My autograph from violinist Joshua Bell arrived in this week! As I posted previously,  my dear friend Heather Pace was able to get it for me when he was in my hometown performing with the Mobile Symphony!

I love my autograph dearly, especially the exclamation point behind my name! I can’t wait to hang it next to the others in the living room (ABT dancer David Hallberg, choroeographer Frederick Ashton, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma).

I’ve had a rough week. There was good news yesterday, but it was instantly down played by larger drama.

Art has a way of bringing me “back” when things get muddled. When I’m nervous, I blast the fourth movement of Tchaikovsky’s fifth. When I want to relax I put on something soft, and when I want to dream anything by Rachmaninoff will do.

I planned to devote Thursday night to a show in hopes of salvaging an otherwise dismal week. I had too many options: Bach playing at the Phil, something-or-other at Carnegie Hall, and a free concert at the library.

I gave up after an evening at the library and returned home. If not for the New York City Opera’s broadcast of “Madame Butterfly” I would have spent the whole evening whimpering that I wasn’t hearing Joshua Bell and the MSO.

By the way, did any Mobilians that read this blog attend? I’m dying to know what happened!

Something I’ve always wanted to happen will happen on today: Joshua Bell is performing in my hometown. Ironically, I won’t be there to hear what I consider the most wonderful interpretation of the Tchaikovsky violin concerto, but I’m so excited for Mobile and for the Mobile Symphony Orchestra!

I was scheduled to interview Joshua for the Mobile Press-Register, but it kept getting postponed. However, I was thrilled to see that Kris Pierceat WHIL did, and you can listen to the whole interview via there website podcast page by clicking here.

I miss Mobile terribly tonight. I haven’t spoken to anyone in person since Saturday, so I feel quite solitary. My family is out taking in a show, my sister is presenting flowers to the Hermitage Ballet during the curtain calls. Mother said it was 60 degrees there. Downtown Mobile is awfully beautiful after it rains.

I miss all of those Mobile Arts things: like having my ticket torn by my usual usher at the symphony, the long walk through the parking lot to the front doors of the Civic Center in the dark, spending lazy Sunday afternoons at Space 301, chatting up Charlie Smoke at the LoDa artwalks, waving at all those MSO people like Sarah Wright and Heather Pace, hearing Scott Speck’s voice at the beginning of a concert “Good evening…” or “We just heard the overture to…” and Thomas Harrison’s Sunday morning column.

Last week I got word that Joshua Bell, who’s set to perform with the Mobile Symphony Orchestra  in my hometown, recently switched from playing the Mendelssohn violin concerto the Tchaikovsky.

As a lover of all things Tchaikovsky, and the biggest Joshua Bell fan, my face turned a leafy shade of green upon hearing this news. How miserable it is to be away from Mobile when my favorite violinist is performing! It was halfway bearable when he was only playing the Mendelssohn (it’s beautiful but not as grand as the Tchaikovsky), but now I’m fuming. In addition I own and studied different versions of the Tchaikovsky violin concerto no. 1, and above all Bell’s recording is the best.

But I shouldn’t be too upset. I can’t reveal everything yet, but I’ve been given the opportunity to hear Bell without even being in Mobile (or even at a concert)…more news on that later. I promise.

I don’t know how beneficial it is to use “new media” i.e., blogs, internet social networks, and video sites like You Tube, to gain new arts patrons and younger crowds. However, I write constantly that orchestras, dance companies, theater groups, art galleries, etc., should be “embracing the web.” The big benefit is that social networking sites are free, and free blogs are easy to create, easy to spread around and create content for.

My hometown orchestra, the Mobile Symphony Orchestra  just requested me to add them as a friend on Myspace. Not only was I thrilled about the request but thrilled about the venture. If an organization can have at its fingertips a host of free marketing, then why not try it? Nice move on their part.

Photographer Mehrdad Vaghefi is to Mobile Ballet as Rosalie O’Connor is to ABT. I finally got a chance to check his site to see that he has posted up photographs from this years production of “The Nutcracker.”

