perhaps a darker nature—with the necessity of keeping an audience entertained or at least engaged? I don’t think we should think of a night in the theatre as always having to be as good as a nice warm bubble bath for our souls. And I am not alone in this. Who said it was all supposed to be light and entertaining? What about Ibsen? It can’t all just be what it has become: young people dancing for old people. You’re not just one of the world’s most acclaimed dancemakers, you’re a baker, a graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York. Do you still own a bakery in Ontario? In any case, are there carryovers between baking and choreography as applications of craft? In the rehearsal studio, what’s the yeast that makes the art rise? Being a baker was more like being an artistic director. The menu is like programming, the preparation of pre-ferments and mixing, dividing and shaping are all the rehearsal period, the baking and delivery are the finished product, the performance, ready for sale. Everything planned out to be ready on time for opening night or the opening of the shop. .

OREGON BALLET THEATRE | P 1 3

KEVIN IRVING Artistic Director Kevin Irving began dancing with jazz classes in his hometown dance school (Long Island, By Tatiana Willis New York), and later joined the school and training ensemble of Alvin Ailey. From 1982 to 1985, he danced with The Elisa Monte Dance Company of New York but, at 24, he took a sharp turn toward classical dance and joined Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, in Montréal. Promoted first to soloist and then to principal dancer, Irving became a well-known figure wherever LGBC performed. In 1993, Irving joined Twyla Tharp Dance for a project that included performances at L’Opera de Paris and the PBS television film of In the Upper Room. From 1994 to 2002, Irving was ballet master and associate director with Nacho Duato’s Compañía Nacional de Danza in Madrid, Spain. From 2002 to 2007, he was Artistic Director of The Göteborg Ballet in Sweden. The company, under Irving’s tenure as director, was named the most important dance company in Sweden in Ballet International’s critics’ poll. From 2007 to 2013, he was a frequent guest ballet master with The Royal Danish Ballet and has been a guest teacher with numerous other companies and schools. He has staged ballets by Nacho Duato and Nicolo Fonte on companies such as The Royal Ballet Covent Garden, Nederlands Dans Theater, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and The Australian Ballet, among many others. Irving was also Associate Director at dance company Morphoses (2011–2012), coordinating special initiatives aimed at defining the company’s unique brand and profile in the dance world. In 2010, Irving founded I-DANCE (Inspiring Dance: American Nation Choreographic Exchange), a non-profit organization that has sent teachers and choreographers to dance communities in Central and South America. He was named Artistic Director of Oregon Ballet Theatre in July 2013.

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LISA KIPP Rehearsal Director Lisa Kipp began studying ballet in Olympia, Washington and finished her training at Pacific By Tatiana Willis Northwest Ballet School. She danced with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Pacific Ballet Theatre, Ballet Oregon, Ballet of Los Angeles, Ballet Chicago, and James Sewell Dance, and also performed in the touring company of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera. Kipp danced principal roles in George Balanchine’s Rubies, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, Square Dance, Concerto Barocco, and Apollo, and appeared as the Cowgirl in Agnes De Mille’s Rodeo. Prior to joining OBT in 2004, she was the Ballet Department Head for the school of Spectrum Dance Theater in Seattle, as well as the company’s Rehearsal Director. Kipp has been the ballet master for OBT for 9 years, and the company’s rehearsal director for 2 years. As a ballet master she has assisted James Kudelka, Lar Lubovitch, Lola DeAvila, Nicolo Fonte, Francia Russell, Bart Cook, Christine Redpath, Christopher Stowell, Yuri Possokhov, and Helgi Tomasson. She has staged George Balanchine’s Rubies, Square Dance, and Who Cares? for OBT and is responsible for the corps de ballet in OBT’s classical repertoire.

JEFFREY STANTON Ballet Master Jeffrey Stanton trained at San Francisco Ballet School and the School of American Ballet. In By Tatiana Willis addition to classical ballet, he also studied ballroom, jazz, and tap dancing. He joined San Francisco Ballet in 1989 and left to join Pacific Northwest Ballet in 1994. He was promoted to soloist in 1995, made a principal in 1996, and retired from PNB in 2011. He originated leading roles in Susan Stroman’s TAKE FIVE… More or Less; Stephen Baynes’ El Tango; Donald Byrd’s Seven Deadly Sins; Val Caniparoli’s The Bridge; Nicolo Fonte’s Almost Tango and Within/Without; Kevin O’Day’s Aract and [soundaroun(d)ance]; Kent Stowell’s Carmen, Palacios Dances, and Silver Lining; and Christopher

Stowell’s Zaïs. Stanton has performed as a guest artist for Le Gala des Étoiles in Montreal, Prague Gala of Stars, and the TITAS Command Performance of International Ballet in Dallas, Texas. In 2000, he participated in the George Balanchine Foundation’s Interpreters Archive series, dancing excerpts from Balanchine’s Episodes, coached by Melissa Hayden.

NIEL DEPONTE Music Director & Conductor Niel DePonte has been the Music Director for OBT and its predecessor, By Joni Kabana Pacific Ballet Theatre, since 1985. He has guest conducted for Boston Ballet, the Ballet of the Mussorgsky (Maly) Theatre in Russia, and at the Nureyev Ballet Festival. He has also conducted symphonic, pops, and youth concerts with the symphonies of Oregon, Syracuse, and Charlotte, among others. He is Artistic Director and conductor of the Young Artists Debut! concerto concert. He was a 2003 Grammy Award nominee for “Best Instrumental Soloist Performance with Orchestra” for his performance of Tomáš Svoboda’s Concerto for Marimba with the Oregon Symphony. His compositions and arrangements written for the ballet stage include: Christopher Stowell’s Adin, Carmen, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Ekho; Houston Ballet’s 2002 production of Peter Pan; and OBT’s 1993 version of The Nutcracker. DePonte holds a Master’s degree and Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music and a degree in Education from the State University of New York.

