The Nashville Ballet will open its 2008-2009 season with two ballet's - The Four Temperaments and Bell Witch - on Friday, Oct. 24.

Set to Paul Hindemith’s score, Balanchine created The Four Temperaments as a witty and ingenious exploration of the ancient belief that personality is determined by the body’s balance of the four humors – Melancholic, Sanguine, Phlegmatic, and Choleric. Each temperament (or quadrant) was associated with one of the four classical elements (earth, air, water, and fire), which in turn were the basis of the four humors that composed the body. Time Magazine calls this “the best dance of the twentieth century.” 

Based on the most-documented ghost story in America, The Bell Witch brings the Tennessee legend to life in celebration of Halloween. With Conni Ellisor’s original American folk score setting the tone, you are encouraged to investigate why and how the Bell Witch haunted the Bell family in Adams, Tennessee, during the mid 1800s.  

Choreographer DeAngelo states, “The music and the story are interwoven as Conni and I collaborated to create this ballet. I used classical ballet, modern, and hip-hop movement as the words to narrate this tale of a supernatural force. Although it is a ghost story, it is not scary.” Another fun aspect for the audience is wearing 3-D glasses to maximize the special visual effects.

Subscriptions are available for as little as $67.00. To order a Season Subscription or to place a group order, please contact Nashville Ballet by emailing mbenning@nashvilleballet.com  or calling 615-297-2966, ext. 10. Single tickets are $21.50 - $72.50 and are available online through Ticketmaster.com, by visiting the TPAC box office downtown, at Davis-Kidd Booksellers, or by calling 615-255-ARTS.

Nashville Ballet is funded in part from grants made available through the Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission, the Tennessee Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as the Ingram Charitable Trust Foundation. Additional funding is also provided by HCA/TriStar, Regions Bank, Bridgestone Firestone Trust Fund, and the Andrew Woodfin Miller Foundation.

The Four Temperaments and The Bell Witch
October 24-26, 2008 - Polk Theater - TPAC
Friday, October 24 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, October 25 at 8 p.m.
Sunday, October 26 at 2 p.m.