The atmosphere at the Long Center on Sunday of the Ballet Austin’s season opener was calm and serene, probably a stark contrast to the people down the road at Zilker Park braving the mud at ACL Fest. 

The make up of crowd was surprising. There were dozens of small children, especially little girls dressed up in tutus, carrying feather fans and signed pointe shoes bought at the colorful swag tables.

The performance started with the second act of Swan Lake. It was traditionally staged and performed, beautiful as it always is.

I however was more interested in seeing the Firebird. It was my first time seeing the Firebird actually performed as a ballet, and being a BIG Stravinsky fan I was excited. I was so thrilled with the performance, it was truly worthy of it’s composer. The choreography, stage effects and costumes were colorful and moody which perfectly reflected the complex and sometimes quirky nature of Stravinsky and his music. The costumes were fantastic and had a wide range of styles from the traditional red tutu of the Firebird to Kastchei the Immortal looking like he just left the set of The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Artistic Director Stephen Mills answers audience questions

Afterward, choreographer Steven Mills held a question-and-answer session with the audience. He spoke briefly about the history of the Ballets Russes and the history of the Swan Lake and Firebird, then opened the floor to questions. It was an absolutley delightful afternoon and I can’t wait for Ballet Austin’s next production!

~Sarah Addison, Membership Associate

This is the gallery organ at St. Austin's Church on Guadalupe St.

There are many great things about living in America. But, if you’re an organ nut like me, one of the distinct disadvantages is the lack of authentic Baroque organs. Yes, I miss having a Schnitger down the street!  But the organ at St. Austin’s Catholic Church, recently built in the 18^th century South German tradition, warmed my organ-loving heart at a Monday-evening performance by Eric Mellenbruch, organist of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd; he gave a wonderful recital of mostly Baroque works, pieces that really showed what this little organ can do!

We were welcomed by St. Austin’s Music Director, Dr. John J. Hoffman. He invited us to walk around the sanctuary during the concert to hear the organ from various vantage points. Ordinarily I would have loved this, but I opted to remain in my seat to spare my fellow listeners the sound of my clickety-clackety shoes!

Mr. Mellenbruch dove straight into the good stuff with a rollicking Praeludium by Dieterich Buxtehude. (If you’ve never heard that word used to describe organ music before, please, do yourself a favor and listen to a good recording of Buxtehude!) We were also treated to a worshipful and serene ciacona based on a hymn tune by Johann Gottfried Walther, a set of variations by Sweelinck that really showed off the colors of the organ, and a glorious Fantasia by the little-known Belgian composer Abraham van den Kerckhoven. The solo voice used in that piece, the Sesquialtera, was the aural equivalent of a cool, clear cascade of water.

If you get the chance, go hear this instrument! The little organ that can (and does!) open the door for us to travel back to the Baroque — a pleasant journey indeed in the hands of an organist like Eric Mellenbruch.

~Sara Hessel, KMFA  Music Director