MICHAEL MAZZOLA Resident Lighting Designer Michael Mazzola’s critically acclaimed lighting and scenery has By Alison Roper been seen in venues all over the U.S., Europe, and Asia, ranging from opera houses to amphitheaters to circus tents to hay barns. The threetime New York Dance and Performance Award winner has designed lighting and scenery for Oregon Ballet Theatre; Pacific Northwest Ballet; San Francisco

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By Tatiana Willis

Ballet, Whim W’Him of Seattle, Queensland Ballet; National Ballet of Finland; Stuttgart Ballet; Grand Rapids Ballet; Ballet West; Ballet Nacional de Cuba; Trey McIntyre Project; The Washington Ballet; Houston Ballet; Rachel Tess Dance at the Wanas Foundation in Sweden, Baryshnikov Arts Center, NYC and LMCC’s River to River Festival, Third Rail Repertory Theatre, Bebe Miller Company—with whom he has worked since the mid-eighties, and the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange. At the Kennedy Center Concert Hall this past June he designed lighting and video for the 2015 Presidential Scholars Awards. Mazzola has also designed scenery for two Comedy Central Celebrity Roasts and the 2015 Lincoln Awards at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall for Uplight, Inc, based in NYC. Some of his performance photography has been published in Liz Lerman’s book Hiking the Horizontal, as well on the websites and marketing materials for Bebe Miller Company and Rachel Tess Dance.

DENNIS BUEHLER Executive Director Dennis Buehler was named Executive Director for Oregon Ballet Theatre in August 2014 and could not be more excited to be a part of the dynamic Portland community. Buehler joins OBT after leading Milwaukee Ballet in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as its Executive Director for seven seasons. During that time, Milwaukee Ballet not only significantly improved its organizational and financial health, but grew to be recognized as a national leader in the development of new work and for their strong commitment to training and community outreach. Buehler previously led the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, also in Wisconsin, for six years, where he was credited with successfully guiding one of the region’s fastest

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growing arts organizations through its initial strategic, artistic, and organizational development phases. He has served on the board for The United Performing Arts Fund in Milwaukee, been an active leader within the Creative Alliance of Greater Milwaukee, the Creative Coalition for Greater Milwaukee, served as a local advocacy captain for Arts Wisconsin and a planning committee member for the Milwaukee 7 Project, a regional collaboration initiative. Early in his career, Buehler held various producing roles with a number of theatre groups in both Florida and Wisconsin, including the Skylight Opera Theatre in Milwaukee from 1998 to 2002. He graduated from the Professional Theatre Training Program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1992. Buehler currently lives in West Linn with his wife Treena, an independent artist, and their two daughters.

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Theater. Dance. Music.

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OREGON BALLET THEATRE | P 1 5

XUAN CHENG

CHAUNCEY PARSONS Sponsored by Jeannine Cowles

XUAN CHENG Xuan Cheng was born in Chen Zhou, Hu Nan Province of China. After studying at the School of Guang Zhou Ballet, she joined as a company member and rose to become a principal dancer. In 2006 she was invited by acclaimed Canadian choreographer Edouard Lock to join his Montreal-based company La La La Human Steps. She then joined Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. While there her roles included Juliet in JeanChristophe Maillot’s Romeo and Juliet, Princess Lena in Christian Spuck’s Leonce and Lena and the Sugar Plum Fairy in Fernand Nault’s The Nutcracker. She joined OBT as a principal dancer in 2011. Her major principal roles include Giselle, Cinderella, Odette and Odile in Swan Lake, as well as roles in works by Nacho Duato, Nicolo Fonte, James Kudelka, and Trey McIntyre.

CHAUNCEY PARSONS Born in Santa Barbara, California, Chauncey Parsons began dancing at age 12, at the Santa Barbara Ballet Center, under Michelle Pearson and Denise Rinaldi. At 15, he was accepted into the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington D.C., where he trained for three years under Vladimir Djouloukhadze. After graduating, he performed for the State Street Ballet, under Rodney Gustafson, for two years. In 2002, he joined the Colorado Ballet as a soloist under Martin Fredmann, and in 2004 was promoted to the rank of principal dancer. In 2008, he joined OBT as a soloist under Christopher Stowell, and was promoted to principal in 2009. Over the course of his career he has danced a wide variety of roles, including Basil in Don Quixote, Count Albrecht in Giselle, Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, and Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet. Further, he has danced leading roles in Balanchine’s Rubies, Emeralds, Tarantella, The Nutcracker, and Stravinsky Violin

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BRIAN SIMCOE*

CANDACE BOUCHARD* MARTINA CHAVEZ* Sponsored by John & Linda Lenyo

Sponsored by Dean Richardson & Family

KELSIE NOBRIGA Kelsie Nobriga is from Orange County, California and began dancing at the age of 5. She trained with Melissa Allen Bowman and Charles Maple and was a Professional Division student with Pacific Northwest Ballet. In 2011, she joined OBT as an apprentice, and returned as a company artist in 2014. Previously, she danced with Colorado Ballet. Some of her favorite roles with OBT are Marzipan from George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and the Autumn Fairy from Cinderella.

