| OCR Text |
Show Friday. February 12. 1993 The Daily Utah Chronicle - Page Eight X5tGs IEmi2ipQsifliiMninii Ballet West presents three diverse ballet styles the center of the program is Billy the Kid, choreographed by Eugene Loring and originally appearing in the Ballet West At BY RUSSELL D.BAKER Chronicle Dance Critic Ballet West opens the winter repertory season tonight with a triple bill including three distinct styles: Classical. Western, and New Age. Vespri, Billy the Kid and Equinox are three short ballets comprising a program that is diverse in dancing and musical styles. A graceful ballet in the classical style. Vespri is set to the score of Giuseppe Verdi from the opera The Scicilian Vespers. Historically, the French Grand Opera included a ballet section at the beginning of the third act, such as the source of music for this particular ballet. Supposedly, the ballet intermezzo allowed the gentlemen patrons some extra time to sup and still return in time to applaud the beautiful ballerinas whom they courted. The choreography for Vespri is by Andre Prokovsky from 1974 and is in the style of the Grand Opera Ballet. This piece is a pure dance ballet that offers the company the opportunity to show off their technique. New white and gold tutus designed by William Brewer will add elegance and shape to the dance. repertoire in 1975. This portrayal of the American wild West, loaded and with bank robbers, sheriffs, has become the signature piece of the company's repertoire. Aaron Copland's inspiring score accompanies the mixture of ballet,-mimand specifically western images, such as horse riding, card playing and shootouts. The imaginative impact is heightened by rs evocative scenic effects such as giant cactuses and a hilly horizon by Robert Fletcher. The ballet, choreographed when Loring was only 24, is based on the the Walter Burns novel The Life and Times of Billy the Kid.. The notorious escapades of the legendary outlaws of the west have been captured here in what has been called "an American minor masterpiece." the Finally, spectacular choreography of Equinox is set to a complex electronic score by Jarre. The choreographer, James Canfield, captured the essence of the layers in New Age music. The lighting effects and contemporary Jean-Micha- el if. CHRONICLE PHOTOMered G. Morton Ballet West features a diverse lineup for this winter season consisting of Billy the Kid, shown here, as well as Vespri and Equinox. costumes contrive an "underwater see "Billy" on page nine February calendar offers musical relief from winter blahs Chronicle Entertainment Critic I By now, midterms have by and large become a thing of the past, and most of us are looking forward to our annual dose of March Madness. Until then, however, we'll all wade through the month that I've decided to Fallow call February. Fortunately, a few musical events are on line for the next few weeks of this otherwise unfortunate month. So, without further ado, on with the show! RAVE ON! I recently received a CD from the techno-rav- e group 68000. Their new album, TechnoColor, will definitely appeal to the Club-- X crowd. Its unique blend of synthesizers Video resident guru of things percussive, Douglas Wolf. Mr. director of Wolf, the long-tim- e the Ensemble, has recently returned from sabbatical leave and will lead the group through pieces by Pat Metheney. This and Macintosh computer sounds sets it apart from other groups. BY RUDI RIET spoke with the band's founder, Jeremy Wells, who gave me a sneak peek at some new music they've been working on. From all indications, they're up to more oddball, yet appealing, dance music. Listen for them at any Club-- dance-a-tho- X n, special occasion will also feature Kyle Malone, a talented jazz guitarist from the music or look for their latest releases on Silent Records, an independent label. THE HOT BEAT! The Ensemble Percussion University returns with another evening of eclectic, yet strangely addictive, drum and vibraphone beats on Wednesday, Feb. 17 at Gardiner Hall. This "Evening department. The University Percussion Ensemble has a celebrated history. They are the only group of their kind to win the prestigious Percussive Arts Society's Percussion Ensemble Contest twice, once in 1987, again in 1991. This concert Of promises to be an interesting Percussion" will commence at 8 p.m.. This performance marks the return of the University's and entertaining event, so plan to be there. The price is right, at $2 for students, $3 for anyone else. . K.C. ROCKS! The sound of alternative rock, Kansas City-stylwill be showcased at the Zephyr on Tuesday, Feb. 16, when The Kents play their haunting mix of guitar and about the excesses of today's society into the eager e, microphone. It's a unique treatment of a popular sound, and should be able to attract fans from many different offbeat vocals at 8 p.m. The Kents are touring the west in support of their new City Spark Records