His photographs are amazing. I’m especially fond of one he took of my sister, viewable here and the dozens of shots he got of ABT’s Maria Riccetto and Blaine Hoven. My favorite one is this one!

Mobilians: You have a good opportunity to see your major guest artist of next year, and my personal favorite violinist, Joshua Bell on PBS New Years Eve.

Yours truly is in the city, but unfortunately I think the show is sold out! Don’t forget, Bell is performing with the Mobile Symphony Orchestra in Spring!

Dione and ABT’s Maria Riccetto. I love this photo!

A blurry shot of Dione and ABT’s Blaine Hoven.

Dione partnering with Blaine (she requested it).

Tonight, for lack of a better phrase, was a blast. My mother, father and myself went out to see the evening performance of Mobile Ballet’s “The Nutcracker.” My sister Dione, a principal dancer with the company, performed and when I wasn’t rooting her on I was giggling with my father and jumping for joy over the artistry of ABT’s Maria Riccetto.

 Dione danced as a “mom” in the first act and as the “Spanish Queen.” Marina Yasuda debuted this year as “Clara” and I adored her enthusiasm on stage. Caroline Frey was the “Snow Queen” with Blaine Hoven before and during the “Snow Scene.” Caroline has an amazing extension, and her soft accents were refreshing in a piece that dancers usually make severe.

In the second act I was itching to see Maria Riccetto. I had flashbacks of last year, when David Hallbergswept NYCB’s Rachel Rutherford across the stage. My heart sunk once thinking that he could be here, but when Blaine and Maria began their pasI just melted. Watching Maria brought upon the same feelings I get watching Julie Kent. When I watch Kent perform I really see every emotion inside of her just pouring on stage. It was the same for Maria, she moved with such an ease, such control. She’s my new ABT favorite, I think.

After the show, mother, father and myself ran back stage for photos with Dione. We walked up to Maria and took a photo together. She pointed at me and my sister.

“Are you twins?” she asked.

“Nope, just sisters.” I said. I complimented her a dozen times (and squealed privately to myself because we’d met her).

Blaine was chatting with his friends, and we approached him. Dione had told him earlier that whenever I make a post about him on my blog, I get tons of readers. This is true, whenever I check my stats, the most searched for dancers are he and Daniel Ulbricht.

 ”I need a picture, Ariel needs more hits on her blog,” she joked to Blaine. Everyone laughed and I held up the camera.

“I read it,” Blaine said. Dione took another partnering Blaine in first arabesque (it came out blurry). Supposedly between shows, Dione and Blaine had talked about the blog and he said that he and Matt and “a few other people” read it (I should get him to do an endorsement–kidding). I grilled Dione all night about who those “few other people” were, but she shrugged and said she didn’t know.

After a dozen more photos we went home and Dione and I gossiped until midnight. Dione told me that backstage Maria came to their dressing room to borrow a hair brush (”We should sell that thing on Ebay!” Dione exclaimed), she and Blaine took a bunch of silly pictures during the party between shows, and Maria told Dione that her matinee performance was “good.” Supposedly, Maria and Blaine were doing all sorts of ABT before performance rituals, like blowing kisses and some little jump-kick-thing that Dione showed me later in the living room–how cute!

I hope you haven’t grown annoyed by these posts yet! Here is yet another batch of photos I took at Tuesday night’s rehearsal of Mobile Ballet’s “The Nutcracker.” Don’t you love the costume color?

A favorite. The Sugar Plum Fair, Clara, and the Nutcracker at the very end of the “Waltz of the Flowers.” (View larger by clicking here. )

The Waltz of the Flowers dancer in the finale. View larger here.

Dione at center in the Spanish tutu (which also serves as the “Black Swan” tutu when they produce “Swan Lake”) in the Finale. View larger here.

Dione in the finale. (View larger here.

Dione and almost the entire company! View larger here.