March 2025
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The New Jersey Symphony teams up with Nimbus Dance to bring Stravinsky’s The Firebird to life

Mar 10, 2025

The New Jersey Symphony collaborated with Nimbus Dance to deliver a reimagined performance of Stravinsky’s Suite from The Firebird, with Nimbus Dance artistic director and choreographer Samuel Pott’s take on the century-old ballet being brought to life in a big way. The performance also included another new choreography called “Dark Water,” which was performed during the United States premiere of Qasim Naqvi’s God Docks at Death Harbor. James C. Taylor of NJ Advance Media reviewed the Sunday matinee at NJPAC.

Zhang and the orchestra delivered a first-rate rendition of the rich, romantic score. Despite ceding a good portion of the downstage to the dancers, the music sounded clear and lush. “The Firebird” was an instant hit back in 1910 in large part because Stravinsky’s score is vivid, dramatic and yet still just impressionistic enough to let the dancers and sets have the final word.

James C. Taylor of NJ Advance Media

» Read the full review from NJ Advance Media

Courtney Smith of NJArts.net also reviewed the performance on Sunday.

In this spirit, Zhang pushed and pulled phrases with superb rubato; the usually smooth horns carried a bouncy pulse and the tread of the woodwinds had additional verve. Everything Stravinsky wrote was masterfully crafted and Zhang was attentive to every detail. The musicians rose to the work’s technical demands and explored Stravinsky’s verse with a stylistic sense of delicacy and lustrous tone.

Courtney Smith of NJArts.net

» Read the full review from NJArts.net