Daily Bow: Aerealists Bring High Drama to BSO Concert



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Billings Symphony Orchestra Dramatizes Performance with Acrobats and Aerialists

It’s not every day that you see aerialists and acrobats performing death defying feats right before your eyes. It’s a whole other story when you see just that at a symphony orchestra concert. But this is exactly what happened during the opening night concert at the Billings Symphony Orchestra of Billings, Montana. As music director Anne Harrigan led the BSO in excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty, guest artists Tatyana Petruk and Olga Pikhienko performed interpretive dances on balancing canes and aerial silks.

Petruk, who is a world champion Russian aerialist, performed 15 feet above the orchestra, spinning in every way imaginable through white and red silk fabrics. Pikhienko, a veteran of Cirque du Soleil, performed from only two feet above the ground, but was equally impressive using three balancing posts to contort her body into magical shapes. Take a look for yourself!

The BSO, much like the entire Billings Metropolitan Area, has experienced rapid growth in recent years. Their orchestra has taken on more concerts to create a dynamic season with a few creative twists. Other larger symphonies could learn from the success of the Billings Symphony Orchestra. Instead of going with the normal season of symphonic concerts featuring just the orchestra, the BSO knows that it sometimes takes a little extra flair to intrigue audiences. Especially in a season opener, why not try to start the year off with a bang rather than a normal symphonic concert. Billings residents will remember the stunning combination of aerobatics and music for weeks to come. This, hopefully, will help to get people coming back, and continue the orchestra’s growth for years to come!




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