Author: Sophia McPherson

REVIEW: The Nutcracker – Ann Arbor Ballet Theatre

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It’s always rather conflicting when attempting to indulge in the holiday spirit during the everlasting finals season. Time spent seeking out the festive spirit typically leaves one in guilt for time loss from studying. However, The Nutcracker was being performed on campus so this would be exempt! There were two different groups performing The Nutcracker on campus. So, I chose to see the Ann Arbor Ballet Theatre perform at the Power Center.

The opening scene takes place in the Stahlbaum Home on Christmas Eve. From the beginning, I noted that the acoustics could have been better given that they would need to compensate for not having a live orchestra pit. However during Act I, Scene I, I undoubtedly still felt the Christmas festivity transcending from an evening spent with gifts, sweets, and dancing around the Christmas tree. Unaware of the Ann Arbor Ballet Theatre and all of its members, I was utterly pleased to see so many young performers on stage. From ages perhaps as low as five years old to older teens, it was a sight to see so many young performers expressing themselves through theatre and dance.

Act I, Scene III, The Land of Snow, was a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. To my surprise, they had fake snow falling onto the stage! From the snowflake-like blue lighting and  background to the complementing snow fairy outfits and dances, this scene was aesthetically pleasing and beautifully accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s “Scene in the Pine Forest” and “Waltz of the Snowflakes.”

Act II: The Kingdom of Sweets, carries the bulk of the story and most rousing parts. During this, Clara and her newly gifted nutcracker arrive at his Palace high atop Sugar Mountain in the Kingdom of Sweets. (How could we not be the least bit of enlivened by a scene held in a place called The Kingdom of Sweets?) This scene is composed of several intensive and rather intimate waltzes that represent various ethnicities. To begin is Chocolate: a high-spirited Spanish dance. Next is the Arabian Coffee, a sultry, languid dance. Arguably, the most detailed and personal dances of them all with slow, thoughtful movements in sync with their partner. Coffee was the most expressive dance where the audience had the chance to analyze each intentional movement according to the music. In all fairness though, Coffee is the lengthiest and has the slowest tempo of all six dances, so this impression may be biased. Following Coffee was a much more upbeat, high-pitched lively and athletic Chinese inspired dance called Tea. To trump Tea’s lively nature, Trepak outperforms its predecessor with a much faster-paced beat in light of a Russian folk dance that is filled with bravura. To close out the divertissements, we are left with Marzipan, which in contrast, is a pas-de-trois, performed by three people — all followed by an appearance by Mother Ginger and her beloved Sugar Plums.

The curtains begin to close as Clara’s wondrous dream begins to fade while she finds herself back at home with only memories of a magical night. Upon the curtains closing, we are left with a matched feeling in comparison to the characters as we have followed along on their adventurous journey overnight and also come to a silent, peaceful close. Even in a wicked time known as “Finals Season,” time should be allotted for the holiday classic, The Nutcracker.

REVIEW: New York Philharmonic – Young People’s Concert

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Word was out: The New York Philharmonic was set to make its debut to the University for their second major residency in honor of Leonard Bernstein. Upon their arrival, the NY Philharmonic had more than twenty various educational and community engagement activities planned for both students on campus and those of the larger community as well. Before attending the Young People’s Concert, I had the opportunity of attending the lecture held by the University Musical Society’s current president, Matthew VanBesien and Deborah Borda, President and CEO of NY Philharmonic. This discussion was driven by the topic of Leadership, Innovation, and the Business of Running an Orchestra. It was a packed room full of faculty, students, and UMS affiliates. With the energy and excitement elicited from those in the room, I could not wait to finally attend one of their mainstage performances!

Come the big day (Saturday), the weather was dreary and raining vigorously…not an ideal day for attending a world-renowned concert, as one may imagine. Though, my enthusiasm was not shot down a single bit! Upon arriving, I was thoroughly pleased with the sight of so many young faces and people of color. This was something that I could truly appreciate, as it is of mutual understanding (and a prominent goal mentioned by Ms. Borda) to shift the majority orchestra concert goers from older individuals to a more diverse audience.