KIMBERLY NOBRIGA Kimberly Nobriga grew up in Orange County, California. Starting in 2010, she trained and performed with the Pacific Northwest Ballet School and their Professional Division before joining OBT as an apprentice in 2013. As an apprentice she danced memorable roles such as the lead in the school’s performances of Valse Fantaisie and Paquita. She was also featured in company performances as the Spanish Lead in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and the Winter Fairy in Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella. She joined OBT’s corps de ballet in 2015.

COLBY PARSONS A native of Santa Barbara, California, Colby Parsons began dancing at the age of 13, studying ballet with Denise Rinaldi at the Santa Barbara Ballet Center. He continued his training on full scholarship at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre in New York City. He danced with American Ballet Theatre II for three seasons, followed by dancing soloist and principal roles for Alberta Ballet in Calgary for another three seasons. For the 2014/15, season he joined OBT under Kevin Irving. For OBT he has danced the Prince in Ben

P18 | OREGON BALLET THEATRE

SHEA MCADOO

IAN SCHWANER

Stevenson’s Cinderella, a lead couple in Nicolo Fonte’s Presto, and the Cavalier in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, among other roles. He has performed as a guest artist in Japan, Costa Rica, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, and Canada as well as in several states in the U.S.

AVERY REINERS Avery Reiners is from New Jersey. He received training at San Francisco Ballet School and Boston Ballet School before joining OBT as a company artist in 2013. Some of his favorite roles with OBT include: Matjash Mrozewski's The Lost Dance, the Jester in Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella, and Nicolo Fonte’s Presto.

JESSICA LIND Born and raised in San Jose, California, Jessica Lind began her ballet training at age 4. She trained for a year with San Francisco Ballet School before joining the Professional Division at OBT and became an apprentice in 2013. Her favorite role performing with OBT was the Summer Fairy in Ben Stevenson's Cinderella.

SHEA MCADOO Shea McAdoo was born in Scottsdale, Arizona where she began dancing at the age of 3. Her ballet training began at Master Ballet Academy under the direction of Slawomir and Irena Wozniak. Shea joined OBT in 2014 as a student in the Professional Division before being promoted to apprentice for the upcoming season. Her favorite roles thus far with OBT include Spanish from George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and Orange in Crayola.

ALEXANDER NEGRON Alexander Negron began dancing at age 8 with Elliot Field’s Ballet Tech School in New York City. He then trained at the School of American Ballet for seven

ALEXANDER NEGRON

PAIGE WILKEY

Sponsored by Marilyn L. Rudin & Richard S. Testut, Jr.

years and at the San Francisco Ballet School for a year. Among the ballets he has appeared in with OBT is Nicolo Fonte’s Accidental Signals during OBT’s Annual School Performance. This will be his second season with the company and he is pleased to share the stage with its dancers.

EMILY PARKER Emily Parker was born in Boston, Massachusetts where she began dancing at age 4. After graduating from Indiana University, she joined OBT as an apprentice in 2014. Her favorite roles thus far with OBT include the Spring Fairy in Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella and the Harlequin Doll in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker.

IAN SCHWANER Ian Schwaner, a native of Atlanta, took his first ballet class at age17 at the Northeast Atlanta Ballet. He then attended University of North Carolina School of the Arts on scholarship, where he danced principal roles in Ethan Stiefel’s The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, Birthday Offering, Susan Jaffe’s Metallurgy, and George Balanchine’s Allegro Brilliante. Ian joined OBT as an apprentice in 2015.

PAIGE WILKEY Paige Wilkey was born in Los Angeles, California where she began dancing at age 3. She moved to Boston at the age of 16 to train in the Pre-Professional Program at Boston Ballet School. She came to OBT as a Professional Division student in 2013 and joined the company as an apprentice in 2014. Her favorite roles thus far with OBT would be the yellow girl in Crayola and the Columbine Doll in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker.

COMPANY ROSTER | OBT

OBT STAFF ARTISTIC Kevin Irving, Artistic Director Lisa Kipp, Rehearsal Director Jeffrey Stanton, Ballet Master Niel DePonte, Music Director & Conductor Tracey Sartorio, Executive Assistant to the Artistic Director & Artistic Coordinator Irina Golberg, Prinicipal Accompanist

PRODUCTION Bill Anderson, Director of Production Shannon Goffe, Production Administrator Victoria A. Epstein, Stage Manager Michael Mazzola, Resident Lighting Designer Ian Anderson-Priddy, Production Electrician & A/V Coordinator Tim Boot, Sound Designer David Hoerz, Audio Coordinator Matt Wilcox, Sound Engineer Christine Meyers, Wardrobe Project Supervisor Pam Jett-Goodrich, First Hand Eileen Ehlert, Wardrobe & Shoe Administrator Barbara Casement, Makino Hildestad, Fuchsia Lin, Costume Shop Crew Chris Andrews, Leslie Bernhard, Avery Bloch, Charles Daniels, Jeff Dines, Gina Fagnani, Scott Foster, Dan Handleman, Brian Keith, Bob Lemon, Robin Rasmussen, Crystal Shade, Lance Woolen, and Kari VanSickel, Production Support Staff Julia Lancaster, Scenic Artist

FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Dennis Buehler, Executive Director Neville Wellman, Director of Finance & Operations Karen Dunn, Accounting Temp Linda Brown, Office Assistant

DEVELOPMENT Alison Roper, Major Gifts Officer Keely McIntyre, Grants Manager Emily Tucker, Development Associate Justin Smith, Donor Relations & Events Manager

MARKETING Natasha Kautsky, Director of Marketing & Communications James Bartlett, Audience Services Manager Sam Cole, Marketing Associate Amy Willis, Patron Services Lead

