In line with their mission of bringing the beauty of dance and the magic of ballet to the people, the Dance Theatre of Tennessee is launching Ballet in the Park performance series from Sept. 28 through Oct. 1.
The performances will be held at the Centennial Park Bandshell and is being presented in partnership with Metro Parks and Recreation. The City of Nashville through its Metro Parks have launched successful partnerships in presenting classical music (Symphony) and classical theater (Shakespeare) in a relaxed, relatable and easily accessible setting.
“After a well received performance during the pre-show for Shakespeare in the Park last year, we were encouraged to look into the possibility of presenting classical dance as a full performance series,” said DTT Artistic Director Christopher Mohnani.
For the first Ballet in the Park, DTT will present “Carmen” based on the famous opera of the same title. Seville’s vibrant beauty serves as the background for this tragic story of a fiery gypsy girl whose seduction of a naïve officer leads to rejection, jealousy, and ultimately death.
“Ballets that have strong narratives like ‘Carmen’ provide the perfect experience at the ballet,” Mohnani said. “It allows audience members to enjoy dance as a much more relatable theatrical experience.”
“Carmen” stays true to the story line and dramatic liturgy of the opera. Condensed in one act – be immersed in this intriguing world of seduction, betrayal and death as we follow Carmen and her naïve officer Don Jose in their journey of passion, distrust, rejection and murder.
“I want the audience to leave the performance empathizing with the lead characters rather than hating them and know that love truly is a rebellious bird that no one can tame. ‘Carmen’ is just like watching reality TV but this time it is live and up-close,” Mohnani said.
The performances are free to the public. A suggested donation of $10 is encouraged and appreciated. A special patron tent is available for a $50 donation. Performance starts at 7:30 p.m. with a pre-show entertainment at 6:30 p.m. Food trucks will be on site to provide several dining options.
All performances are at the Centennial Park Bandshell. Performance information including special patron tickets can be found at www.ticketsnashville.com. For more information, please visit at www.dancetheatretn.org.