Metropolitan Classical Ballet New & Reviews

BALLET DELIGHTS YOUNG AND OLD, GARNERS $20,000 IN HURRICANE RELIEF AID

Texas Hall was filled with symphonic sound and children's laugher Saturday afternoon, when a near-capacity crowd turned out for the Metropolitan Classical Ballet/UT Arlington benefit for hurricane relief. Children, many of whom were seeing their first ballet, were spellbound by the animated choreography and delightful costumes in “Peter and the Wolf," "Red Riding Hood" and several favorites from “The Nutcracker,” which the ballet will perform in Texas Hall, Dec. 16-18. At a post-ballet reception for patrons in the Benefactor's Circle, UT Arlington Vice President for Administration and Campus Operations John D. Hall announced that checks for $10,000 would be given to both the Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity to aid evacuees in the area. (Sue Stevens, Public Affairs, UTA)

Beneficial Ballet Fairy tale performances raise $20,000 to help evacuees

By Alyssa Fry
The Shorthorn staff

As the grandfather character from Peter and the Wolf wobbled on stage with a cane in hand to a melody from the bassoon, giggles erupted through Texas Hall.

Many children, along with their parents and other members of the community, attended Saturday’s benefit ballet performance presented by the Metropolitan Classical Ballet and the university.

The Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity will each receive $10,000 to help hurricane evacuees. All the money from the ticket sales was donated.

The ballet featured Peter and the Wolf and excerpts from fairy tale classics Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker.

Ron Spigelman, Metropolitan Classical Ballet music director, conducted the orchestra, which was on stage with the dancers for Peter and the Wolf.

Carla Davis heard about the performance in the Country Day School of Arlington newsletter, where her daughter Claire, 5, attends kindergarten.

“One family bought 50 tickets and donated them to the school,” she said. “[Claire] enjoyed it much more than I thought she would. She was sitting there dancing.”

Claire’s favorite character of Peter and the Wolf was the bird, which was represented by the flute, and her favorite part of the performance was the dancing.

“She also said the grandpa was funny,” Davis said.

Media Relations Specialist Sue Stevens said she was most impressed with the children in the audience.

“They laughed, and they loved it,” she said. “It’s so wonderful to give them this opportunity.”

A reception for those who purchased the $100 benefactor tickets was held after the performance in the Architecture courtyard. Thirty-six benefactor tickets had been sold as of 5 p.m.Friday.

Arlington residents Nanci and David Plump bought benefactor tickets. Both have donated to and worked for the Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity.

“You always hope the money will get in the right hands, and I’m confident it will through UTA,” Nanci Plump said.

Nanci Plump, who is in real estate, said she has worked with John Hall, vice president for finance and administration, on previous projects. Hall approached the Metropolitan Classical Ballet with the idea for the performance.

“He’s the reason we’re here,” she said. “I have a lot of respect for him.”

History graduate student Stephanie McIntyre said previous performances of The Nutcracker and Swan Lake got her hooked on ballet. She attended the benefit with a friend, Tina McCall, who also has a love for ballet.

“The first one I saw was at TCU,” McCall said. “It was a rendition of HMS Pinafore. It’s a comedy musical ballet.”

Swan Lake is one of McCall’s favorite ballets, so she would have attended the performance even if it wasn’t a benefit, she said.

“It’s my favorite expression of art,” she said. “I took [ballet lessons] as a little girl, as all little girls do, and I was enamored with it.”