Last weekend I attended the final PNB performance of the season featuring Stewart Kershaw conducting the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra for the last time. Stewart was the visionary that 25 years ago built the PNB Orchestra, that has recently been referred to in the New York Times as “possibly the best ballet orchestra in the country”. He has conducted The Nutcracker so many times that he has totally memorized the entire musical score. Though gone from PNB, he will still have a chance to interact with the musicians, because he will continue to serve as the Music Director for the Auburn Symphony, and most of those musicians are also members of the PNB Orchestra. See photos of Stewart and Peter Boal, PNB Artistic Director, above at the post performance reception.
In addition to saying farewell to Stewart, we also said goodbye to ballet dancers, Jordan Pacitti and Mara Vinson. Jordan is retiring to pursue his fragrance business, but I know I will certainly miss seeing him onstage. He danced beautifully last week in his final performance of Red Angels and in a fun encore romp featuring a rug!? He received a standing ovation. Mara was also exquisite dancing the role of Swanhilda in the final act of Coppelia and she will be missed too!
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