{"id":27817,"date":"2018-03-15T08:51:07","date_gmt":"2018-03-15T12:51:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=27817"},"modified":"2018-03-15T08:51:12","modified_gmt":"2018-03-15T12:51:12","slug":"on-stage-swan-lake-opens-pa-ballet-spring-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=27817","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Swan Lake opens Pa. Ballet Spring season"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Swan Lake<\/p><\/div>\n

There are many famous ballets but \u201cSwan Lake\u201d is on a plateau all its own \u2013 elevated above the rest and deservedly so.<\/p>\n

Anyone even slightly interested in ballet should take advantage if there is an opportunity to see one of the country\u2019s top professional companies perform \u201cSwan Lake.\u201d And, just such an opportunity exists right here and right now.<\/p>\n

This year, Pennsylvania Ballet is opening its spring season with \u201cSwan Lake<\/a>,\u201d one of the most celebrated classical ballets of all time. Performances are running now through March 18 at the Academy of Music (Broad and Locust streets, Philadelphia, 215-731-3333, http:\/\/paballet.org<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\u201cThis ballet is perfect for everyone,\u201d said Angel Corella, Pennsylvania Ballet Artistic Director, during a phone interview from the theater Tuesday afternoon.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is wonderful for people who are very familiar with ballet and equally wonderful for people who have never seen ballet before. This ballet and \u2018The Nutcracker\u2019 are great because you don\u2019t need to know a lot about ballet to enjoy them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSwan Lake\u201d is a ballet composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1875. It was premiered by the Bolshoi Ballet on in March 1877 at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. Today, many ballet companies stage their productions choreographically and musically based on the 1895 revival of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, which was first staged in 1895 by the Imperial Ballet at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur \u2018Swan Lake\u2019 is based on Petipa and Ivanov,\u201d said Corella. \u201cThere are a few dances that are a little different.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pennsylvania Ballet has a long history with \u201cSwan Lake.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 1964, the company performed the Black Swan\u00a0Pas de Deux, with choreography by ballet master\u00a0Frano Jelincic, based on the work of Lev Ivanov. In 1972, Pennsylvania Ballet performed Act III of\u00a0\u201cSwan Lake,\u201d choreographed by The Royal Ballet\u2019s Christopher Newton. A month later, the Ballet performed it again — this time with the Philadelphia Orchestra.<\/p>\n

In 1980, the company performed Act II and the Black Swan Pas de Deux \u2013 both of which were choreographed by Artistic Director Benjamin Harkarvy and based on Ivanov. In 2004, Pennsylvania Ballet premiered Christopher Wheeldon\u2019s\u00a0\u201cSwan Lake.\u201d<\/p>\n

And, in 2010, the Academy Award-winning film\u00a0\u201cBlack Swan\u201d was released. Featuring Pennsylvania Ballet dancers, the film focused on a ballerina preparing to perform in\u00a0\u201cSwan Lake.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, it\u2019s Corella\u2019s time to shine with \u201cSwan Lake.\u201d<\/p>\n

This will be Pennsylvania Ballet\u2019s first time presenting the full traditional production based on the choreography of Marius Petipa. In the past, the company has only performed shortened or re-imagined versions of \u201cSwan Lake.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Corrella, \u201cI\u2019m excited to re-stage Marius Petipa\u2019s \u2018Swan Lake\u2019 to give our audience the opportunity to see the traditional version of one of ballet\u2019s most famous classics. I am thrilled to premiere this \u2018Swan Lake\u2019 at the Academy of Music in a dramatic and beautiful production that I know audiences will love.\u201d<\/p>\n

Corella also wanted to keep the ballet to a more manageable running time. Some productions by various companies have run longer than four hours.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is pretty close to the original \u2018Swan Lake,\u2019 but it goes a little faster,\u201d said Corella. \u201cPassages that repeated over and over I chopped up and made shorter, It\u2019s the same story — with the romance\u2026and the 24 swans in the second act.\u201d<\/p>\n

Corella is regarded as one of the finest dancers of his generation. His talent, passion, and technique have brought him worldwide acclaim and established him as one of the most recognizable names in dance. Angel was appointed artistic director of Pennsylvania Ballet beginning with the 2014\/2015 season.<\/p>\n

He joined American Ballet Theatre in 1995 and quickly rose to the rank of principal dancer. He has also appeared as a guest artist with the Royal Ballet in London, the Kirov Ballet in Russia, and New York City Ballet. From 2008 to 2014, he served as director for his own company, the Barcelona Ballet (formerly the Corella Ballet), in his native Spain, where he is regarded as a national treasure.<\/p>\n

