Fantastic Don Quixote!

Carole Ellison, Bob Cremin

Kaori Nakamura as Kitri

What a tour de force was the Pacific Northwest Ballet opening night performance of Don Quixote tonight at McCaw Hall!  When Ken and I arrived for the pre-performance cocktail party and dinner this evening, the anticipation in the air was palpable.  PNB had arranged to rent the ballet production including choreography, costumes and sets from the Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam and this ranks as one of the largest productions PNB has ever performed.  Don't miss this production!

At the opening night dinner, PNB Artistic Director, Peter Boal, introduced many of the personnel that the Dutch National Ballet had sent to help PNB produce these performances including the choreographer, Alexei Ratmansky, scenic and costume designer, Jerome Kaplan, and James Ingalls, lighting designer, four ballet masters to help stage the ballet on the PNB dancers, and a wigmaster.  Peter also recognized dancer, Kiyon Gaines, who had joined us for dinner and was recently promoted to the level of PNB  Soloist.

Richard & Winnie Baxter, Lynn & Frank Lindsay

Retired PNB Dancers, Jordan Pacitti & Ariana Lallone

We saw and talked with scores of friends at the ballet including Winnie & Richard Baxter, Eliza Flug, Barbara Cahill, Linda & Toby Warson, Peggy & Michael Swistak, Aya Hamilton, Peter Horvitz, Pam & Dan Baty, Carole Ellison, Bob Cremin, Elisabeth Bodal, Barbara Ries, Margaret Del'Osso, April & Steve Kieburtz, David Brown & Elaine Bauer, Julie Skerritt, Gail & Tom James, Diane & Paul Birkeland, Rian McLeod, Jane & David Davis, Betty Bottler, and Janet Ketcham to name a few.

Peter Boal providing "dance advice" to Richard Baxter

Since Dr. Richard Baxter is preparing to compete in the upcoming Seattle Dances contest benefiting Plymouth Housing Group, at dinner he took the opportunity to seek a little dance advice from PNB Artistic Director, Peter Boal, hoping to increase his chances of winning a mirror ball trophy on March 3rd when he dances the tango with his professional dance partner.  Good luck Richard!

The dancing this evening was spellbinding and PNB Principal Dancers Carla Körbes and Karel Cruz were magical in the roles of lovers, Kitri and Basilico.  Actor Tom Skerritt was funny and endearing in the title role of Don Quixote.  And Bathurel Bold and Maria Chapman were also riveting as the matador Espada and his lover, Mercedes.

I think I will dream tonight about extraordinary dancers leaping and spinning, brilliantly hued matador capes swirling and coquettish fans flicking open and maybe a few windmills too.