Originally published on March 17, 2010 on the now-defunct Best American Poetry blog. Republished in The Trouble Clef.
If you're in the San Francisco area, head on over to the War Memorial Opera House at 301 Van Ness Avenue in the Civic Center to catch the US premiere of The Little Mermaid, by Hamburg Ballet Director and Chief Choreographer John Neumeier. The ballet features an original commissioned score by renowned composer (and BAP blogger) Lera Auerbach.
According to the SF Ballet program notes, Neumeier’s contemporary version of The Little Mermaid "is a haunting tale of two divergent worlds: the serenity and simplicity of underwater life and the complex, often flamboyant lives of humans. The mermaid heroine travels through both worlds, enduring torment because of her committed love for a prince—but through her own strength in the end—transcends."
Watch a behind-the-scenes video here.
The San Francisco Ballet is a world-class company. I'm hoping they'll take this program to New York.
Congratulations, Lera.
— sdh
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