The veteran dancer\/choreographer\/artistic director is very familiar with \u201cSwan Lake.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI danced it with many different companies,\u201d said Corella. \u201cIt would be hard for me to remember all off them. Memorable ones are American Ballet Theatre, Kirov Ballet and Royal Ballet.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe performed \u2018Swan Lake\u2019 with my company in Spain \u2013 Barcelona Ballet — but this is the first time with Pennsylvania Ballet. It\u2019s great to mold it to the dancers we have here now. Yuka Iseda, who is one of the Corps de Ballet dancers here, danced it with my company in Spain. With our company, every single Corps de Ballet dancers could do a principal part.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSwan Lake\u201d tells the story of a young Prince Siegfried and his love for Odette. Cursed to live the life of a swan by day and a human by night, Odette\u2019s only hope of breaking the evil spell is a declaration of true love.<\/p>\n

Unaware of the curse, Prince Siegfried is enamored by Odette and promises to pledge his love to her. However, all hope of a happy ending is lost when the Prince is tricked into pledging his love to Von Rothbart\u2019s daughter, Odile, disguised by magic as Odette.<\/p>\n

Impressive dancing, beautiful sets and costumes, and the gorgeous Tchaikovsky score bring to life this heartbreaking story of the beautiful Swan Queen Odette, accompanied by a full corps de ballet of swans.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe music is familiar, and the story is very romantic,\u201d said Corella. \u201cThe beauty and the magic of the story make it an iconic ballet. Audiences know that it is something special.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cSwan Lake\u201d — https:\/\/youtu.be\/tVakuEmzcrU<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cSwan Lake\u201d is running now through March 18 at the Academy of Music. Ticket prices range from $49-$199.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Slambovian Circus of Dreams<\/p><\/div>\n

Frequently, when the Slambovian Circus of Dreams plays a show in the area, it\u2019s a show with a theme. It could be a Halloween show or \u201cA Very Slambovian Christmas\u201d or even the band\u2019s traditional \u201cNew Year\u2019s Eve Eve\u201d show in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

But, that\u2019s not happening this time.<\/p>\n

When the Slambovian Circus of Dreams headlines a show at the New Hope Winery (6123 Lower York Road, New Hope, 215-794-2331, newhopewinery.com<\/a>) on March 16, it will be a straight-up concert with no special themes — just an evening of good time, thought-provoking songs from the talented band from lower New York State.<\/p>\n

The Slambovian Circus of Dreams, which has been making music since 1998, features founding members Joziah Longo (singer, songwriter, guitarist, leader of the band), his wife, Tink Lloyd (accordion, cello, flute, ukulele, theremin, keyboards), Bob Torsello (bass) and\u00a0Sharkey McEwen (guitar,\u00a0mandolin, backing vocals). They will be joined by friends from the north \u2013 the Canadian father-son team of Dio and Tristan Tadin.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere have been a lot of changes over the last year,\u201d said Longo, during a phone interview Tuesday from the couple\u2019s home along the Hudson River north of New York City. \u201cIt\u2019s been a very good year.<\/p>\n

\u201cDio Tadin, a deep fan of ours from Canada, had been bugging us to come up to his studio in Ontario to do some recording. Me and Tink went up and recorded eight killer vocal tracks. Then, he came down here and did some more recording of Tink\u2019s vocal parts. The New Years Eve Eve show was fun because we got to introduce our Philly audience to the Tadins playing onstage.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re positioning ourselves to get projects going. The means of production are coming into place. The universe is moving in a way to pull the pieces together. The whole production environment is coming together. We\u2019ve been gypsies for so long. At some point, you want to maximize your art before you\u2019re dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Tadins moved from Canada to the Slambovians\u2019 neighborhood in New York and set up a recording studio so that the combined teams could work on a new Slambovian Circus of Dreams album. Things were going smoothly until a few days ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cThree days ago, there was a power outage on Dio\u2019s side of the river,\u201d said Longo. \u201cA transformer blew out and wiped out $7,000 worth of their recording equipment. Now, they have to go to Canada to get it repaired or replaced.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to get ahold of Dio\u2019s software and take all the files we recorded. Then, I\u2019ll go through and get the best drum and bass takes and work with them. It\u2019s good for me to flex those muscles again.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we\u2019re in the studio, we\u2019ll lay down a demo of me doing guitar and vocal. I got all the bass and drums down \u2013 and all the keyboard parts. And, a lot of Tink\u2019s stuff is done. The album will have a new flavor. So, all this is positive. The new album will be unique \u2013 and very different.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lloyd said, \u201cI\u2019d describe the new album as fresh. It\u2019s more of a \u2018psych-grit\u2019 vibe. One-third of our live show will be new songs \u2013 songs the audience has never heard before.\u201d<\/p>\n

