October 15, 2006 2:00 pm
Great Hall, GBPAC, Cedar Falls
Ninon Parent & Peter Boulanger, acrobats
Fucik – Entry of the Gladiators
Mussorgsky – Khovantchina, Dance for the Persian Maidens
Rossini – Overture, Guillaume Tell
Sousa – Semper Fedelis
Khatchaturian – Sabre Dance
Sousa – The Thunder
Strauss – Voices of Spring
Alexander – Olympia Hippodrome
Stravinsky – Firebird, Suite
By George F. Day
Waterloo–Cedar Falls Courier
November, 2006
On a recent Sunday, the Waterloo Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra presented one of its very popular Family Concerts. Jason Weinberger conducted the orchestra, and joining him on stage were acrobats Ninon Parent and Peter Boulanger. The duo performed a program of dance and gymnastics, 'Cirque Symphonique,' in the Great Hall of the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center.
Setting the mood for a circus atmosphere, the WCFSO opened the program with the boisterous Entry of the Gladiators. Next came the most visually impressive act of the show. With Mussorgsky’s Dance of the Persian Slaves as background music, Parent performed an awesome solo – climbing up, sailing down and dangling by two billowing scarves stretched from the ceiling of the hall to the floor of the stage. The acrobat was suspended [by what appeared to be rather flimsy material] so far above the stage that her many movements were not only beautiful but breath–taking [or death–defying, to use the old circus ballyhoo term].
The several acts that included both Boulanger and Parent were similarly skillful, though closer to the ground. The table and chairs pieces and those with the teeter–board drew gasps and loud applause. Almost all of the stunts featured combined the duo’s acrobatic skills with their flair for the comedic.
The orchestra played splendidly and served as admirable accompaniment to the stage performance. As a matter of fact, in a few places orchestra members responded to the action [by pretending to fall asleep, for example]. And Maestro Weinberger was engaging in his witty arguments with the two acrobats. He even added his own little gymnastic fillip to the final curtain call.
For this concert, the Great Hall was jammed with little kids and their parents. The youngsters were wiggling and talking away, but when the music started and the show began they were as quietly entranced as the rest of us. This was indeed a 'family' show, and a very successful one.
Note: All reviews are edited for length and spelling.