By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO — City Ballet of San Diego’s world premiere of the full length Romeo and Juliet at the Spreckels Theatre on May 13, was a triumph for the Company but especially the resident choreographer, Elizabeth Wistrich and the Company’s ballerina, Ariana Samuelsson. This drama in three acts gave Samuelsson the [...]
By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO — City Ballet of San Diego presented “Bravo! Balanchine” in the Spreckels Theatre on March 4. A program composed entirely of Balanchine ballets is an obvious challenge. City Ballet’s ability to meet that challenge is a given; this was a performance of Balanchine worthy of any stage. Each of the [...]
By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO — One of the pleasures of attending the Nov. 6 performance of City Ballet of San Diego is the continuity of taste and purpose which has guided and built the Company. A few years ago a decision was made to make the Spreckels – a gem of a classic theater – [...]
By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO –City Ballet of San Diego closed its season on May 1 at the Spreckels Theatre with a dynamic program. Enigma by resident choreographer Elizabeth Wistrich received a Tommy Award when this work was first performed in 2000 and it is easy to see why. This is a complete concept – entirely [...]
Janice Smith as the Black Swan with John Henry Reid as the Prince, and Arianna Samuelsson as White Swan with Gerardo Gil as a Prince in City Ballet production of Swan Lake {Photos: Dale Stokes} By Sheila Orysiek Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO — The “Tchaikovsky Spectacular” performance on March 6 by City Ballet [...]
By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO–When I completed the series of seven “Women of the Hebrew Bible: A Moment in Their Lives,” I was aware I had not included Esther. Though I realized she belonged on the list, I couldn’t get beyond the way she is generally portrayed: regal, wearing the jewelry of a queen, coldly [...]
By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO — City Ballet of San Diego’s “Celebrate Balanchine” program on November 7, 2010 was an ambitious endeavor – not flawless – but another notch in the Company’s escutcheon of accomplishments. The Company is still based in the historic jewel box of a theatre, The Spreckels; however, the exigencies [...]
Entreat me not to leave thee Or to return from following after thee for Whither thou goest I will go And where thou lodgest I will lodge Thy people shall be my people And thy God My God By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO– Ruth pledged her troth both to Naomi as well as the people [...]
By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO –Deborah was a judge in Israel in the time before the kings. Tradition has it that she sat under a palm tree at the gates of the city. She was a military leader as well as a prophet. One of a series of seven women of the Hebrew Bible illustrating the [...]
By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO–Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah as the only heirs of their deceased father, were determined to claim an inheritance and therefore honor their father’s name. Moses and the elders in Israel considered their plea and agreed. This set a precedent for women to inherit. One of a series of seven [...]
