Boston Ballet Shades of Sound

Blogging can be funny. I’ve had lots of unique experiences thanks to it, but like everything else, some of these experiences start to look and feel like each other. THEN sometimes you get a *very* unique opportunity. I had such an amazing opportunity last week. It all started with an invitation to attend and photograph a dress rehearsal for Boston Ballet‘s latest production called “Shades of Sound.”

Editors Note: Boston Ballet’s current production is the perfect date night or girls night out. It runs through March 29th. Special thanks to contributors Diane Thies of Dollops of Diane and Nikki Amara Myers of Nikki Myers Photography for this review and the sneak peek on stage.

Last week, I had the opportunity to head out to opening night of Shades of Sound performed by the Boston Ballet. The show consisted of three different works featuring Wayne McGregor’s Chroma, George Balanchine’s Episodes, and Hans van Manen’s Black Cake that were all amazing in their own right.  It was my first trip to the ballet (ever!) and a great night out.  Here are some pictures of just some of the amazing moves that we saw… Chroma Episodes Black Cake You can check out my full review of the show HERE over at the Family Friendly Boston website. Shades of Sound will perform at the Boston Opera House until March 29th. Get your tickets HERE!

When I think about the ballet, I think about the tutus, the pointe shoes, and lots of leaps and pirouettes. My mind immediately pictures The Nutcracker or Swan Lake. How about you? When the Boston Ballet invited me to attend their spring show, Shades of Sound, I said yes immediately because I knew it was going to be something very different from what I pictured ballet to be in my head. I’m highly intrigued with ballet programs that are more modern or are different from the classic ballets we know like The Nutcracker and Swan Lake.

Until recently — Sunday, to be exact — the only ballet I had ever seen was “The Nutcracker.” Twice. So, truthfully, I didn’t know what to expect when I was offered the opportunity to attend Boston Ballet’s “Shades of Sound,” a brand new production made up of three wildly different works: Wayne McGregor’s “Chroma,” and the company premieres of George Balanchine’s “Episodes” and Hans van Manen’s “Black Cake.” But the idea of a Sunday afternoon catching up over brunch with my friend D, following by a girls’ afternoon at the ballet, sounded so delightful that I couldn’t pass it up.

Last week I had my very first trip to the Boston Ballet. My first trip to see any ballet since far too many trips to The Nutcracker as a teenager. I’ve been immersed in reading about ballet for months and I simply couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see one live. I chose to attend the dress rehearsal so that I could bring my camera and maybe get a few pictures of the Boston Opera House and the dancers on stage.

When the invitation from the Boston Ballet arrived, it took me about a nanosecond to decide. “Would you like to be our guest at the opening of Shades of Sound, the Ballet’s brand-new show?” the message read. Yes!

For our March date night Vit and I were privileged to “awaken our senses” and celebrate the (calendar) beginning of spring with the Boston Ballet’s Shades of Sound. (Thank you, Boston Ballet, for the tickets, and thank you, mom and dad for babysitting). Shades of Sound (runs March 19-29 at the Boston Opera House) is a program of three distinct pieces from three different generations of choreographers. The pre-curtain talk with several dancers was very informative, but no talk could prepare us for what we were about to see and hear. So without spoiling your own experience with the program, let me share some highlights of the evening:

Boston Ballet’s Shades of Sound, as I mentioned in my previous post, is a three course meal. For me, watching Episodes, was like biting into something familiar but then not quite understanding what it was. Episodes was choreographed by George Balanchine (Mr. B) and premiered in May of 1959 with the New York City Ballet. Episodes is made up of four pieces. For, Symphony, Opus 21, Concerto, Opus 24, and Ricercata in Six Voices from Bach’s “Musical Offering”, the dancers are in a sort of “ballet sc…

Ballet companies, just like museum curators, symphonies, opera companies, put together a menu of sorts for their seasons.  They offer familiar favorites, seasonal treats, and, like most contemporary chefs, try to give their diners a taste of something new, exciting and different.  Shades of Sound is an interesting program.  For me, Chroma is the amuse bouche that you wish you could extend into a 12 course tasting menu.  This one, bite is seemingly simple but you can’t get enough of it and you wa…