THE SCHOOL OF OREGON BALLET THEATRE Anthony Jones, School Director Lisa Sundstrom, OBT2 Program Director OBT2 is underwritten by M.J. Charitable Trust and John Van Buren James Holstad, School Administrator Natasha Bar, Ikolo Griffin, Elise Legere, Olivia Pyne, Alison Roper, Kembe Staley, School Faculty Olga Alehina, Tiffany Barclay, Irina Golberg, Ayako Matsuo, Chris Nickels, Katie Pyne, Accompanists

EDUCATION OUTREACH Kasandra Gruener, Director of Education Outreach Brook Manning, Dance Historian & Teaching Artist Linda Besant, Archivist/Historian Renée Adams, Hannah, Downs, Ikolo Griffin, Rachel Närhi, Robyn Ulibarri, Susan Kraemer, Teaching Artists Amy Stahl, Office Assistant

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT Rachel Austen, Graphic Designer & Playbill Support

DANCER WELLNESS COMMITTEE

Amy Werner, PT, DPT West Portland Physical Therapy Clinic Katherine B. McCoy, PT, MTC West Portland Physical Therapy Clinic Richard Gellman, MD Summit Orthopedics Katharine Zeller, MD Legacy Health

SPECIAL THANKS IATSE Local #28, Oregon Children’s Theatre, ShowDrape Inc., White Bird Dance, Jeff Forbes, Portland Opera and Jim Sizemore, Resources Northwest, Inc. and John Patchett, Chris Balo.

Kevin Irving Artistic Director Dennis Buehler Executive Director Cary Jackson Board Chair Principals Xuan Cheng, Chauncey Parsons, Brian Simcoe Soloists Candace Bouchard, Martina Chavez, Ansa Deguchi, Peter Franc, Michael Linsmeier Company Artists Thomas Baker, Eva Burton, Sarah Griffin, Adam Hartley, Makino Hildestad, Jordan Kindell, Katherine Monogue, Kelsie Nobriga, Kimberly Nobriga, Colby Parsons, Avery Reiners Apprentices Jessica Lind, Shea McAdoo, Alexander Negron, Emily Parker, Ian Schwaner, Paige Wilkey

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Cary Jackson, Board Chair Nancy Locke, Vice Chair Cate Millar, Secretary Jimmy Crumpacker,Treasurer Ken Carraro Rita Duyn Nancy Frisch William Gaar Harold Goldstein Gary Hanifan Brianne Hyder Ken Ivey Charles L. Jones Jeffrey S. Kaye John Lenyo Keith Martin Bradley Miller Nancy J. Miller Sharon Mirarchi Reegan Rae Dean M. Richardson Kevin Irving, ex officio Dennis Buehler, ex officio Candace Bouchard, ex officio

OREGON BALLET THEATRE | P 1 9

Oregon Ballet Theatre would like to express its sincere gratitude to those listed below for gifts received August 1, 2014–August 1, 2015. Donations received after this period will appear in the next playbill in December.

TOUR DE FORCE ($25,000 AND UP) Jeannine Cowles Howard Hedinger Henry & Amber Hillman Gregory K. & Mary Chomenko Hinckley Sue Horn-Caskey & Rick Caskey Cary Jackson Jean Pierce Arlene Schnitzer/Jordan Schnitzer John Van Buren Barbara Yeager

Yale Popowich, M.D. & Tina Skouras Dean M. Richardson Luwayne Sammons Tatiana & Justin Wills Dr. Kathy Zeller & Dr. David Hill

VIRTUOSO POINTE SOCIETY ($2,500-$4,999) Ajitahrydaya Shauna & Scott Ballo Brent Barton & Liz Fuller Richard Louis Brown & Thomas Mark Lyn & Charles Cameron DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE Guillermina V. & Arthur ($10,000-$24,999) Chavez Linda & Scott Andrews Dan Bergsvik & Don Hastler Dr. Dennis & Jennifer Crawford Jimmy Crumpacker Marilyn & Michael DeBonny Rita O’Hara Duyn Bill Dickey Karen & Bill Early Chuck & Barbara Edgerton Thomas & Elizabeth Nancy & Paul Frisch Gewecke William E. Gaar & Lauren E. Jeanette Heinz Ken Hick & Cheri Cooley-Hick Barnes Kevin Irving & Nicolo Fonte Richard & Juliana Gellman William Gilliland Charles L. Jones Marilyn & Hans Grunbaum Judy C. Kelley Jamey Hampton & Ashley John & Linda Lenyo Roland Nancy Locke & Don Harris Ronald & Jennifer Hapke Devin Megy Beth Harper Brad & Nancy Miller Andrew & Ilene Harris Sharon & Adam Mirarchi Linda Rae Hickey Paul O’Brien Ronna & Eric Hoffman Fund Carol Streeter & Harold of The Oregon Community Goldstein Foundation Bob Sweeney & Cate Millar Sandra & Stephen Holmes Nani Warren Drs. David & Katharine Wendy Warren & Thomas Hopkins Brown John & Tanya Hug Mike & Karen Weddle Ken & Bernice Ivey ÉTOILE POINTE Jan Jacobsen & Paul Hart SOCIETY Elise Legere & James ($5,000-$9,999) Mitchell Anonymous Kathleen Lewis Fund of Thomas Anderson & Jack The Oregon Community Blumberg Foundation Robert Aughenbaugh Jerome Magill Linda Besant & Martha M. and L. Marks Family Fund Goetsch of The Oregon Community Debi Coleman Foundation Anne & James Crumpacker Keith Martin Evelyn Curioso & Prashanth Judy & Louis McCraw Vallabhanath Peggy Miller Carolyn & Richard Fromm Drs. Yan & Patrick Morrissey Kathleen Kelly Ellen & Carl Nielsen Diane Knudsen John & Ginger Niemeyer Margaret Kretschmar, In Jane S. Partridge Memoriam Melanie & Darren Dr. Dolores Leon & Dr. Pennington, In Honor of Fernando Leon Lainie Pennington Marilyn J. McIver Allison & Steven Pike Laura S. Meier Mary Rose & Maxwell Whipps Suzann & Dennis Ott Marilyn L. Rudin & Richard Kelly & David Park S. Testut, Jr. John Patchett & Cynthia Leslie Ann Sammons-Roth Ibarra Jone Sampson & Sam Weirich