One new song from the album has been heard before. When the band played in Philly in December, it played a rocking \u2013 and compelling — track called \u201cBees,\u201d which is a song that deals with the constantly-decreasing bee population.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really appreciate this band,\u201d said Longo. \u201cIt brings down a certain realm. I feel like I\u2019m in the 70\u2019s. I particularly dig the vibe of this band. In addition to me, Tink and Sharkey, we have Bob Torsello, a punk bass player, and Felipe Torres. He\u2019s been playing drums and percussion for us for about two years now. He used to be the drummer for Davy Jones of the Monkees. And, Tristan will be a very good addition.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the universe is trying to bring the team around \u2013 which is a good thing. It\u2019s usually just me and Tink street-fighting to get the music done and out to the people.<\/p>\n

In 2017, Longo did more than just take his band on the road.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m working on new albums and new musicals,\u201d said Longo. \u201cI\u2019m working on the \u2018China Project.\u2019 Back in the 90\u2019s, we were the first American band to perform in Mainland China. We recorded a bit of Chinese music and worked with the Peking Opera Company.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Slambovian Circus of Dreams has its roots in another New York band.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were in a group called The Ancestors in New York,\u201d said Longo. \u201cEddie Kramer, who was the Stones\u2019 engineer and producer, did an album with us. That brought everybody around to see us play. We were doing really well. One time, we played Carnegie Hall and CBGBs the same night.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were ahead of the curve and then we disappeared \u2014 on purpose. We went to the hinterlands and hid out in the folk scene. We were playing folk music that was different with things like an electric slide mandolin. It was \u2018Floydian\u2019 folk. The folkies really took to it. We found our niche.\u201d<\/p>\n

They found a niche and they found a new name \u2014 Gandalf Murphy and The Slambovian Circus of Dreams.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was just a name I made up,\u201d said Longo, a Philly native who went to St. John Neumann High in South Philadelphia. \u201cEventually, we cut off the Gandalf part. It made it easier to fit the name on marquees.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for The Slambovian Circus of Dreams — https:\/\/youtu.be\/C8il9rNn5wo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the New Hope Winery will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $29.82.<\/p>\n

Another upcoming show at the winery will feature the John Byrne Band on March 17.<\/p>\n

Bands frequently follow a certain pattern \u2013 an unwritten script that has the band releasing an album and then touring in support of the new disc\u2026sometimes for as long as two years.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Lydia<\/p><\/div>\n

Lydia, an indie rock band from Gilbert, Arizona is out on tour now. When Lydia performs at the Theatre of the Living Arts (334 South Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1011, http:\/\/www.lnphilly.com<\/a>) on March 16, the band will be introducing songs from its new album \u201cLiquor.\u201d<\/p>\n

But, Lydia \u2013 Leighton Antelman, Matt Keller, and Shawn Strader — is not following the script.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur new album \u2018Liquor\u2019 will be coming out on July 13,\u201d said Antelman, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from a tour stop in North Jersey.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is kind of strange to be touring before the album release. We usually like to tour after it comes out. But, we got an offer to do a tour that sounded like fun and we accepted the offer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lydia has released six albums so far \u2013 \u201cThis December; It\u2019s One More and I\u2019m Free\u201d (2005), \u201cIlluminate\u201d (2008), \u201cAssailants\u201d (2010), \u201cPaint It Golden\u201d (2011), \u201cDevil\u201d (2013), and \u201cRun Wild\u201d (2015).<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded \u2018Liquor\u2019 in September and October last year,\u201d said Antelman. \u201cWe had been tinkering with it for a good part of 2017 and finally finished it in October. We had some songs built up. We all have our own studios. We write songs along the way and then track them along the way. With the new album, we recorded some of it in L.A., and some in Arizona.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe always try to get as many songs as we can. This time, we stated with 18 when we went in the studio for the main sessions and then cut it down to 10. We all write on our own and then bring it to the band.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes, you might have attachments to songs even if they don\u2019t fit. You might get three-quarters of the way through a song but then, at that point, everyone has a vote. The main thing is to figure out what works best.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe weren\u2019t looking for a particular vibe or theme for the album. I think you just pick the10 best songs and hope they work together. I think each song should stand on its own.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lydia has evolved and matured over the years \u2013 and has gone through a lot of members in its line-up.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m the only founding member left in the band,\u201d said Antelman. \u201cThe line-up we have now has been together for six or seven years. It\u2019s just the three of us and we add a drummer and a bass player when we tour.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn our live show right now, we\u2019re doing two songs from \u2018Liquor.\u2019 One is \u2018The Good Side,\u2019 which was just released as a single, and the other is \u2018Sunlight.\u2019 We still play songs from all our records.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Lydia \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/r5U_e1sIgi8<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the TLA, which also features Moose Blood and McCafferty, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $19.99.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at the TLA are Dumpstaphunk on March 17, Senses Fail on March 18 and Ty Dolla $ign on March 21.<\/p>\n