release, Gauche. The album provides the listener with a fresh sound which, unlike many of today's newer groups, doesn't try to copy its . influences. They have honed their sound over the past five years, playing to enthusiastic crowds in the midwest. Just recently they have decided to go national. Their music keeps the listener awake with catchy drum and bass riffs, while vocalist Mike Devine pours his sentiments , regions. A personal favorite of theirs is the eerie commentary on heroin abuse, "Seven." It tells the story of both ends of the drug abuse cycle: the user and the dealer. Sings Devine, "I'm on firewhat you want to do?" As a whole, the album melts into a cohesive statement about the downfall of urban "glamour," one which leaves the listener with a feeling that something must be done. The Kents will be playing at the Zephyr on Tuesday, Feb. 16, at 8 p.m. There will be a nominal cover charge. The Zephyr is a private club. artist captures unique views of love Foster's acting supreme but them on tape. Sometimes this presentation gets a little long. After all, Clarke tapes every person for three minutes and refuses to edit the tapes for length or content. The raw video is what we h Love Tapes is a achingly video project done in 1979 through 1981 by video artist Wendy Clarke. The project was an interactive video display, whereby participants were asked to sit in a room with a video low-tec- camera and talk for three minutes about love. The result is intriguing, but ultimately hard to get a handle on. The participants sit in a room with music softly playing and as they speak, they are looking at themselves in a video monitor. an idea that work out as well as the didn't "Love tapes is what Love Tapes was: a video project on the vanguard of video art In 1979, the best video camera had the resolution of a surveillance camera and that's what this looks like. However, Love Tapes is an idea . that didn't work out as well as the artist hoped. The subjects are too self conscious and self j artist hoped. The subjects are too selfconcious and self deprecating. They come across as supremely depressing, even the ones who seem to be happy." The result is that they become self conscious and I'm not sure whether they allow themselves to fully open up. The first tape is of a high -school senior from New York, N.Y. He begins by saying that he thinks the topic will be hard to describe and he is basically right. It is a topic which is very hard to think about, and very hard for someone to talk about, especially when they feel that a lot of people are going to be seeing end up with and at times it drags. There are however pearls to be had Like the in the mish-mash. musician, who claims that love should be pain, to inspire his music. Or the young Puerto Rican who says that love is his adoptive parents. Clarke should be admired for deprecating. They come across as supremely depressing, even the ones who seem to be happy. I had a hard time watching Love Tapes, but there is some value here. Maybe my trouble has more to do with projecting my own social life onto the content of this video than any objective reading of it. But Love Tapes sort of does that; it makes you take stock of your own feelings x v about love. Love Tapes plays Friday, Feb. 12, at 7:30 p.m. at the Utah Film and 8 Video Center. Call for more information. By Jeffrey D. Jonsson 534-115- Gere comes out on top again Sommersby Screenplay by Nicholas Meyer and Sarah Kenochan Directed by Jon Amiel Distributed by Warner Brothers Produced by Anion Milchan and Steven Reuther Starring Richard Gere and Jodie Foster - This weekend is the time for amour and what better way to get close to the one you love than a movie. O.K, sure, there are better ways; but for the purposes of this review we will stick to movies. The film being promoted as the ideal inspiration for a tryst is Sommersby. Jack Sommersby (Richard Gere) is War returning home to the post-Civ- il South during the Reconstruction. This scraggly veteran of the Confederate army seems to be a man of some renown, since half of the town turns out to greet him. The hands of men are thrust into his face accompanied by friendly salutations. Sommersby responds to them by reciting some unforgettable moment that they shared in the past. Certainly, a curious greeting. He reaches his home, with the town in tow, and stands before his wife, Laurel (Jodie Foster). They embrace and the town proclaims Jack has returned. Yet, Laurel is reticent, not believing that this is the genuine article. She soon discovers that this Jack is affectionate and caring, unlike her husband who left seven years ago. She develops deep feelings of love for this man and consequently her mere disbelief becomes adamant conviction. You see she never loved her husband like this. And therein lies the mystery: Is he or isn't he? It is de rigeur in Hollywood to Americanize popular foreign films, see "summer" on page nine |