P20 | OREGON BALLET THEATRE

The Schlesinger Family Foundation Jacqueline M. Schumacher Carol & Tom Shults Daniel & Dawn Simcoe Albert & Victoria Starr Joan W. Sterrett Minh Tran & Gary Nelson Robert Trotman & Bill Hetzelson Cynthia K. Wallace Toby & Linda Warson Jay Wilt Ben & Alli Wood

PRINCIPAL DANCER’S CIRCLE ($1,000-$2,499) Susan T. Armentrout Patti & Lloyd Babler Barbara & Sidney Bass Linda & Ron Borkan Kay Bristow Suzanne Bromschwig & William Dolan Nancy & Andy Bryant Treena & Dennis Buehler Alex Carlson The James & Nancy Dalton Charitable Fund Robert & Patricia Dant Gail Hayes Davis & Michael Davis Valarie Grudier Edwards & Richard Langdon Larry & Deborah Friedman James R. Golden Lora & Keith Gordon Tom & Sandy Hageman Laurie Hamilton & Kaleigh Young Jessie Jonas Patricia Jones Michael & Juliet Kane Stephen Karakashian Carol Schnitzer Lewis Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Ross M. Lienhart Laurie & Gilbert Meigs Kirsten & Richard Meneghello Jeffrey Morgan Ken & Hana Moyle Gordon & Margaret Noel J. Scott Pritchard Carolyn & Hank Robb William & Nancy Rosenfeld Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Lori & Mike Russell Virginia Sewell Barbara & Gilbert Shibley Jeremy Shibley & Romalia Stickney-Shibley Jaymi & Francis Sladen Claudia & Clark Taylor John A. Thoren David & Eileen Threefoot Peter & Ann Van Bever Dorie & Larry Vollum

K. Vorderstrasse Walter E. & Nancy P. Weyler John & Nancy Zernel

Sue Stegmiller Judith & David Stone Peter Vennewitz Claire & Peter Warton Richard Wasserman & Ann Coskey-Wasserman Weiss Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Shawn West Fran & Mike Woolsey Zela & Elsa

Gary Maffei & Marc Lintner Linda J. Magness Linda L. Mann Earlean Marsh SOLOIST DANCER’S Pamela Matheson CIRCLE ($500-$999) John F. Mathews Anonymous Mason C. Mazzola Monica & Marcus Allen Marjorie & Kurt Metzler Tom Bard Susan Sammons Meyer & Pat Behm & Gary Jacobsen Dennis Meyer Sam & Adriane Blackman Doug & Malinda Moore W.W. Buzz Braley, Jr. John & Cynthia Morgan Jay & Victoria Clemens COMPANY ARTIST Evelyn Murphy Jeanie McGuire Coleman DANCER’S CIRCLE Alison Nelson ($250-$499) Diane Collier Rob Nelson Anonymous Sue Darrow Karen O’Kasey Gregory & Elizabeth Arntson J.P. Palanuk & Vinh Wong Drs. Patrick Dawson & Paula M. Arsenault Tamara Simpson Dennis Petrequin Kristine Denslow & Sherman Charles Barany Roma Peyser & OB O’Brien Shelly Boelter Gavette Jodee & Jerry Pittman John Bosshardt & Diana Leigh & Leslie Dolin Judith E. Posey & Edward J. Petty Anton, Raylene, and Taylor Doyle, MD Charles Brasher & Betty Eilers Mrs. Richard D. Riggs Lavis Kristina & Paul Elseth Alison Roper & Michael Irene & Patrick Burk Mary & John Evans Mazzola Connie Butler Joshua Ferrer Miriam & Charles Rosenthal Walter & Carolyn Carr Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan Gane Claire Russell Martina Chavez & Dave Melissa & Robert Good Samuel Sadler McHenry Ken & Mary Lou Guenther Daniel & Kathleen Saucy Jeanne-Marie Guise & Alex Drs. Timothy & Theresa Chen Cynthia Shafer Deniz & Austin Conger Herzberg Drs. Martha Sharman & Nathan Conn Catherine Marie Gurski Warren Reid Kent Copeland Richard & Cheryl Hardy Gary & Lydia Slangan Emily Crumpacker Thomas & Verna John D. & Pamela Smith Winnifred & Arthur Danner Drs. Justin Smith & Christine Hendrickson Doris Ennis Gerald Hjert, In Memory of Liu Ed & Marilyn Epstein Rebecca Pickett Caroline & Greg Sparhawk Maryanne & David Holman Conrad Eustis & Roberta Derek & Anita Stables Kanter Janet & John Hummel Tom Stansbury & Suzee Philip Fidler & Jane Walter Jaffe & Paul King Parson Cummins Linda & Paul Johnson Ralph Stevens & Victoria Rebecca Fleischman Lynn Johnston Rivera Verleen Fletcher & Richard Les & Elizabeth Stoessl Mary Klein & Francis T. MacDonald Schneider Cindy Thompson & Brett Richard Gibson & Carol Romani Lay & Neville Bender Peterkort Wellman George & Nancy Thorn Helen A. Goodwin Gary S. Leavitt Bob & Nancy Ullrich Derek & Lydia Lipman Fund Barbara & Marvin Gordon- Judith & Gordon Umaki Lickey of the Oregon Jewish Colette Wiest Gail & Irvin Handelman Community Foundation Erin Wilkey-Cordray James T. Harter Vida & Jonathan Lohnes Bruce & Susan Winthrop Beatrice Hedlund Diane & Tom Macdonald Tamara Yunker Karen Henell & Gregg Kathi McCoy Kurt R. & Heather Zimmer McCarty Robert E. Monson Dr. & Mrs. David I. Hill Dan & Jackie Moore APPRENTICE DANCER’S Beverly Hoeffer Robert & Dona Morris CIRCLE ($100-$249) Robert & Pamela Howard Carolyn McKnight Nichols Anonymous Tatsuo Ito Jay & McKay Nutt Mary & Stephen Andrews Jefferson Neurology LLC Rev. Dr. Rodney & Sandi Mary & Jim Andrews Gerald Jeli Page Patricia & John C. Andrews Carolyn & John Parchinsky Pamela K. Johnston Liz & Andre Anjos Paul Kerley Stacy & Patrick Pritchard Sandra Armstrong Marsha Kitchen Carol E. Ratzlaf Gennaro & Marilyn Manser Steve & Nancy Kraushaar Michele Rossolo & Matt Avolio Mary & Joseph Labadie Johnson Diane Babcock Mary N. Laughlin Davia & Ted Rubenstein John Bagg Martha J. Logan Miriam Ruth Julia & Robert Ball Matt Schmutzler & Mike Lizio Anne Lynch & Jim Anderson Linda Barkus Jackie MacGregor Diana Scoggins Rick & Bonnie Barron Austin & Doris Mack Carolyn & George Sheldon Howard Beckerman Bob Speltz & Dwight Adkins Marisa Mack Dr. Diana Bell

