Paul Taylor, one of the most important choreographers of the 20th century, was prolific. He created 147 dances for the Paul Taylor Dance Company which was founded in 1954. In 1962, his 30th work, Aureole, marked a significant departure from his previous avant-garde aesthetic. Earlier works, such as 1957’s Duet, “danced” in stillness to a …
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Michigan Opera Theatre is proud to announce Yuval Sharon as our new artistic director! Under Yuval’s artistic leadership, we are also thrilled to announce Twilight: Gods, a unique production of Richard Wagner’s Twilight of the Gods, the last opera of his Ring Cycle, which will take place in our Detroit Opera House Parking Structure. Yuval is …
*To see a full performance video of Arden Court performed by the Paul Taylor Dance Company, visit our Dance Dialogues page. We invite you to join us for an interactive Dance Dialog on Paul Taylor via Zoom, Tuesday, September 15 at 3 PM, with guest facilitator Suzanne Carbonneau.* Paul Taylor, one of the greatest choreographers …
With swans, snowflakes and ghosts, the ballet blanc or “white ballet” genre is known for its story ballets like Swan Lake, Giselle and La Bayadére. Considered a revival of the romantic ballets of the ballet blanc genre, Les Sylphides adds another credit to its name as the first “abstract” or plotless ballet. This one-act, ballet of “romantic reverie” consists of several “sylphs” (wood nyphs) dancing with a “poet” in the …
Michigan Opera Theatre has partnered with the city of Detroit to offer a series of live performances with Opera in the Park! The program features a free performance from our MOT Studio and MOT Touring Ensemble, including an accessible mix of favorites from opera, Broadway and the American songbook! The concerts will be about an …
Swan Lake is perhaps the most well-known ballet, next to The Nutcracker. Petipa choreographed this famous ballet, danced to a glorious score by Tchaikovsky, in 1877. Swan Lake is the love story of Prince Siegfried, who on a hunting trip encounters a flock of swans, falls in love with the Swan Queen, Odette, and …
Welcome to MOT’s Dance Dialogs. Similar to a book club, this is a monthly virtual gathering to view and discuss dance together. MOT will share digital dance works of certain themes to view on your own. Then we will all meet via ZOOM on the 3rd Tuesday of the month at 3:00 PM (ET). Each …
Thanks to a gift from long-time supporters Floy and Lee Barthel, MOT has acquired a new 9,100-square foot seat and stage deck! The deck was previously rented for special events, including BravoBravo!, and will now be a more common fixture in the Detroit Opera House. It creates a floor that covers the theater’s main-level seating …
The term ballet blanc – literally translated as “white ballet” – refers to a genre of classical ballets in which the ballerina and the female corps de ballet are costumed in white tutus. These ballets represent the Romantic style of 19th-century ballet, and the ballet blanc ballerinas usually represented fairies, ghosts, or other supernatural creatures. The earliest example of ballet blanc dates back to 1832, with Marie Taglioni (the first ballerina to wear pointe shoes). She danced the title role in La Sylphide, a full-length …
Today, we announce the appointment of Yuval Sharon as the first Gary L. Wasserman Artistic Director!