Sleepy limb is something that happens when you experience paresthesia — the heavy, dull, tingling, or burning pins-and-needles feeling when your foot falls asleep.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Sleepy Limbs<\/p><\/div>\n

Sleepy Limbs is something that happens when three rock musicians get together and form a band to explore new sounds.<\/p>\n

Just under two years ago, three former members of the band You, Me, and Everyone We Know — Ben Roth, Kory Gable, and Joe Fuscia \u2013 got together in Lancaster and formed a new band called Sleepy Limbs.<\/p>\n

The band released its eponymous debut EP back in September and is now out on what is billed as the \u201cVery Cool Tour\u201d with fellow indie band Pale Shade. On March 16, the tour will touch down in Lancaster for a show at Moira Records (112 West Orange Street, Lancaster, 717-371-2599<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\u201cThe three of us were in You, Me, and Everyone We Know for a while,\u201d said Roth, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from his home in Lancaster.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou, Me, and Everyone We Know was Ben Liebsch\u2019s band for about 10 years. It had a revolving cast. We were the longest-running line-up \u2013 three years — and the last line-up<\/p>\n

\u201cI met Ben when my old band toured with his band and we became friends. I introduced him to the girl who is now his wife and he moved to Lancaster because she was from here.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen that band disbanded, the three of us still had the fire and the desire to keep playing. So, we kept doing it. That was about two years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Roth, \u201cAround that same time, Kory and Joe were learning\/relearning some of my old songs to play a full band show and we started working on new song ideas I had floating around.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe more we worked on new material we started to notice a chemistry between us as a three-piece and just kind of went with it and started playing shows and writing more songs, and Sleepy Limbs was born.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, we have this EP \u2013 our self-titled EP. It came out six months ago on Know Hope Records, which is a label based in Philadelphia.\u201d<\/p>\n

All songs on the EP were written, produced and recorded by Sleepy Limbs. The EP was recorded and mixed at The Kaleidoscope in Lancaster and mastered by Mark Peteritas at Workingman\u2019s Productions in Lancaster.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wrote and recorded everything at Kaleidoscope, which is our studio in a warehouse in downtown Lancaster,\u201d said Roth. \u201cSome were older songs and some were written in the studio.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe writing style on these songs is different. The songs are very dense so it took us a while to put the pieces together. It\u2019s not your usual verse-chorus-verse. Instead, it\u2019s linear \u2013 and very dense.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Sleepy Limbs \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/hGW3_dnNJFA<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Moira Records, which also features Pale Shade, OKs OKs and Middle Brother, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Matt Cappy<\/p><\/div>\n

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) will have Matt Cappy on March 16, Beyond the Pale on March 17 and Open Mic with guest host Angelee on March 18.<\/p>\n

The Steel City Coffee House (203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-933-4043, www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com<\/a>) will host Irish Mythen and John Francis on March 21.<\/p>\n

Chaplin\u2019s (66 North Main Street, Spring City, 610-792-4110,\u00a0http:\/\/chaplinslive.com<\/a>) will host All Good People on March 16.<\/p>\n

The Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389,\u00a0www.ardmoremusic.com<\/a>) will present Chris Kasper, Hoots & Hellmouth and Benjamin Jaffe on March15, Infected Mushroom on March 16, Gerald Veasley\u2019s Bass Bootcamp on March 17, and Matador! Soul Sounds on March 21.<\/p>\n

Burlap & Bean Coffeehouse (204 South Newtown Street Road, Newtown Square, 484-427-4547,\u00a0www.burlapandbean.com<\/a>) will present Auld String Theory on March 16, and Kerri Powers and Tough Old Bird on March 17.<\/p>\n

The Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650,\u00a0www.keswicktheatre.com<\/a>) presents The Musical Box on March 17 and Jeffrey Osborne on March 18.<\/p>\n

The Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/a>) will host Glengarry Bhoys<\/a> on March 15, 3 Redneck Tenors on March 16, Louie Anderson on March 17, Oak Ridge Boys on March 18 and Skerryvore on March 21.<\/p>\n

The Grand Opera House (818 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-652-5577, www.thegrandwilmington.org<\/a>) will host the Red Hot Chilli Pipers on March 16.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times There are many famous ballets but \u201cSwan Lake\u201d is on a plateau all its own \u2013 elevated above the rest and deservedly so. Anyone even slightly interested in ballet should take advantage if there is an opportunity to see one of the country\u2019s top professional companies perform \u201cSwan […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27819,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7529],"tags":[6518,10062,10063,7072,7553,10064,3358],"class_list":["post-27817","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-featured","tag-lydia","tag-matt-cappy","tag-pennsylvania-ballet","tag-slambovian-circus-of-dreams","tag-sleepy-limbs","tag-swan-lake"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27817","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=27817"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27817\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27818,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27817\/revisions\/27818"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/27819"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=27817"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=27817"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=27817"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}