They did a magnificent job on Friday, and I had a chance to stand back a little from the work and have a distanced look at it (as much as I can at this stage.)  I can truly say that it is one of the best things that I have done and I am exceedingly proud of it.  I am also grateful for the dancers' input and contributions to the work, because without them it simply would not be as rich or engrossing.  I hope that all of you reading this blog will come see the production at IRT this week.  Here is a copy of my letter to patrons:

Dear friends:

It hardly seems possible, but here we are at the end of our 2008-2009 season!   And what a season it has been, from the sheer joy of I Got Gershwin last summer, the sizzle of Musica Latina in the fall, the nostalgia of Magical Mystery Tour in January, and the triumph of diversity and excitement in our latest concert America, the Modern.

And now to close the season, we are presenting Rite of Spring at the IRT June 4-7.  We have been working hard on this piece since last fall, and are anxious to show you the fruits of our labor.  It is a very intense work, as you can imagine, springing from what most consider is the masterpiece of 20th century classical music.  Here is what I wrote for the program notes:

The original "Rite of Spring" libretto concerned a primitive society which made a sacrifice every year in order that the community continued to survive.  Against the backdrop pf Stravinsky’s magnificent score, considered one of the masterpieces of 20th century Classical music, the "chosen one" was a sacrificial virgin who danced herself to death.  I have transposed the community to the present day and asked myself what is the sacrifice that we must make so that our community can continue to exist. I was faced with the fact that our young men and women in the armed forces are dying every day in order to protect us.  This is the sacrifice we make as a society.

I have to tell you that the dancing is so strenuous that we are training for the performances like we would a marathon!  You must not miss this show!

In addition, we will be performing Class, our informative and inspirational lecture-demonstration of the Martha Graham Technique.  You will see how the dancers train their bodies and souls to prepare them to go onstage.

See you in the theatre!

David