RÉVÉRENCE CIRCLE Barry & Jacqueline Bennett Paul & Pat Benninghoff Phil & Naomi Beymer Margaret & Wayne Blake Merv & Jan Blas Beth Blenz-Clucas & Richard Clucas Richard Botney Candace Bouchard & Adam Lounsbury Joyce Brehm Karin Brocksbank David & Elaine Brown Denis Burger & Elaine McCall Lance & Deborah Caldwell Maurine & Paul Canarsky Darlene & Don Carlson Mary Carr Ken Carraro Jean Cauthorn Sandy Chamness Harriet Cormack Rhobert Cotton Aaron Courtney & Anne Nichol Terri Cross Eloise Damrosch & Gary Hartnett William DeBolt & Martha Graner Anne Delander Marisol Delaney Nancy M. & Frederic C. Delbrueck Niel DePonte Chuck & Patt DeRousie Dagmar Dettinger Adam & Emily Dew Hillary Dixon Margaret Doolen & John Slocom Kim Drake Josephine Drew & T. Robert Knowles Dan Dunning & Christina Winkler Tony DuPeire George & Susan Durrie Austin Eddy William Ellig Michael Elsberry Martin & Annette Erickson Douglas Ertner Lynn Ferber Katherine A. Finstuen Steve Fisk Katie & Brian Flanagan George Fleerlage Doreen Flores Mary Folberg Charles & Zoe Foster Kelly Freuler Theresa Fritchle Jennifer Froistad Sandy & Roberto Fuchter Jim & Mary Ann Gabriel Cathy Garrett, In Honor of Nancy & Brad Miller

Theodore Gaty Ray & Joyce Gee Connie Gettinger Arthur & Judith Ginsburg Gary & Susan Goncher Betsy & George Granger Thomas Gredvig & April Freund-Gredvig Joann Gribble Brenda Grootendorst & Mark Haggard Michelle Grossberg Kasandra & Robert Gruener Deanna Haley Kirk & Lisa Hall Melissa & Gary Hanifan Jon Hanifin, MD Kathleen Harrison Gary & Lynne Hartshorn Robert Heald M.J. Heiling Sharon Henry-Jones & Paul Jones Susan E. Herron, In Honor of Carol C. Herron Gaynor Hills & Gregory Fleming James Holstad Anne Huffington-Carroll & Zachary Carroll Margaret Hug Carol & Tom Hull Linda Illig Karen Jacobson David & Margaret Jeans Joanne Jene David Jensen Jonathan & Suzanne Jensen Dr. Sally Jepson & Lynn Lippert Dennis C. Johnson David & Shirley Johnson Katherine Jorda & Abby Alford Stephanie Jorgensen, In Memory of Rebecca Pickett Terresa Jung & Patrick D’Haem Allan Karsk Marla Kazell Arthur & Kristine Keil Doris & Eric Kimmel Jean Kimsey Mary King Richard Kipp & Nora Divincenzo Joewie Koh Laura Korman & Chris Hill Laura & Sharon Kotsovos Leonard Kuhl Carol La Brie & Roger Edwards Barbara Lamack & James Kalvelage Nancy Lapaglia & Stephen Slusarski Abigail & Don Lawton

