BEGIN:VCALENDAR PRODID:-//artshound.com//NONSGML iCalcreator 2.6// VERSION:2.0 X-WR-CALNAME:Calendar of artshound.com X-WR-CALDESC:In this calendar you will find information about events that y ou did save X-WR-TIMEZONE:US/Pacific BEGIN:VEVENT UID:20120210T214758CET-60548SAXRt@artshound.com DTSTAMP:20120210T204758Z CATEGORIES:Personal CLASS:EVENT DESCRIPTION:Event Name: Romeo & Juliet\nEvent Url: http://www.artshound.com /event/detail/35583/Romeo_Juliet\nEvent Date Begin: 2010-02-11\nEvent Date End: 2010-02-14\n\nDominic Walsh Dance Theater and Mercury Baroque will o nce again team up for the ultimate performing arts mash up&mdash\;Romeo & Juliet on February 11 and 13\, 2010 at 8:00 PM with a 2:00 PM matinee on F ebruary 14th at the Wortham Theater Center's Cullen Theater.\nForget the e xpensive roses and chocolates this Valentine's Day and instead\, catch thi s triumphant union of Walsh's contemporary choreography with Baroque music \, opera\, and theater that brings Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers to li fe like never before.\nOne of the remarkable aspects of Shakespeare's work s\, and especially Romeo and Juliet\, is that they are such compelling sto ries that deserve to be visited again and again through the eyes of many a rtists. &ldquo\;After extensively researching the text\, I decided that fo r me\, one art form was not enough to breathe new life into this poignant tale\,&rdquo\; says Walsh\, Founder and Artistic Director of Dominic Walsh Dance Theater.\nThe first step was to shed the well-known Prokofiev score of classical ballet versions and pair his contemporary choreography with a non-traditional Vivaldi score arranged by Antoine Plante\, Founder and A rtistic Director of Mercury Baroque. The score is comprised of nearly 30 V ivaldi compositions including violin\, cello\, and mandolin concertos\, ar ias\, and choral works and will be performed live by Mercury Baroque's mus icians playing on period instruments and the Bach Choir of Houston.\n&ldqu o\;Researching and creating a new score for Romeo & Juliet was one of the most fascinating artistic experiences for me. And\, it is always extremely interesting for us to do something new and unique with Baroque music\,&rd quo\; states Plante.\nWalsh then enlisted Rob Bundy\, a freelance director and former Artistic Director of Stages Repertory Theatre in Houston\, to serve as dramaturge and together\, they created a fresh adaptation of Shak espeare's classic tale by developing the less prominent themes and delving deep into character relationships. Mercutio\, Lady Capulet\, and Tybalt a re integral characters in this production and their observations reveal th e complicated web of relationships that surround Romeo and Juliet\, offeri ng a unique perspective on their love story.\nWhile dancers take the lead roles\, Paris and Friar Laurence are portrayed by actors (including Jim Jo hnson reprising his role as Friar and newcomer Adam Van Wagoner as Paris)\ , and Lord Capulet and the Nurse are portrayed by opera singers Gabriel Pr eisser and Ana Treviñ\;o-Godfrey &ndash\; with all delivering Shakes peare's text at pivotal moments.\nThe cast is comprised of over 30 artists \, musicians\, singers\, and dancers including DWDT company members Lauren Bettencourt\, Marissa Leigh Gomer\, Domenico Luciano\, Felicia McBride\, Rachel Meyer\, Ty Parmenter\, and Randolph Ward along with guest dancers E rika Johnson and John Henry Reid.\nAdding to the wow factor of this produc tion are the chic costumes designed by award-winning designer Fabio Toblin i that suggest rather than define a period\; award-winning designer Jorge Ballina's architectural frame and scrim set that morphs throughout the bal let\; and lighting by Robert Eubanks that helps set the right mood for eac h scene.Romeo & Juliet premiered in May 2006 to sold-out audiences and rec eived rave reviews.\n&ldquo\;The time was right for our company and Mercur y Baroque to once again join artistic and administrative forces to mount R omeo & Juliet. And just in time for Valentine's Day weekend\,&rdquo\; says Walsh.\nTickets for Romeo & Juliet are on sale for $21.75\, $34.25\, $47\ , $75 through www.dwdt.org\, www.mercurybaroque.org\, or by calling 832-25 1-0706.\nAs a principal dancer with Houston Ballet for over a decade\, Dom inic Walsh received national and international praise for his interpretati ons of both classical and contemporary roles. Walsh burst onto the choreog raphic scene when he won the prestigious Choo-San Goh Award in 1998\, and he is now hailed as a leading choreographer who is pushing the boundaries of ballet into new realms of theatricality. He won a second Choo-San Goh A ward in 2007 and was one of only three choreographers to receive a 2008 Pr incess Grace Award. Dominic Walsh Dance Theater\, launched by Walsh in 200 2\, is also racking up accolades and honors. This contemporary ballet comp any has built a stellar reputation for taking the techniques and skills of classical ballet into more contemporary territory where sensuality and in timacy meet muscular fluidity. Today\, the company's roster includes dance rs of the highest caliber and its repertoire features inventive works by W alsh and such iconic choreographers as Mauro Bigonzetti\, JiÅ™í\; Kyliá\;n\, and Matthew Bourne. In addition to producing a vibrant H ouston season of performances and educational programs that enliven the se nses\, this dynamic company tours the U.S. and Europe. For more informatio n\, visit www.dwdt.org.\nMercury Baroque has been a dynamic member of the Houston arts community since 2000. Founded as a chamber ensemble\, the gro up has grown into a Baroque orchestra performing a full subscription seaso n of concerts in downtown Houston and touring both domestically and intern ationally. The organization continues to pursue its goal of building a str ong tradition of Baroque music performance in Houston\, starting with its educational outreach programs designed to train the city's future musician s and create the audience of the future. Although Mercury is focused on br inging the best Baroque to Houston\, the ensemble has toured to other coun tries as well\, including two tours to Quito\, Ecuador. In September\, 201 0\, Mercury will revive its popular performance of Lully's opera Armide in Paris. The 2010-2011 season will be Mercury's important 10th Season.\nPho to credits: Ty Parmenter and Marissa Gomer. Photo by Gabriella Nissen Pho tography.\n\nStart time: February 11 and 13\, 2010 at 8:00 PM with a 2:00 PM matinee on February 14th.\n DTSTART:20100211T000000 DTEND:20100214T000000 LOCATION: SUMMARY:Romeo & Juliet TRANSP:TRANSPARENT END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR