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The KPAC Blog features classical music news, reviews, and analysis from South Texas and around the world.

Ballet San Antonio Takes On Stravinsky Classic 'The Firebird'

Courtesy photo
Firebird dancers.

A ballet classic is opening soon, and Ballet San Antonio is presenting it. If you don’t know the story behind Igor Stravinsky’s "The Firebird," Ballet San Antonio President and CEO Courtney Barker explains its premise, starting with Prince Ivan.

“He goes on a journey to seek and win the heart of a princess," she said. "On his journey he meets a glowing, magical bird that protects him through the journey. And we have monsters that come out, and those are played by ten of our male dancers.”

The firebird protects our pirouetting protagonist in his search for his princess.

"The leads are going to be played by some of our principles" explained Barker. "Sara Pautz as the firebird, Jayson Pescasio will be Ivan. The lead princess is played by Rania Charalambidou."

It all happens at the Carver Cultural Center’s Jo Long Theater on February 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m. As Barker explained, there’s more to see than just "The Firebird."

"The show will actually open with some contemporary works by our Artistic Director Gabrielle Zertuche," she said. "It’s a masquerade waltz and it’s by Khachaturian, so again it’s familiar music. And then Gabrielle Zertuche will be reprising a piece that he did to Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata."

I made the point to Barker that these two pieces are very much unlike one another.

“Very much so,” she said.

I asked her what those who go can expect.

"Expect a well-rounded evening showing the diversity of the company," Barker said.

Jack Morgan can be reached at jack@tpr.org and on Twitter at @JackMorganii