Elizabeth Le & Sean O’Neill Kathleen & Izzy Lefebvre Jan & Rorie Leone Shannon Leonetti Joan Levers & David Manhart Patricia Liddell Kimberly & Gregory Lind Andres Lopera Shelley Lorenzen Marcy Lowy Judy W. Lyons Kate Machell Christine Mackert Dan Mallea Eileen Markson Theresa Mason Amy Maxwell & Patrick Lamb Oscar & Mary Mayer Kathy McCann Margaret McConnell & Robert Griner Susan & Doug McDonald Margaret & Robert McMillan Kelly Meltzer & Merissa Mojica Gail & Jerry Melvin Courtney Mersereau Elise Meyers Sarah Milligan Tony Mix & David Stauffer Monica & Dale Monroe Julie & Sebastian Morariu Carol N. Morgan Bertha A. Moseson Patricia G. Moss The NetSuite Team, In Memory of MaryAnne Wakefield Kris Oliveira Madeline & Allan Olson Susan Olson & Bill Nelson David & Barbara Osborn Lesley Otto & Alexander Nicoloff Joan Paglin Gail & Fred Panzer, In Memory of Rebecca Pickett Veronica Paracchini Denise & James Parker Jack & Chris Pendleton Anne Frances Penfound Karen Perzanowski Melissa & Steven Peterman Marilyn & Gaynor Petrequin Sara Pickett Karen Prohaska David & Reegan Rae Suzanne Rague May E. Rawlinson Betty & Jacob Reiss Katherine & Edward Richman

Nancy Richmond & Bill Hughes George & Mildred Robles Rosemarie Rosenfeld Cathy Rote Mari S. Michael Sagun Carol & Steven Sandor Rick & Sharon Schaefer Clifford Schrock Valerie Schuyler Aaron Scott Susan & John Shepherd Scott Showalter Helene Silberstein Margaret Smith Donald C. Springer James Stein Corinne & Lindsay Stewart Pat & Tony Stoneburner, In Memory of Rebecca Pickett Julie Sullivan Tomohito Takeuchi Paul & Sabrina Teays Jean & Fred Thompson Robert Todd Cynthia Tomlinson Teresa Tse Georgia Tsefalas, In Memoriam Lyle M. Tucker Mimi Underwood Kysa Vassily, In Honor of Marilyn Brown Patricia & James Walker Judy & Ronald Walsworth, In Memory of Rebecca Pickett Douglas Watson Frederick & Maureen Wearn Brian Weaver & Nikki O’Carroll Duane & Cynthia Weaver Roshanthi & Ranjeewa Weerasinghe Patrick Weishampel Judy & Benjamin Werner Rebecca Whitehead Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Wilkey Mark & Sophie Williams Reed & Christina Wilson Julie Wilson Mary Ann & Jim Wilson Mary Ann Wish George Wittemeyer Linda M. Wood Gail Woolf Jack Wussow & Kyle Adams Cynthia A. Yee April & H. Daniel Zegzula, MD Janet & Alan Zell Ernie ZumBrunnen & Grace Hawes

The Révérence Circle recognizes those who have included OBT in their estate plan. Robert Aughenbaugh Dan Bergsvik & Don Hastler Linda Besant & Martha Goetsch Suzanne Bromschwig & William Dolan David & Elaine Brown Debi Coleman Nathan Conn Karen & Bill Early Peter W. Edgerton Marilyn & Hans Grunbaum Charles L. Jones Belinda & Frederick Kinyon Perry Lee Dr. Dolores Leon & Dr. Fernando Leon Derek & Lydia Lipman Martha J. Logan Marna McComb Kirsten & Richard Meneghello Brad & Nancy Miller Sharon & Adam Mirarchi Carol N. Morgan Virginia Nelson Suzann & Dennis Ott Rev. Dr. Rodney & Sandi Page Jane S. Partridge Marilyn L. Rudin & Richard S. Testut, Jr. Anne Stevenson Carol Streeter & Harold Goldstein John & Ann Symons David Wardell, In Memoriam David Wedge, In Memoriam

OREGON BALLET THEATRE | P 2 1

ALLEGRO SOCIETY Gifts received August 1, 2014–August 1, 2015.

Community Corps de Ballet $100,000 & UP The Collins Foundation James F. & Marion L. Miller Foundation M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust The Regional Arts & Culture Council, including support from the City of Portland, Multnomah County and the Arts Education and Access Fund $50,000–$99,999 Barran Liebman LLP* The Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation The Intermec Foundation Meyer Memorial Trust The Shubert Foundation West Portland Physical Therapy Clinic* $25,000–$49,999 Coit Family Foundation Hedinger Family Foundation Henry Lea Hillman, Jr. Foundation Ken Wright Cellars* Rose E. Tucker Charitable Trust Russell Development/200 Market Street* Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt* Turtledove Clemens* $10,000–$24,999 AndyBATT Studio* The Boeing Company Cascadia Foundation Clark Foundation Hotel Modera* Jerome Robbins Foundation Mentor Graphics Foundation Opsis Architecture LLP Oregon Arts Commission, this activity is supported in part by a grant from the Oregon Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts Jackson Foundation

The Standard The Swigert Warren Foundation U.S. Bank/U.S. Bancorp Foundation Work for Art, including contributions from more than 75 companies and 2,000 employees

