The Sierra Nevada Ballet is presenting The Last Unicorn for Artown, a fun and playful ballet for the entire family.
~Review and Photos by Dana Nöllsch~
The Sierra Nevada Ballet invited us to the last dress rehearsal to preview their production of The Last Unicorn. This ballet is very special, as you will find out when you see the video interview with Rosine Bena. In the video, Bena tells us how she came to write the ballet The Last Unicorn and how it was a family effort that continues today, with Bena’s daughter playing a lead role in the current production.
Many of us know the story of The Last Unicorn from the book by Peter S. Beagle or the 1982 movie. This is the story of a beautiful unicorn’s journey of self-discovery and the people who help her along the way.
The Sierra Nevada Ballet’s production of The Last Unicorn is exquisitely performed and choreographed. The telling of the story is polished and captivating. The dancers are mesmerizing as the beautiful unicorn takes her journey of self-discovery and helps others do the same along the way.
There are only three chances to see The Last Unicorn, so go to The Sierra Nevada Ballet‘s website and get your tickets.
Check out the photos and Video Interview with Rosine Bena.
Here is an interview with Rosine Bena, Artistic Director at Sierra Nevada Ballet.
Sierra Nevada Ballet presents the original full-length dramatic story ballet.
THE LAST UNICORN, based on the novel by Peter S. Beagle, choreographed by Rosine Bena to the music of Franz Liszt on July 22, 2023, at the Pioneer Center for Performing Arts in Reno as part of Reno’s ARTOWN Festival, on July 24, 2023, at the Sand Harbor venue as part of the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, and on August 5, 2023, at the Carson City Community Center.
In two acts and a prologue, this exciting ballet tells the story of the last Unicorn left on earth who journeys far to save the rest of her race ( Unicorns who have been captured and held prisoners by the cruel King Haggard and his servant, the evil Red Bull). On her journey, the Unicorn encounters several entertaining characters, including the witch, Mommy Fortuna; an evil Monster Bird; a fun-loving Butterfly; a wonderful maidservant, Molly Grue; and the hilarious wood-be Magician, Schmendrick, who turns the Unicorn into a Princess to help disguise her and save her from the Red Bull.
Complete with many wonderful characters and filled with romance, humor, and drama, THE LAST UNICORN is a story to delight all ages.
The creation of this work took Bena three years to complete, and the work was first presented in the SF Bay area in 1989 and 1991.
Bena’s choreography was reviewed as “brilliant,” and the ballet was so popular that audience members requested it be repeated the following year. The author of the book, Peter Beagle, called the ballet “a work of genius.”
With a cast of star dancers and beautiful sets and costumes, this production features the well-known Polish Ballerina Dajana Klos, Sacramento Ballet principal Dylan Keane, former Joffrey principal Domingo Rubio and Los Angeles Ballet’s David Naquin with SNB Principal dancers Ananda Bena-Weber and Alexander Biber and a large company of professional dancers and young dancers from the SNB apprentice/trainee program and students from the Reno/Tahoe/Carson areas.
Press Relese by Sierra Nevada Ballet
July 22, 2023, @ Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts – 7:30 pm
July 24, 2023, @ Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival Sand Harbor State Park – 7:30 pm
August 5, 2023, @ Carson City Community Center – 7:30 pm
For more information about this event and the Sierra Nevada Ballet, visit sierranevadaballet.org or call (775) 360-8663
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