A Brief Fling – Musical Mystery Solved!

By Emil de Cou, Music Director/Principal Conductor, PNB Orchestra  On February 28, 1990 Twyla Tharp’s Scottish-themed ballet Brief Fling made its debut on the stage of the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco. I was in the orchestra pit that night, conducting a performance of La Bayadere – Kingdom of the Shades. A colleague led the orchestra in a lively performance […]

10 Things to Know About Twyla Tharp 

Twyla Tharp, one of the most iconic dancemakers of our time, has collaborated with all of the greatest ballet companies in the world – including PNB. 

From the Wings: Ballet Master Otto Neubert 

Imagine this: A large studio filled with young children auditioning for PNB’s Nutcracker. Adults sit behind a table at the front of the studio talking quietly with their lists of numbers and names, pencils and notepads. Groups of students are led across the floor doing various steps until, suddenly, one young girl trips and falls in […]

Audition Tips from PNB’s Apprentices

PNB apprentices share their best audition tips for summer intensive programs, from preparation and mindset to what ballet schools are looking for in dancers.