Students can now purchase up to two half-price tickets to Ballet West’s Valentine’s production of Madame Butterfly and Gong. The production began on Feb. 13 and will continue until this Saturday.
Student rush tickets can be purchased no earlier than one hour before the performance begins – 6:30 p.m. for evening performances and 1:00 p.m. for matinees at the earliest. Students must show ID at the box office to receive the discount.
The production is a rare double-premier for Ballet West. Madame Butterfly, by Stanton Welch, is based on the story of the opera of the same name, written by Giacomo Puccini. The ballet is set Puccini’s original score arranged by Welch. The set, designed by Peter Farmer, is intended to convey the mysterious evolving culture of nineteenth century Japan.
Madame Butterfly tells the story of the young Japanese woman Cio-Cio-San who marries American Lieutenant Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton, despite her family’s protests. The beautiful story of longing and loyalty ends tragically, and is sure to pull on the heart strings of even unsympathetic attendees.
Gong, by Mark Morris, features costumes by famous fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi and a score by Canadian composer Colin McPhee, who died in 1964. Ballet West is only the third company in the world to perform this piece, making it a rare opportunity for local ballet fans to view an obscure bit of dance history.
Both performances will be accompanied by the Utah Chamber Orchestra, Madame Butterfly being conducted by Terence Kern and Gong by guest conductor Adam Flatt of the Colorado Ballet.
More Info
Where: Capitol Theatre
When: Evening shows begin at 7:30 p.m., February 13, 14 and 18-21, with matinees on February 14 and 21 at 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: You have to show up to the box office to get student rush tickets. Single full-price tickets can be purchased through the ArtTix Box Office, 50 West 200 South, or at any ArtTix outlet by calling 355-ARTS or online at www.arttix.org. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more by calling Ballet West’s Groups Sales line at (801) 323-6966.
The production will also show at the Val A. Browning Center on the Weber State University Campus in Ogden on February 27 and 28 at 7:30 p.m.
