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image from Texas Ballet Theater myspace.
- To listen to the KERA radio story:
The Texas Ballet Theater still needs $800,000 to proceed with its new season. But Margo McCann, the company’s interim managing director, is optimistic that it can be done. After the ballet’s financial plight became public last month, the troupe raised $1.2 million in cash and pledges.
McCANN: I think so many people stepped forward in such a huge way just in the last three weeks. So I’m positive and very hopeful that we’ll get there.
Fundraising efforts this week include Rock the Ballet, a benefit concert Friday in Fort Worth, as well as a silent auction Sunday at the Mansion at Turtle Creek.
More than 1,400 people saw the dance company’s gala at the Majestic Theater Friday The ballet presented a full evening of six works with music ranging from Richard Wagner to Tina Turner. The dancers and artistic director Ben Stevenson received a standing ovation from the clearly supportive crowd.
But the ballet company had originally planned to present four performances in Dallas. Last month, serious financial problems forced the ballet to cut back some of its productions, after it had already canceled a trip to China. The company rushed to raise $2 million to open its season.
In front of the Majestic Friday, local members of the professional musicians union passed out flyers and displayed a giant, inflatable rat. They were protesting the ballet’s decision to cancel its contract for a live orchestra to play at its shows. The Garvey Foundation stepped forward to underwrite the Fort Worth Symphony’s performances with the ballet next month at Bass Hall. But in Dallas, the holiday production of The Nutcracker in December at Fair Park will go ahead with recorded music.
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