The J-TAC

Issue date: 11/19/09 Section: Entertainment

Media Credit: Ashley Fuquay After Intermission, the Moscow Ballet performed the second act of Swan Lake.

The long line of excited attendees was forming all the way to the other side of the Clyde H. Wlls Fine Arts Center Auditorium and there was a deafening, excited chatter in the air.

On Thursday, Nov. 19, at 7:30 p.m. a full auditorium was entertained by various pieces performed by the Moscow Ballet Company.

"We are thrilled to bring in such a prestigious ballet," said Connie Buntrock, executive assistant of the Cross Timbers Fine Arts Council, when she came on stage to introduce the event.

She also announced a change in the program. Instead of performing various pieces from The Nutcracker, the prima ballerina, Cristina Terentieva, and her husband premier danseur, Alexei Terentiev, performed pieces choreographed specifically for them by Radu Poklitaru. The pair used this piece to compete in the Twenty-third International Ballet Competition in Varna, Bulgaria, in 2008. Terentieva went home as a gold medalist and Terentiev was awarded Best Partner. According to Buntrock, this piece had never been performed in the United States before.

After the special pieces that were not listed in the program, the company performed Pas de Deux from Sleeping Beauty by Pytro Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa, as well as Duet of the Slave and Shaharazad from Shaharazad by Michel Fokine and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. This piece is based of some of the tales from One Thousand and One Nights, often referred to in English as Arabian Nights.

After a short intermission, the dancers finished with Act II of Swan Lake, another ballet by Pytro Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. In this section of Swan Lake, the prince is near an enchanted lake where some swans are floating along. The swan queen transforms into her human form. The swans are actually maidens who have been cursed by a sorcerer and only true love can break the spell. Playing the prince and swan queen were Terentiev and Terentieva.

Many distinguished Tarleton supporters were in attendance to enjoy the show.

"It was wonderful. Absolutely delightful," said Dr. Lisette Dottavio.

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity," said Dominic Inge, retired ballerina from the Atlanta Ballet Civic Company.

The event was sponsored by the Cross Timbers Fine Arts Council, the Department of Fine Arts and Student Programming Association. Programs were made by Tarleton State University International Programs.

For information about more shows by the Moscow Ballet in the area, visit www.moscowballet.com.

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