Moving along, the concert’s primary purpose was to celebrate Leonard Bernstein. In a roundabout way, the show itself was a rendition of episodes performed by Bernstein himself. It was set up like an interactive lesson, rather, somewhat like a game show with a host and commentary/history of selected pieces in between each performance. We were even presented with a special guest: one of Leonard Bernstein’s daughters! In conjunction with testaments to her own stories of childhood, there were also members of the orchestra that accounted for early memories of Leonard Bernstein’s Young People’s Concerts.

We are told that Bernstein was a man of many roles: a father, conductor, composer, and so forth. The program was composed of excerpts from Bernstein’s Candide, Three Dance Episodes from On the Town, “The Age of Anxiety,” Symphony No. 2, “Jeremiah,” Symphony No. 1, and West Side Story. The most audience participation came from the very last piece, Mambo. Throughout the performances, the host and conductor, Leonard Slatkin, took various efforts to involve the audience. During Mambo, we were given the exclusive role of synchronously shouting “Mambo!” when given our cue.

I found the excerpts from West Side Story to be a special treat. In addition to hearing more upbeat tunes and jazzy compositions, we were given pieces from the Broadway musical! With two special guests, U-M alumni were welcomed to the stage to aide in performing “Maria,” “I Feel Pretty,” and the “Balcony Scene.” Surprisingly enough, it felt as though I was watching the musical itself while simultaneously viewing what would be the orchestra pit during the show. All in all, the New York Philharmonic’s residency this year was an unforgettable experience, with much recognition given to the University Musical Society for hosting them.

REVIEW: Illuminations: A World Showcase

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I must admit how much of a relief this show was from my typical attended performances. Don’t get me wrong, fine arts are truly extraordinary experiences that should not be often missed, but the dynamics of a student-run performance are far more different when compared to some of the best performers from around the world. An audience full of overflowing bursts of laughter, oohs-and-ahhs from edge-of-your-seat excitement, and the best part of all — enduring support from one another. Given that we are watching student performers who are not masters of dance or singing or whatever have you, there will be reasonable mishaps that occur on stage. Nonetheless, the support shown by fellow peers in the audience gives a friendly reminder that it is okay to mess up sometimes and those watching will only help encourage you to keep going. I always feel a sense of inspiration when watching my fellow classmates illicit such bravery in front of an audience to showcase their hard work that occurs outside of the classroom. It also makes me so happy to witness the enthusiasm of those in the audience whose friends are performing on stage.

I am extremely appreciative of the efforts made by the Central Student Government to hold this initiative of showcasing its diverse student clubs on campus. We were able to not only see respective dance moves but also respective clothing/costumes and hear distinct music as well. The lineup was as follows: Michigan Izzat, Rxn, Cangaco Capoeira, Maize Mirchi, Hipnotics, Revolution, Alpha Phi Alpha, Leim, Female Gayo, Michigan Ballroom, and Photonix. To point out some of my favorites, I was particularly engaged during the Cangaco Capoeira performance, mainly due to their moves being so intense that I was in fear of someone getting hurt…that’s how action-filled their performance was! Another favorite was by Maize Mirchi, a South Asian a cappella group. They even sang one of my favorite songs by Ellie Goulding! Lastly, I was fairly intrigued by the Irish dancing women of Leim.

Now, of course, I cannot fail to mention the campus-favorites who tend to usually appear at plenty of events — Revolution and Photonix! If you still have yet to see even a snippet of one of their performances, you are undoubtedly missing out. After seeing both of their performances on different occasions, I am convinced that there is something about seeing so many different colors flying around at once and objects pivoting across the stage that eludes to happiness. Perhaps it is though, seeing these activities bring back the best childhood memories of fun out of us. Thanks to this showcase, I am highly looking forward to seeing all of these groups in a full performance of their own.

REVIEW: China NCPA Orchestra

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Before attending this concert, I had very few expectations for the China NCPA Orchestra, given that I primarily attend classical orchestra concerts. Though this was my first-ever-attended University Musical Society (UMS) event, my initial expectations were still high.

The spotlight of this performance was placed on Wu Man for her rendition of Lou Harrison’s Concerto for Pipa and String Orchestra. Although I did not feel as much connection with the orchestra in conjunction with the pipa, I was still moved by the energy and passion that was put into the performance nonetheless. A brief background on Wu Man: she has devoted her career to increasing awareness of China’s ancient musical traditions (hence her use of a Chinese lute that dates back about two thousand years). Man also holds the prestigious Musical America’s 2013 Instrumentalist of the Year award. Given this information, it was no surprise to witness how zealous and emotional Man was while performing.

