American Masters – State Street Ballet

This legendary triple bill, showcasing choreography by William Soleau, opens State Street Ballet’s silver anniversary season:

• Chichester Psalms by Leonard Bernstein
State Street Ballet, and Santa Barbara Choral Society and orchestra, conducted by Jo Anne Wasserman, will share the stage for Bernstein’s choral masterwork, with premiere choreography by William Soleau.

• Lux Aeterna by Morten Lauridsen
One of the most influential choral works of the late 20th century, the ethereal Lux Aeterna for chorus and orchestra is enhanced by multi-media special effects and premiere choreography by William Soleau.

• Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland
State Street Ballet takes the stage for this stellar ballet finale, accompanied by the orchestra in the pit. The story is set in rural Pennsylvania in the late 19th century, and tells the tale of two very different families brought together by the wedding of a country boy and city girl. Their wedding day unfolds onstage, from the city family’s arrival in the countryside, to the marriage of the young lovers, and the bonds that develop between the two families as their son and daughter are united.

William Soleau’s choreography for Copland’s vast emotional score imparts pathos with subtle movement. “These are moments when you sense a truly gifted choreographer at work, one who is capable of revealing much but with surprising restraint.”
~ Steven Woodruff, seedance.com