OS ESPÍRITOS DE UM DIA DO VERÃO

[THE SPIRITS OF A SUMMER DAY]

As part of it's 10th anniversary season at The Theatre at St. Jeans on Manhattan's Upper East Side, American Liberty Ballet is proud to present: The Spirits of a Summer Day, a new full length story ballet which is set to the music of the legendary Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, and the music of his protégé and friend Alfred Heller. Libretto by Karen Cottrell and choreography by ALB Artistic Director Valerie Mae Browne.

The story of the ballet draws on a combination of Brazilian Indian legends, all of which explained natural phenomenon by the interactions/rivalries between the spirits who controlled all aspects of the natural world. In these legends, the explanation for the changes in the weather, the length of the days that changed with the seasons, and the light and darkness that moved through a day, were the result of the constant struggle for control between the mischievous Spirit of the Dark and the regal Spirit of the Light. The strength of their positions in this struggle at various points controlled the amount of light or darkness that fell on the earth during every day.

In this ballet, the Spirit of the Dark and the Spirit of the Light, with the help of their assistants, compete to rule the events of a summer day. The Spirit of the Dark is assisted in his efforts by his companions – including his night maidens, gusty winds, dark storm spirits, spirit of thunder, evening mist spirits and dusk maidens. The Spirit of the Light is assisted in her efforts by her companions – including her dawn maidens, the sun and the sun rays, summer breezes, lightning, rainbow, stars and moon.

In keeping with the philosophy of the composers, who believed that music was the universal language uniquely capable of providing the foundation for bridging the gap between all peoples, this ballet production utilizes dancers of all ages and races, and dance styles from classical ballet to contemporary dance to rhythmic gymnastics.