Obamas To Chair ABT Spring Gala

obamaPresident and Mrs. Obama are injecting a speedball of glamour into the performing arts by agreeing to be among the honorary chairmen for American Ballet Theatre’s 2009 spring gala, to be held May 18 at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. Honorary chairmen often don’t attend the performance; I’m guessing, in this case: maybe Michelle, not Barack. Gala’s invitation after the jump.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND
MRS. MICHELLE OBAMA TO SERVE
AS HONORARY CHAIRMEN OF
ABT’S 2009 SPRING GALA,
MONDAY EVENING, MAY 18, 6:30 P.M.
AT THE METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE

EVENING TO INCLUDE SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCE
BY JAZZ ICON HERBIE HANCOCK AND
A PIECE D’OCCASION FOR NINA ANANIASHVILI
CHOREOGRAPHED BY ALEXEI RATMANSKY

4/20/2009 – President Barack Obama and Mrs. Michelle Obama will serve as Honorary Chairmen, along with Carolina Herrera, Caroline Kennedy, Blaine Trump and Renee Zellweger, for American Ballet Theatre’s Opening Night Gala on Monday, May 18.

In honor of the farewell season of Principal Dancer Nina Ananiashvili, ABT Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky has created a piece d’occasion set to the waltz from Aram Khachaturian’s Masquerade Suite to be performed by Ms. Ananiashvili. The Gala evening, which begins at 6:30 P.M., will feature ABT’s Principal Dancers in highlights from the Company’s eight-week season, a special guest appearance by jazz pianist Herbie Hancock and a performance by the students of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre.

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