Wednesday, October 20, 2021
Pittsburgh Ballet returns to Benedum Center with classics and a world premiere
90.5 WESA: When Susan Jaffe started her new job as artistic director at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, it was July 1, 2020 – not even four months into the coronavirus pandemic. As with most of the nation’s performing-arts calendar, the final shows of PBT’s previous season had been postponed, and the group was weeks from canceling its announced fall shows.
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Knowing that the Pittsburgh Ballet, under Susan Jaffe’s leadership as artistic director, moved into filmed programming and outdoor performances during the pandemic makes me respect them a lot more. That takes a lot of effort, and it shows that theatre didn’t ‘die’ during the pandemic, artists simply adapted. This week, the Pittsburgh Ballet is opening its new season, including a world premiere by Jennifer Archibald, a work by choreographer Helen Pickett, and two classics--Diamonds (1967) by George Balanchine and Grand Pas Classique (1949) by Victor Gsovsky. The integration of contemporary works into such a classic institution like a ballet company is very interesting and means more innovation going forward. However, I hope that the Ballet continues with virtual and outdoors programming because that means access. Not everyone is still able to attend these performances in-person, COVID-related or otherwise, and a large company like the Pittsburgh Ballet should be able to integrate virtual programming into their year--contemporary work can challenge the institution of ballet, but making ballet accessible is more revolutionary.
I have actually never seen a full ballet production but I hope that I can see one by the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre while I am here. I have had some experience with managing dance shows and my appreciation for the art form has grown immensely over the last few years. I am glad that we are in a place where we can have these productions indoors again. I think that all performing artists are feeling the energy that is coming with bigger live audiences bouncing back from Covid. It makes it all the more exciting that they have a new artistic director with this new season. I wonder how their contemporary style will go over with all of the PBT’s regular audiences. Sometimes new goes over well and sometimes not when people are so accustomed to the classics. Maybe they will do well by putting on the classics with the spins that they mentioned. The inspiration for the new pieces this fall sound beautiful. I am looking forward to hear more.
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