Though my attention was not fully captivated during the entirety of the concert, there were still plenty of noteworthy moments. For instance, the audience was surprised with not just one, but two additional performances after the formal ending of the concert. Unfortunately, some people did miss what I felt to be the most special performance of the entire night if they left early. The very last piece they played affected me much more than any of the other songs throughout the entire program. This was one of those types of musical pieces that makes you forget where you are as if you’ve somehow been transported to some other time and reality. I even noticed myself temporarily close my eyes just to delve further into the music I was experiencing. After a long, busy school day, hearing that orchestrated composition gave me peace of mind. The lasting impression I hold from that concert has set the bar high for many other orchestra performances to come. Overall, I am appreciative of having had the opportunity to attend such a prestigious event that was much different than what I am most used to at the University.

PREVIEW: Illuminations: A World Showcase

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With the University of Michigan’s Bicentennial Year coming to a close, our beloved Central Student Government will be hosting its very own Illuminations World Showcase (not to be confused with the spectacular IllumiNations performance at the World’s Happiest Place on Earth!). However, with a similar approach to that of Disney’s Epcot World Showcase, CSG’s intent is on celebrating the diversity of its student communities here at the University. Although the Bicentennial Year comes with celebrating the University’s history and milestones achieved, the Illuminations Showcase is intended to foster a vision of the legacy we strive to see the University uphold for its many years to come.

This event is comprised of two parts: a food fair of numerous authentic, international cuisines followed by a performance exemplifying our students’ talents from across the globe. Some of the groups you can expect to see are the African Students Association and Arab Students Association along with many others.

The food fair will be held at Ingalls Mall at 5 PM and the culture show at the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre in the Michigan League at 7 PM. Both events are entirely free with no tickets necessary.

REVIEW: Women’s Glee Club

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“Sisterhood, Song, and Strength.” I thought about what this title meant to me, as a woman here at the University. With a solid history and prominence here, the Women’s Glee Club hosted its fall performance for the 124th year.

I have previously attended a Men’s Glee Club concert, with this being my first time experiencing the Women’s concert. Although not as much of a crowd, anticipations and crowd enthusiasm were still just as high in comparison to the Men’s. As a tribute to the University’s 200th Anniversary, the women opened with “The University.” They then transitioned to songs which seamlessly incorporated the piano, percussion, small group ensembles, and solos. No song was completely the same as the previous or next song to come. Each song was independent in regards to genre, instrumental accompaniments, and alternating conductors. The last two pieces before intermission are what I felt to be the bulk of their overall theme. “Wanting Memories” was a much more engaging piece than its precursors. This performance orchestrated movement from its members, all whilst one glee member was on the bass and another member on the shaker. It was very interactive; the auditorium was overflowing with energy.

Lastly, “Never Sit Down” was a sentimental, touching, and inspiring song, all while incorporating a small playback into groundbreaking history alluding to powerful women such as Susan B. Anthony and Sojourner Truth. “They didn’t sit down…’cause they were working for their freedom…gonna make this world what I want it to be. Gonna stand up for my equality.” Following such powerful statements, we then heard enticing persuasions such as “Come on little lady, be dainty…take a weight off your feet!” In that moment, we were reminded of the backlash these women took when fighting for their freedom; they (the Man) didn’t want to see women succeed. This piece was critical to the theme of “Sisterhood, Song, and Strength.”

Following intermission, the Women invited the Men’s Glee Club to stage to collaborate on songs that the audience followed along with the texts and translations provided to us in the program.

Subsequently given that it was Game Day, we were left with some special songs to encourage that special Game Day spirit! Before such performances, all alumnae of the Women’s Glee Club from the audience were invited to the stage to help transcend the everlasting support they have for the group and emanate some of that school pride to the audience. The Glee members performed “Yellow and Blue” and of course, the highly anticipated, “Varsity Victors.” Kindly enough, the audience was eventually invited to chant along to the Fight Song. ‘Twas a Game Day well spent!