Friday pick: ‘Giselle’ performs for 1 night only at Warnors Theatre
The event: The Valley Performing Arts Council presents the ballet “Giselle.” It plays for one performance only (6:30 p.m. Friday, June 16, Warnors Theatre).
The dancers: Students are joined by three professional dancers: Aaron Smyth, Eizaveta Domrachev (of State Street Ballet of Santa Barbara) and Sergei Domrachev. Marina Fliagina, who is the rehearsal director for State Street, staged the ballet and worked with the dancers in Fresno on several occasions.
Special guest: Ron Cunningham, former artistic director for Sacramento Ballet and a longtime collaborator with VPAC and its former artistic director, Yukari Thiesen, is attending “Giselle” tonight. Like many in the audience, he will paying respects to Thiesen, who died May 22 after a long illness. She had staged one ballet after another through her medical treatment, including “The Nutcracker” in November and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in March. On the day after “Midsummer” closed, she started rehearsals for “Giselle.” The performance is dedicated to her.
Tickets: $45 adults, $35 children 12 and under.
