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There's a connected sense of 'patromoine' throughout the piece. I'm merely a ballet patron and a music fan, though, not a choreographer and definitely not a dancer. So how these things work and whether ballet audiences would pay to see a full-length ballet based on a piece of music where only one movement is really well-known is another story. I'm disappointed in my fellow audience members who seem to only want to see things they have heard of or seen before. The Cincinnati Opera has even started doing weeknight productions at 7:30 p.m., which is fantastic if you are retired, but difficult if you have steady employment and have to get home, get changed, get fed and get to the production. The sight of a well-dressed couple RUNNING across the street and heaving a fast-food bag into a dumpster on their way towards the entrance is not what you want to see...

Yes, Ma Vlast, but let's not limit ourselves to Vlavta (The Moldau). The whole piece has great promise as a ballet. The symphonic poem has 6 tones (or movements). Of course, I'm a huge fan of Bedrich Smetana, so I may be completely biased, but here's a rundown on the stories behind the 6 tones, each is 10-15 minutes in length. Vysehrad, the opening piece, celebrates the ruined castle at Prague. The piece opens with the bard Lumir, playing his lyre, invoking the Muses at the present ruis of Vysehrad, then brings forth the past glory of the place with King Premsyl and Queen Libuse, the seer, who foresaw the greatness of Prague, and their court, and then returns to the present ruins and the sorrow there. Vlavta (The Moldau), which is the merging of two brooks into the mighty Vlavta, which passes by a hunting party, a wedding party, the nighttime nymphs, bubbling rapids and finally flows majestically past Vysehrad and then joins the sea. Sarka is the story of an Amazon maiden betrayed by her lover, who lures the faithless lover and his soldiers into the woods, lulls them to sleep and then has her maiden troops come and slaughter them all. "Z cesýkch luhu a háju" (From Bohemia's Meadows and Fields) is a pastoral scene, a summer's day with shepherds and snatches of country dances in a much-needed respite from the violence of Sarka. Tábor is the story of Hussites, who religious zealots in the 14th century who defended their stronghold to the death. Blaník is a mountain where, legend has it, the Hussites from Tábor will sleep until they are needed to defend their people. There is pasture on this site at the time of composition, with shepherds, but an certain tension. The knights emerge with a new hymn to triumph and restore peace. The bard Lumir returns with his lyre to show his approval and a brief march confirms Queen Libuse's vision of a vibrant, beautiful future for Prague. Total run time 75 minutes, not counting scene changes and intermission. I adore this piece of music and can see these parts (Lumir, Libuse, Sarka, the merging streams as a lovely couple guiding us through Vlavta, the hunting party, the nymphs, the Hussites) being danced. Sadly, I lack the funds to commission a ballet on my own. Any takers?

Here in Cincinnati, we're very happy to have Kara Zimmerman from PNB! My favorite corps dancer here is Dawn Kelly, who was promoted to soloist this year. Dawn is an excellent actress and embodies the roles she dances. We like her equally well in classical roles and more modern pieces. She is tiny, but has huge presence on the stage. We can't wait to see what she'll be doing this year.