Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux returns to Chautauqua this weekBy Bill Raffel, WBFO
Buffalo, NY – The Chautauqua Ballet stages a grand night of dance on Saturday (8/10). Good morning. I'm Bill Raffel with Music Notes.
Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux danced under famous choreographer George Ballanchine in the New York City Ballet. Nowadays, he's the Artistic Director of the North Carolina Dance Theatre, and the founding director of the Chautauqua Ballet since 1989.
This Saturday night in the Amphitheatre, his dancers from Charlotte will join the Chautauquans for a new choreography of Romeo and Juliet, another new ballet based upon film music, and a classic work of Balanchine's, all accompanied by the Chautauqua Symphony. Bonnefoux says the laid-back atmosphere of Chautauqua is perfect for original choreography.
Guest Conductor Akira Endo will lead the Chautauqua Symphony to accompany the Chautauqua Ballet and the North Carolina Dance Theatre. Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux is preparing the dancers to perform Saturday (8/10) at 8:15 p.m. in the Amphitheatre. And this Thursday (8/8) at 8:15, Guest Conductor Carl Topilow leads the CSO in a pops concert.
Also at Chautauqua, the Opera gives the final performance of Mark Adamo's opera Little Women Monday (8/5) at 7:30 p.m. in Norton Hall.
Closer to Buffalo, the American Legion Band of the Tonawandas closes its summer season in Niawanda Park on Wednesday (8/7) at 7 p.m. That's right along the Niagara River in the City of Tonawanda.
And the Atlantic Brass Quintet joins brass players from the Buffalo Philharmonic and others for a free concert Thursday (8/8) at 8 p.m. in the Baird Recital Hall on UB's North Campus. The quintet will be debuting a new CD.