Histoire du Soldat is a 1918 theatrical work "to be read, played, and danced," set to music by Igor Stravinsky. The libretto, based on a Russian folk tale, is by Swiss writer C.F. Ramuz and tells the story of a soldier who trades his fiddle to the devil for a book that predicts the future. The music is scored for violin, double bass, clarinet, bassoon, cornet, trombone, and percussion, and the story is told by three actors: the soldier, the devil, and a narrator. In this production, dancers will portray nonspeaking roles and serve to illuminate the story. The performance will be in English.

The musicians from Le Train Bleu will be Brian Ellingsen (double bass), Alexey Goroholinsky (clarinet), Shelley Monroe (bassoon), Hugo Moreno (trumpet), Jennifer Griggs (trombone), Ian Rosenbaum (percussion), and Tim Fain (violin), and the dancers from the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company will be Reid Bartelme (soldier), Nicole Corea (princess) and Attila Csiki (devil).

Violinist Tim Fain has emerged as a mesmerizing new presence on the music scene. The "charismatic young violinist with a matinee idol profile, strong musical instincts, and first rate chops" (Boston Globe) was featured as the sound of Richard Gere's violin in Bee Season, and most recently was featured musician in Black Swan. Selected as one of Symphony magazine's "Up-and-Coming Musicians," and a Strad Magazine "Pick of Up and Coming Musicians," Fain has captured the Avery Fisher Career Grant and a Young Concert Artists International Award, and he has traveled the world as a solo violinist in orchestral and recital appearances. As The Washington Post recently raved, "Fain has everything he needs for a first-rate career."

One of America's most versatile, popular, and highly acclaimed choreographers, Lar Lubovitch has choreographed more than 100 dances for his New York-based Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, which has performed in nearly all 50 American states as well as in more than 30 other countries. His dances are renowned for their musicality, rhapsodic style, and sophisticated formal structures; his highly technical choreography and deeply humanistic voice have been widely acclaimed. The New York Times said of his choreography, this is "dance to bask in." This coming summer, Lar Lubovitch will receive the Dance/USA "Honors," the highest award presented by the dance field.

Dramaturge A. Scott Parry has garnered critical praise for his work in opera and musical theater throughout the country. His productions have spanned an enormous range of repertoire, from West Side Story to Dido and Aeneas, from Madama Butterfly, La Bohème, La Traviata, and Lucia di Lammermoor, to La Cage aux Folles. He is currently directing Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore at the New York City Opera. Additionally, he has associations with the Santa Fe Opera, Dallas Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, and Chautauqua Opera. As a librettist, has just completed an English-language adaptation of Beaumarchais' La Mère Coupable, which is presently being set to music.

Lighting designer Jennifer Tipton has designed for dance, opera, and theater productions. She is particularly known for her designs for dance and is the principal lighting designer for the Paul Taylor Dance Company. In September 2008, she won a MacArthur Grant, and she has won two Tony awards and two Drama Desk awards, among other prizes. The New York Times stated: "There are perhaps a dozen lighting designers in the country who work steadily enough to support themselves by their art, and maybe half a dozen who are acclaimed and in demand. Among these is Jennifer Tipton, characterized most often for the impeccability of her taste and a certain precision and cerebral quality to her work."

Conductor Ransom Wilson has long been recognized as one of the foremost flutists in the world, and is receiving growing praise for his orchestral conducting as well. He is the founder and conductor of Solisti New York Orchestra, as well as the former Artistic Director of Oklahoma's OK MOZART International Festival. He has been guest conductor of many prestigious ensembles, including the London Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Hallé Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke's, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the New York City Opera. Currently a member of the music staff at the Metropolitan Opera, he will conduct the THE ACADEMY's Ensemble ACJW at Lincoln Center in May.

Stravinsky's HISTOIRE DU SOLDAT at Galapagos Art Space.
Wednesday, March 23 at 7:30pm and 9:30pm

GENERAL ADMISSION at each show: $10 (students), $20 (mezzanine), $25 (lakeside), $40 (islands).
General Admission Tickets: http://www.ticketweb.com/snl/Search.action?query=le+train+bleu.

At 7:30pm show only - In addition to GENERAL ADMISSION (at the prices listed above), select RESERVED SEATING is available that includes an open bar and a post-performance reception with artists: $140 (of which $100 is a tax-deductible contribution to the Lubovitch company for support of the creation & performance of the project). For more information about Reserved Seating, contact Dick Caples at the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company: 212.221.7909 / Lubovitch@aol.com.
Reserved Seating Tickets:http://www.nycharities.org/events/EventLevels.aspx?ETID=3328.

Galapagos Art Space is located at 16 Main Street, Brooklyn, NY.

Lar Lubovitch Dance Company

Mission: The Lubovitch company was created to realize the artistic vision of Lar Lubovitch, one of the foremost contemporary choreographers in the United States. The company exists: (1) to create new work; (2) to perform those works (and facilitate the performance of those works by others) both in our home base of New York City and around the world; and (3) to teach people of all ages, ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds, in order to increase awareness and appreciation of dance.

History: Over the past 43 years, the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company has gained a reputation as one of the world's leading modern dance companies and has performed in virtually every state of the US and in more than 30 foreign countries. Lar Lubovitch has been cited by The New York Times as "one of the ten best choreographers in the world," and the company has been called a "national treasure" by Variety. The company is primarily focused on the creation of new dances, sometimes in collaboration with other top companies.

Contact: The Lubovitch company is located at 229 West 42nd Street, New York NY 10036. You can reach us at (212) 221-7909 or Lubovitch@aol.com. Or visit our website at http://www.lubovitch.org/.