Review: Atlanta Ballet casts enchanting spell with Sleeping Beauty
Princesses, fairies, tutus, and glitter. Oh, my.
- Charlie McCullers, Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet.
One of the most welcome elements of last night's opening of Sleeping Beauty at the Cobb Energy Center was the return of a live orchestra to Atlanta Ballet productions. After several years of funding troubles and labor disputes which left the dancers spinning and jumping to canned music, the live orchestra has returned. It is not a small change. The artistic leap forward for the company was palpable from the first moment to the last. A live orchestra provides a richness, immediacy and authenticity that can't be substituted. It's clearly experienced by both the dancers and spectators alike. Ari Pelto's orchestra sounded fantastic, and it's something to be celebrated.