2005-06 Season

Opera Verdi Europa: MacBeth

Thursday, November 10th at 8 pm
Ken Bondurant Auditorium of Preston Hall

The Opera Verdi Europa brings its cast and full pit orchestra to a return engagement at RU to present "Macbeth." Based on Shakespeare, the libretto was composed by Francesco Marie Piave depicting Macbeth's and Lady Macbeth's thirst for power at all cost only for that eventuality to occur, just as the three witches predicted. The Giuseppe Verdi opera premiered in 1847 and is an excellent example of his ability to portray the temptation and tragedy of "Macbeth" utilizing his extraordinary compositional skills.

DRUM!

Thursday, November 17th at 8 pm
Ken Bondurant Auditorium of Preston Hall

DRUM! is an extraordinary presentation of music, dance, and rhythm of the Aboriginal, Celtic, African and Acadian cultures. The company comes to Radford University from Nova Scotia where these four heritages have existed for over three centuries…all with their own unique artistic styles, yet all containing a common core of expression through rhythm, drumming, dance, and song. "DRUM! communicates a message to the world: we can hold on to who we are and still share a song, a stage, a country, a world."

Russian National Ballet

Thursday, March 9th at 8 pm
Ken Bondurant Auditorium of Preston Hall

Radford University is very fortunate to host the Russian National Ballet. The company is now regarded as holding a position among the most prestigious and distinguished classical ballet ensembles in Russia. "The Sleeping Beauty" was the first successful ballet composition by Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky which was actually premiered in St. Petersburg in 1890. The classic tale known world wide depicts a king's only daughter, Aurora who is cursed to die. A fairy intercedes to turn the curse into a deep sleep only to be ended by the kiss of a prince. The full staging by the Russian National Ballet will insure an evening of exquisite sight and sound.