$5,000–$9,999 AT&T GARD Communications* Ivey Jacobson & Co. LLC Juan Young Trust Leupold & Stevens Foundation Melvin Mark Companies* Morel Ink Nel Centro Old Town Florist* PGE Foundation William H. & Mary L. Bauman Foundation $2,000–$4,999 Agger Chiropractic & Nutrition Clinic* Alaska Airlines* Buckley Law P.C. Grand Avenue Floral* Catherine M. Gurski, ND, MSOM, LAc* Jonathan Lohnes, LMT* The Mark Spencer Hotel* Michael Curry Design Studio* Northwest Natural Gas Portland Plastic Surgery Group PosterGarden* Residence Inn Portland Downtown/Riverplace* Solaris Bodyworks, Inc.* Tomasi Salyer Baroway* Wintz Family Foundation $1,000–$1,999 Apolloni Vineyards* Bill Anderson Design Bridgetown Chiropractic & Wellness Portland Clinic* Connect the Dots, LLC* Food In Bloom* Aaron Meyer, Concert Rock Violinist*

Patrick Lamb Productions* Portland Center Stage* Robert F. Ratzow, DC* SCi 3.2 Inc.

UNDER $1,000 10 Barrel Brew Pub Dr. Seth Alley* Lorraine Altomari* Bag & Baggage Productions* Bedford Brown* Bend Brewing Co.* Bistro Marquee* BMW Portland * Brasada Ranch* Brickhouse* Broadway Physical Therapy & Sports Rehabilitation* Classic Chauffeur Co., Inc.* Clearwater Clinic* Deschutes Brewery* Abby Drinkard, LAc* Elmer’s Restaurants ESCO Foundation Feast Portland Food & Drink Festival* Fluidity Movement* Geranium Lake* Glow Boutique Salon* Brynn Graham, LAc.* Hair M Salon* Intel Charitable Match Trust Island Cafe* Jade Acupuncture* Kam & Kam Catering Co.* Katayama Framing* LAIKA* Kristen Livingston, DC, ART* Longbottom Coffee & Tea* Lyric Creations* Mark’s on the Channel* McMenamins* Metropolitan Youth Symphony* Mountain Spring Health Clinic* Mucca Osteria* New Heights Physical Therapy Plus* Northwest Film Festival*

OMSI* OnPoint Community Credit Union Oregon Shakespeare Festival* Oregon Symphony* Owen Jones and Partners, LTD Perfect Picnics* Portland Art Museum* Portland Opera* R. Bloom Floral* Raven & Rose* Redhawk Vineyard & Winery* Silver Moon Brewery * Sip! McMinnville Wine & Food Classic* Starseed Foundation Studio Blue* Sundial Baking & Events* Sunriver Brewing Company* Brian de Tar* TEDx Portland* The Party Bus* Timberline Lodge* Torii Mor Winery* Toro Bravo Inc.* Wells Fargo Foundation White Bird Dance* Willamette Valley Vineyards* Angelina & Mark Woolley* Anna Yarzak, PT, DPT* zynga.org

MATCHING GIFT COMPANIES Autodesk Foundation Employee Engagement Fund Chevron Matching Employee Funds Give With Liberty Google, Inc. The Intermec Foundation Johnson & Johnson Matching Gifts Program Northwest Natural Gas Pacific Power Foundation Performance Health Technology PGE Company Tektronix Foundation Matching Gifts Program The Standard U.S. Bank Umpqua Bank

Clinics & healthcare professionals who preserve the health & well-being of Oregon Ballet Theatre’s dancers. WEST PORTLAND PHYSICAL THERAPY

Katherine B. McCoy, PT, MTC Amy Werner, PT, DPT Patti Koehler, PT, WCS Christine Krueger, PT Eryn Kirschbaum, PT, DPT Amanda Land, PT, DPT Sarah Terpin, PT, DPT Emily Bottjen, PTA Meaghan Burch, PTA Ann Marie Cordova, PTA Trish Joilot, PTA Shalynn Robinette, PTA Anna Yarzak, PTA AGGER CHIROPRACTIC & NUTRITION CLINIC

Simon J. Agger, DC BE WELL, LLC

Catherine M. Gurski, ND, MSOM, LAc BRIDGETOWN CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS

Jacob May, DC Melody Johnson, LMT CONNECT THE DOTS, LLC

Amanda Geiger, DPT PACIFIC NORTHWEST ACUPUNCTURE & HERBAL CLINIC, LLC

Abby Drinkard, MAcOM, LAc LEGACY HEALTH

Katharine Zeller, MD JONATHAN LOHNES, LMT LIVINGSTON CHIROPRACTIC

Kristen Livingston, DC, ART ROBERT F. RATZOW, DC STUDIO BLUE PILATES

Dan Walton, Owner, Senior Pilates Instructor Emma Johnson, Yoga Instructor Nicole Wells, Pilates Instructor SUMMIT ORTHOPEDICS

Richard E. Gellman, MD SYLVAN CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC & WELLNESS CENTER, LLC

Seth Alley, DC, CCSP, CKTP THERAPEUTIC ASSOCIATES NORTHEAST PORTLAND PHYSCIAL THERAPY

Caroline Hutcherson, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS

P22 | OREGON BALLET THEATRE

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AT THE PERFORMANCE JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2015

THOMAS LAUDERDALE

on the arts, politics and the future of Portland

P. 16

PAST PERFORMANCES

CHORAL ARTS ENSEMBLE FROM THE DESK OF

MARCELLA CROWSON PARTNERS ONSTAGE AND OFF

An Interview with Skinner/Kirk

P. 35

FERTILE GROUND

GOOD DEEDS:

SHORT & SWEET

Launching this fall!

P. 27

Sensory-friendly concerts

for Theatre POR

P. 30

TLA ND’ S PER FOR MIN G ART S ANN UAL 2 0 1 5 - 2 0 16

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