Monday March 10th, 2014 - Craig Salstein is creating a new ballet for the upcoming performances by his Intermezzo Dance Company at Vassar College. Set to a commissioned score by Patrick Soluri, the ballet's working title is The Myth of Sisyphus. Above: dancers Rina Barrantes and Mauro Villanueva.
Craig invited me to a working rehearsal at DANY studios this afternoon; so lovely to see New York City Ballet principal dancer Abi Stafford (above), who is appearing in the new ballet.
Craig's new ballet is based on the mythological story of Sisyphus, whom the gods punished for chronic deceitfulness by compelling him to roll an immense boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down...and to repeat this action forever. Mr. Soluri's luminously dark score evokes the Underworld, where scenes from the ballet take place. The music has a definite operatic feel, recalling the 'deep purple' passages from such Verdi works as DON CARLO and the MESSA DA REQUIEM.
The dancers preparing this new ballet are:
Rina Barrantes
Mauro Villanueva
Amber Neff
Abi Stafford
Stephen Hanna, former New York City Ballet principal, is cast in the ballet's central pas de deux with Abi.
Here are a few more images from today's rehearsal:
Rina, Mauro and Amber
Craig and Mauro
Craig and Abi
Craig Salstein
Intermezzo Dance Company will perform at Vassar College on March 29th (evening) and 30th (matinee), 2014. Tickets are free. Send an e-mail to [email protected] write "Intermezzo" in the subject line and the number of tickets and which performance date you wish to attend in the body of the e-mail.
In addition to the new Salstein ballet, the Vassar performances will feature works by Gemma Bond, Claudia Schreier, and Ja' Malik.