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O Fortuna! Nevada Ballet to take on Carmina Burana for 50th season finale

Nevada Ballet Theatre
Luke Isley/Nevada Ballet Theatre

The music of Carmina Burana has found its way into countless symphonies, movies, television shows and even commercials.

Maybe you crank it as you steel yourself for another day.

Now, the Nevada Ballet Theatre is taking a stab at it this weekend, performing the Carl Orff’s 1937 classic as the grand finale of its 50th season.

The production will be scored by the Las Vegas Philharmonic and accompanied by the Las Vegas Masters Singers choir.

Roy Kaiser is the artistic director of the Nevada Ballet Theatre.

He said the production they’re doing “isn’t really about anything.” The original score was inspired by writings and poems from the 13th century. The dances will reflect the power of the music in a contemporary way, he said.

“We have a chorus of 60 singers onstage, upstage, facing the audience for the entire production. Often for ballets there, they have to be hidden off somewhere,” Kaiser said.

Donato Cabrera is the musical director and conductor of the Las Vegas Philharmonic.

This is a five-part work, 25 movements. “It's a piece design for conductors who love to just get into the work,” Cabrera said. “I think it's really brought so well to the fore by the music and the choreography on stage.”

Roy Kaiser, artistic director, Nevada Ballet Theatre; Donato Cabrera, music director, Las Vegas Philharmonic

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Mike has been a producer for State of Nevada since 2019. He produces — and occasionally hosts — segments covering entertainment, gaming & tourism, sports, health, Nevada’s marijuana industry, and other areas of Nevada life.