Philippe Jordan, conductor; Berlin Staatsoper Unter den Linden Sunday 30 March 2008 Wagner: Tannhäuser, opera in 3 acts

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Serenade was Balanchine’s first ballet created in the United States and was given its premiere in 1934. Set in four movements, and danced without interruption, the classical white ballet is set on 28 dancers performing on a bare stage in the moody ethereal light of the moon, and shows off the lyricism of the female corps. THEME AND VARIATIONS Classic ballet in a formal setting of a great ballroom with towering pillars, draperies, and crystal chandeliers. THEME AND VARIATIONS is Ballanchine at his neo-classic best. The dance steps are tightly tied to the music as illustrated by the opening work of the ballerina to the principal theme played by the violins. It requires boldness in the male variations with strong leaps and swift movements. The ensemble plays a very important part in the work with strong technique demanded in all the ensemble variations. In the imperial Russian style, THEME AND VARIATIONS concludes with a regal polonaise for the entire ensemble emphasizing rapid regroupings and shifting of partners. THE FOUR TEMPERAMENTS Subtitled, “Dance without a Plot”, THE FOUR TEMPERAMENTS is an abstract work in five parts that explores the classic belief that human beings are made up of four distinct “humors”... melancholic, sanguinic, phlegmatic and choleric. The intricate and abstract piece is danced in a Neo-Classic style that showcases the complexity of this sentiment, and evokes meditation on the different types of human personalities. The dancers are simply clothed in black leotards and pink tights.

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Calling all kids and kids-at-heart: you’re invited to join Dan Zanes and Friends for the music party of the year! Dan Zanes and Friends occupy a unique place in American music where sea shanties, Broadway standards, North American and West Indian folk music, fiddle tunes, the spirit of rock-and-roll and soulful originals collide. Buy your tickets early; last year’s shows were sold out, and you don’t want to miss all the fun! Presented by San Francisco Performances Supported by Playhouse Disney and Bright Horizons Family Solutions.

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West, Rihanna and Fiasco are heading out on tour fresh off Grammy wins. West took home multiple awards, including Best Rap Album for Graduation while Lupe Fiasco won in the Best Urban/Alternative Performance category for “Daydreamin'” and Rihanna took home the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration award for “Umbrella.” Currently, Fiasco is on a tour of his own, while the Pharrell-led N.E.R.D is putting the finishing touches on their latest album, N*3*R*D. Rihanna, meanwhile, is in the studio working on the follow-up to her breakthrough album, last year's Good Girl Gone Bad. West recently finished up the European leg of his “Glow in the Dark Tour,” where he made numerous headlines. The outspoken rapper and producer delivered his first words about the sudden death of his mother, Donda West, during the string of shows and at the Grammy’s with his performance of “Hey Mama,” a tribute to his mother who passed away late last year.

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Cheekily named all-female Led Zeppelin cover band Lez Zeppelin formed in New York City in the late 2000s. Their name might imply a tongue-in-cheek approach to the music, but Sarah McLellan (lead vocals), Helen Destroy (drums), Lisa Brigantino (bass, mandolin, keys), and Steph Paynes (guitar) take their tribute very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that they enlisted the production talents of Led Zeppelin/Jimi Hendrix/Kiss engineer Eddie Kramer and Led Zeppelin remasterer George Marino for their 2007 self-titled debut.

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