Staff Reports | Happenings & Events
Ballet Arizona will present a new mixed‑repertory program, “Cacti & Other Works,” from March 19 to 22 at Orpheum Theatre.
The performance features three short works that highlight different approaches to movement, music and visual storytelling, according to a press release.
“‘Cacti & Other Works’ is about the extraordinary range of creativity that ballet offers today,” Daniela Cardim, Ballet Arizona artistic director, said.
“From the visual poetry of ‘Apollo’ to the elegance and tension in ‘Concertante’ and the bold humor of ‘Cacti,’ this program showcases the extraordinary creativity of three master choreographers as well as the versatility of our incredible dancers.”
The program includes the following works:
Apollo
First performed in 1928, “Apollo” helped establish George Balanchine’s neoclassical style. Set to a score by Igor Stravinsky, the work blends musical precision with myth‑based storytelling and returns to Ballet Arizona as part of this program.
Concertante
Choreographed by Hans van Manen, “Concertante” combines structured movement, musical emphasis and elements that explore relationships between dancers. Van Manen, an influential figure in contemporary ballet, died in December 2025. Ballet Arizona is the first American company to perform one of his works since his passing. The ballet is set to Frank Martin’s “Petite Symphonie Concertante.”
Cacti
A contemporary work that blends humor, rhythm and commentary on the art form itself, “Cacti” uses physicality and theatricality to reflect on dance conventions. The piece includes a live on‑stage performance by the Opus 76 Quartet. Music for the work includes compositions by Franz Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Franz Schubert, including Andy Stein’s arrangement of “Death and the Maiden.”
