Valley Ballerina to Make Final Curtain Call

Ballet Arizona’s All Balanchine lineup includes three mesmerizing ballets by George Balanchine, one of the most important choreographers of the 20th century. The show is staged by Ib Andersen, the company’s artistic director, who is one of a handful of artists worldwide authorized by The Balanchine Trust to perform these masterpieces. Five presentations will be offered May 3 – 6, at Symphony Hall in downtown Phoenix.

All Balanchine will open with Symphony in Three Movements. This play features a large ensemble cast performing energetic, powerful movements to a complex score by composer Igor Stravinsky.

Ballet Arizona will continue with Prodigal Son, last performed in 2010. With music by Sergei Prokofiev, this was the last of Balanchine’s works for Ballets Russes. The story comes from the biblical parable and emphasizes the themes of sin and redemption.

The third ballet in the All Balanchine series is La Sonnambula. From composers Vittorio Rietti and Vincenzo Bellini comes a story of a poet entranced by a sleepwalker. Apparitions, jealousy and rage come together for an intense presentation of contemporary ballet.

Natalia Magnicaballi as The Sleepwalker in “La Sonnambula.”
Choreography by George Balanchine George Balanchine Trust.
PHOTO BY ALEXANDER IZILIAEV

This year, the show features Ballet Arizona dancer Natalia Magnicaballi in two leading roles, The Siren in Prodigal Son and The Sleepwalker in La Sonnambula, one of Magnicaballi’s most beloved Balanchine ballets.

Magnicaballi will make her final curtain call with the company at the Sun., May 6, matinee performance.

A principal dancer with two houses, The Suzanne Farrell Ballet at the Kennedy Center in Arlington, Va., since 1999 and Ballet Arizona since 2002, Magnicaballi has danced a broad repertoire, including the lead roles in 36 Balanchine creations such as ApolloTzigane, Agon and Gounod Symphony. She has also danced the leads in classical ballets such as Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Paquita, Raymonda and Giselle, as well as many other works and premieres.

Magnicaballi has performed across the country and in the major houses and arena theaters around five continents, including the Opera Garnier in Paris, the Mariinsky Theatre in Russia, the Tokyo International Forum and the Cairo Opera House. The ballerina has been reviewed by various national publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Dance Magazine and Pointe Magazine.


All Balanchine

May 3 – 6

Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix

For more information or tickets, visit balletaz.org.

 

About Perrine Adams

Perrine Adams is the Managing Editor of The Red Book and Lifestyle Editor for Frontdoors Magazine.

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