File this under things we’re looking forward to in November.
Ballet Arkansas and Arkansas Symphony Orchestra are teaming up for an open-air collaborative concert called “First Round” at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 15. The concert and performance will take place in front of the front of Matt McLeod’s “Beneath the Surface” mural (aka the koi mural near Three Fold) in downtown Little Rock.
“First Round” was designed with 2020 pandemic restrictions in mind. During a time when indoor concerts have pressed pause, Ballet Arkansas and the ASO dreamt up a way to bring both music and dance to the community in a socially distanced setting.
Ballet Arkansas company dancers Hannah Bradshaw, Matthew Larson, Megan Tillman, Paul Tillman and Isabelle Urben will perform as the ASO string players play “Last Round” by Osvaldo Golijov and “Adagio for Strings” by Samuel Barber, with four percussionists joining them for “Magic Box” by Augusta Read Thomas.
“We titled this program First Round because we hope it is a look into the future of collaborations between arts organizations; it is an expression of reverence for the history of our art forms as well as an appreciation of the contemporary and avant-garde,” says Geoffrey Robson, interim artistic director for the ASO. “It is a reflection on what we have learned from our time away from the stage that we can put to use upon our return.”
The event is free but patrons must RSVP. Ticket reservations can be made starting Nov. 9. Masks and social distancing are required. For more details, stay tuned to the Ballet Arkansas and ASO Facebook pages.
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