Thursday (3/21) on the arts and entertainment blog ColumbusAlive.com (Ohio), Michelle Theodore writes, “Igor Stravinsky’s ‘The Rite of Spring’ caused riots 100 years ago during the inaugural performance in Paris, but this time, the act will bring two groups together in a new way. BalletMet and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra are collaborating to perform the work this weekend. ‘This is the first time ever to my knowledge and to the symphony’s knowledge that BalletMet and the symphony are doing an absolute, total collaboration,’ says Cheri Mitchell, executive director at BalletMet. … Columbus Symphony Music Director Jean-Marie Zeitouni first proposed the idea of ‘The Rite of Spring’ for his 109 musicians in honor of the work’s 100 year anniversary and had the work choreographed to work with BalletMet. … Along with Stravinsky’s work, the two groups will perform Achille-Claude Debussy’s ‘Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun,’ a well-known symphonic poem for orchestra and Maurice Ravel’s ‘Rapsodie Espagnole,’ an orchestral work influenced by Spanish heritage.”

Posted March 21, 2013