Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/48856
Carmike Brings The Ballet and Opera in Cinema to Town by KAREN POPPELE The stage is set. You enter the theater, clutching the playbill you received upon your arrival. The theater is fi lled with low chatter as you settle into your seat and read the synopsis and details about the artists. The lights dim, the curtain rises and you sit, enraptured by a live performance at the world-famous Bolshoi Ballet and Opera Theatre, founded in 1776, or the London Opera House or the Teatro alla Scala — Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker, Mozart's Don Giovanni and Puccini's La Boheme, the Royal Ballet's Romeo and Juliet. Only you've never left town! Balletomanes and opera fans can enjoy this world-class ballet and opera experience several times a year at the Carmike Market Fair 15 theater located at 1916 Skibo Rd. in Fayetteville — at a fraction of the cost of airfare, hotel and tickets! Such a cultural adventure is possible through the unique partnership of Carmike Cinemas with Emerging Pictures and Emerging Cinema, using the digital technology of Microspace to beam live opera and ballet performances by satellite from all over the world. The Ballet in Cinema and Opera in Cinema programs are in their second year at the Market Fair 15, explained Allen McWhorter, general manager of the theater. "This year we started the second season Sept. 28," said McWhorter. "We did the opera Faust, and we've done a couple of ballets, like Esmeralda with the Bolshoi Ballet in London and the Bolshoi reopening gala on Oct. 28." The idea behind hosting the program was a result of the corporate offi ce's desire to "branch out to offer people something more than just movies." "We do a lot of sporting events," said McWhorter. "Some NCAA championship football games and basketball games, NBA all-star games and a couple of things we've shown in 3D. Our company is venturing out, trying to get an extra audience other than just moviegoers." Because of the time differences between local time and Europe and Russia, many of the live performances take place in the morning, offering a perfect opportunity for school groups and those who enjoy a mid-day escape to take advantage of the live-theater experience. But no one needs miss out. "For all the events that we show, we also show an encore performance, sometimes on the same day," McWhorter said. "So we do a live version, then we show the recorded feed a few hours later on the same day and then we always do an encore performance a week out, usually at 7 p.m. on a Tuesday. All Carmike Cinemas have Stimulus Tuesdays. We offer dollar popcorn and dollar drinks all day, so we just matched the events with that day. It was the slowest day of the year, but now it's the most popular weekday." Tickets for the events are priced comparably to a performance on the stage — and are a real bargain as opposed to traveling abroad to view them in person! Opera tickets are $25, with a group rate of $21 for 10 or more. The ballets are all $20, $17 for any group of 10 or more. Additionally, the theater is exploring targeted promotions to involve schools and further expand its audience, like a recent two-for-one special rate offered on advance ticket purchases for senior citizens 62 and older and dance school attendees for The Sleeping Beauty ballet presentation, which was presented on Nov. 20. The upcoming schedule for Opera in Cinema and Ballet in Cinema at the Market Fair 15 includes performances of the classic operas Don Giovanni, La Boheme and Rigoletto and ballets Romeo and Juliet, Le Corsaire and Raymonda. Of course, no holiday season would be complete without The Nutcracker. "We're doing The Nutcracker on Sunday, Dec.18 at 2:30 p.m.," McWhorter said. "The encore is on Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m." McWhorter and his staff work hard to enhance the overall experience for the audience, as well promote the programs to the area. "When people come, we give them a playbill. We talk to them as they come in and try to fi nd out how they heard about us. I defi nitely ask for their suggestions," he said. The Opera in Cinema and Ballet in Cinema websites, www.operaincinema.com and www.balletincinema.com, offer season schedule information and details about the individual presentations. Visitors to the sites may also join other opera and ballet super fans to help spread the word throughout the community about this exciting program that brings performances from some of the greatest ballet and opera houses around the world — right to Fayetteville. For more information, contact the Market Fair 15 at 868- 9791. Tickets may be purchased online at www.carmike.com, www. fandango.com or at the box offi ce. KAREN POPPELE, Contributing Writer. COMMENTS? editor@ upandcomingweekly.com The Nutcracker Dances Into the Crown by JANICE BURTON Fayetteville has many holiday traditions, and for many in the community, the holiday season would not be complete without a trip to the Crown to see The North Carolina Ballet dance The Nutcracker. For 35 years, the ballet, under the direction of Fayetteville's own Charlotte Blume, brings the beloved tale of Clara and the Nutcracker to life. What makes the event so exciting to the community is that many local Fayetteville dance students accompany the ballet on stage, and this year is no exception. The Nutcracker is on stage Sunday, Dec. 4, Saturday, Dec. 10 and Sunday, Dec. 11 for public performances. This year's production has three international guest artists and a cast of 60 dancers and actors. The Regional Cast will feature local ballerinas Anne Talkington, Ashley Watters and Deprecia Simpson who alternate the "Pas De Duex" with Guest Artist Gabor Kapin, who is dancing the lead role of the Nutcracker Prince. Kapin, a native of Budapest, Hungary, was a student at the Hungarian Dance Academy for nine years before joining the N.C. Ballet, where he is a principal dancer. He will also dance the role of the Cavalier. Snow Queen honors are shared by Destiny Johnson and Annemarie Strickland who double as the Arabian Dancer in the Aladdin's Lamp scene. Alicia Fabry shares the role of the "Sugar Plum Fairy" with Erica Sabatini. Fabry, a native of France, will be on stage for the Dec. 4 performance. She studied ballet at the English National Ballet School in London before joining the Ballet Chicago Studio Company. She joined the Carolina Ballet Company in 2006 as a soloist. "Alicia Fabry was with us last year, and she is back by popular demand," said Blume. "She is a wonderful dancer, but has such a wonderful personality as well." Sabatini will dance the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy during the remaining two 12 UCW NOVEMBER 30 - DECEMBER 6, 2011 shows on Dec.10 and 11. Sabatini, raised in Philadelphia, received her ballet training with the Pennsylvania Ballet and at the Miami City Ballet. She joined the Miami City Ballet and danced the company's extensive repertoire before joining the Carolina Ballet in Raleigh as a First Soloist. Local actor Daniel Moore returns to the stage as Drosslemeyer. The Mouse King will be played by Keith Baughn. This holiday classic tells the story of Clara and the enchanted Nutcracker, that was givent to Clara by her godfather Drosselmeyer. As Clara falls asleep on Christmas Eve, she is visited by the Nutcracker turned Prince. In her dreams she journeys through the Land of the Snow and Land of the Sweets, and has many adventures. While there are only three public performances, there are numerous performances for school children from Cumberland County. All fourth grade students get a chance to see the ballet and to have a fi rst-hand introduction to dance. Blume, who has infl uenced a generation of dancers, sees the show as important because for many of the children it is their fi rst introduction to the ballet. Tickets for the "Nutcracker" may be purchased at the Crown Center Box offi ce and through Ticketmaster.com. Tickets are $16 for general seating. Military personnel will get a discount ticket for $14 at the box offi ce with ID. Military groups may make reservations for special seating and the military discounted tickets by calling (910) 485-4965. Curtain time is 3 p.m. for all three shows. JANICE BURTON, Associate Publisher, Up & Coming Weekly, COMMENTS? janice@upandcomingweekly.com WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM