ANNOUNCER: ON THIS EPISODE OF SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR, WE'RE JOINED BY ALYSSA WANG, MUSIC DIRECTOR FOR THE CINCINNATI BALLET.

ALYSSA SHARES HER JOURNEY AS AN ARTIST, HER APPROACH TO COLLABORATION BETWEEN MUSIC AND MOVEMENT, AND HOW LIVE MUSIC HELPS SHAPE THE EMOTIONAL HEART OF EACH PERFORMANCE.

IT'S A THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATION ABOUT ARTISTRY, LEADERSHIP, AND THE POWER OF MUSIC TO BRING BALLET TO LIFE.

STAY WITH US.

SHOWCASE STARTS RIGHT NOW.

[MUSIC] KELLAR: HI, I'M BARBARA KELLAR WELCOME TO SHOWCASE.

THIS IS A REALLY SPECIAL DAY FOR ME BECAUSE WE HAVE THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE ART THAT'S THE CLOSEST TO MY HEART, AND THAT'S BALLET.

AND WE HAVE THE NEW CONDUCTOR OF THE BALLET ORCHESTRA, ALYSSA WANG.

THANK YOU FOR COMING.

WANG: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

KELLAR: WE WANT TO KNOW ALL ABOUT YOU.

SO FIRST OF ALL, TELL US FROM WHENCE YOU CAME.

WANG: SO I GREW UP IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, AND I GREW UP AS A VIOLINIST PRIMARILY.

THAT WAS MY MAIN INSTRUMENT.

IT IS MY MAIN INSTRUMENT STILL.

AND EVENTUALLY I FOUND MY WAY ON THE EAST COAST.

I DID MY GRADUATE STUDIES IN VIOLIN AT NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY IN BOSTON AND THEN STARTED CONDUCTING.

AND SO NOW I SORT OF CONDUCT AND PLAY IN TANDEM, MOSTLY A CONDUCTOR THESE DAYS THOUGH, AND BALLET CONDUCTING CAME INTO MY LIFE THROUGH THE BOSTON BALLET, WHERE I WAS ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

AND I REALLY WAS LOOKING FOR THE NEXT STEP AND I WAS SO HAPPY TO, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO JOIN THE CINCINNATI BALLET COMPANY AS MUSIC DIRECTOR.

SO THIS IS SORT OF A CONTINUATION OF MY JOURNEY IN THE BALLET WORLD, WHICH HAS BROUGHT ME JUST THE MOST FULFILLING ARTISTIC ENJOYMENT OF MY LIFE.

KELLAR: WERE YOU FAMILIAR WITH CINCINNATI BALLET BEFORE?

WANG: NOT REALLY, NO, I MEAN, I WASN'T EVEN REALLY FAMILIAR WITH BALLET AS A GENRE.

SO WHEN I FIRST STARTED CONDUCTING BALLET, BALLET WAS REALLY NEW TO ME.

SO I FEEL LIKE I'M REALLY STILL IN THE LEARNING PROCESS AND I'M STILL LEARNING ABOUT THE INDUSTRY AND ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE CRAFT AND WHAT THE DANCERS HAVE TO DO AND HOW MY ROLE INTERACTS WITH THEM.

KELLAR: YEAH.

SOME PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT THE CINCINNATI BALLET ORCHESTRA IS THE CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, BUT A DIFFERENT CONDUCTOR, BECAUSE CONDUCTING BALLET AND OPERA AND SYMPHONY IS DIFFERENT.

WANG: IT'S VERY DIFFERENT.

YEP.

AND I THINK WHAT WHAT REALLY DISTINGUISHES, FIRST OF ALL, YOU'RE IN A THEATER FOR BALLET.

SO YOU'RE NOT JUST LOOKING AT THE ORCHESTRA, YOU'RE SPLIT VIEW.

YOU'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING ON STAGE AND YOU'RE LOOKING IN THE PIT WHERE ALL THE PLAYERS ARE.

BUT FURTHER THAN THAT, THE TRICKY PART ABOUT BEING A BALLET CONDUCTOR IS THAT THE DANCERS DON'T HAVE SOUND CUES, RIGHT?

SO AS MUSICIANS, WE'RE USED TO HEARING THE TEMPOS THAT WE NEED.

BUT WITH BALLET, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO VERBALLY COMMUNICATE.

THEY'RE NOT PLAYING INSTRUMENTS.

THEY'RE JUST DOING THE CHOREOGRAPHY.

SO AS A MUSICIAN, IN ORDER TO BE PROFICIENT AT MY JOB, I'VE HAD TO ESSENTIALLY LEARN BALLET TECHNIQUE AND CHOREOGRAPHY AND LEARN THE CHOREOGRAPH, SO THAT WAY I CAN SEE IN REAL TIME ARE MY TEMPOS RIGHT?

WHAT DO THEY NEED?

YOU KNOW, HOW DO I MAKE THE TWO OF THEM, THE ORCHESTRA AND THE DANCERS ON STAGE, HOW DOES THAT COME TOGETHER?

AND THE ONLY PERSON WHO'S REALLY LINKING THE TWO IS ME.

SO, I'VE REALLY BEEN TRYING TO LIVE IN THE BALLET WORLD AND LEARN AS MUCH AS I CAN ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A DANCER, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO BE A DANCER.

SO IT'S BEEN ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING PARTS OF MY JOB.

KELLAR: YEAH, IT MUST BE REALLY INTERESTING.

DO THE DANCERS COACH YOU AS FAR AS, OKAY, WE NEED TO DO IT FASTER OR SLOWER?

WANG: SO I WOULD SAY AT THE TOP OF THE HIERARCHY IS THE CHOREOGRAPHER, RIGHT?

KELLAR: OKAY.

THE CHOREOGRAPHER CORRECTS YOU.

WANG: THAT'S RIGHT.

SO THE CHOREOGRAPHER SORT OF LAYS DOWN THEIR STEPS AND THAT'S COORDINATED WITH A TEMPO THAT THEY HAVE IN MIND.

SO KIND OF IN COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CHOREOGRAPHER, MY VISION AS THE CONDUCTOR AND HOW I HEAR THE MUSIC AND THEN THE COMFORT LEVEL OF THE DANCERS AND THEIR ABILITIES, ALL THREE OF THOSE THINGS COALESCE TO CREATE WHAT WILL EVENTUALLY BE THE HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS, OF TEMPOS THAT OCCUR THROUGHOUT ONE BALLET.

KELLAR: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE AS A CONDUCTOR OF BALLET VERSUS AN ORCHESTRA?

WANG: I THINK THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS THAT IT REALLY IS NOT JUST DEPENDENT ON WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR AS A CONDUCTOR.

MY PREFERENCES FOR WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN MUSICALLY HAVE TO BE BALANCED WITH THE CHOREOGRAPHIC NEEDS AND THE TEMPO NEEDS OF THE DANCERS.

SO IT IS A BALANCE.

WHEN DO I GIVE AND TAKE?

WHEN DO I MAYBE GIVE UP A MOMENT THAT I WOULD PREFER TO BE ONE WAY IN ORDER TO GIVE THE DANCER SOMETHING THAT THEY NEED TO SUCCEED IN THAT MOMENT?

SO IT'S A ALWAYS A CONVERSATION AND IT'S ALWAYS SHIFTING.

EVERY SHOW IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE EVERY CAST IS DIFFERENT.

AND THEN EVEN IF IT'S THE SAME CAST, A DANCER COULD FEEL ONE DAY LIKE I HAVE ENERGY MORE THAN EVER BEFORE, AND SO I CAN GO FASTER TODAY.

KELLAR: YES, THAT'S RIGHT.

WANG: SO I AM MAKING CONSTANT ADJUSTMENTS.

AND THAT'S TRICKY.

IT'S A TRICKY PART.

KELLAR: AND THEN THE MIXED CAST.

I MEAN, ONE NIGHT YOU HAVE ONE DANCER, NEXT NIGHT YOU HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE WHO COULD BE VERY DIFFERENT-- WANG: THAT'S RIGHT.

KELLAR: -- FROM THE FIRST NIGHT.

BUT YOU HAVE TO BE.

WANG: AND THAT'S THE NATURE OF THEATER, TOO, RIGHT?

THERE COULD EVEN BE INJURIES.

THERE'S ALWAYS DANCER INJURIES GOING ON.

SO SOMETIMES I'LL LOOK UP IN THE SECOND HALF AND A DIFFERENT PERSON WILL BE DANCING THE ROLE THAN THEY WERE IN THE FIRST HALF.

KELLAR: OH.

YES.

WANG: SO I HAVE TO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT THERE AS WELL.

SO I'M TRYING TO REACT TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

SO I REALLY AM -- I'M NOT JUST FOCUSED ON THE PIT.

I'M ACTUALLY REALLY HEAVILY FOCUSED ON WHAT'S GOING ON ON STAGE.

KELLAR: YOU HAVE TO BE VERY ADJUSTABLE.

WANG: VERY ADJUSTABLE.

KELLAR: IS BALLET -- OF COURSE NOW, RIGHT NOW IT'S YOUR FAVORITE, YOUR FAVORITE CONDUCTING.

HAVE YOU CONDUCTED ORCHESTRAS BEFORE NOW?

WANG: ABSOLUTELY.

KELLAR: IN BOSTON?

WANG: THAT'S WHAT -- THAT WAS MY BREAD AND BUTTER BEFORE WAS JUST STANDARD ORCHESTRA.

KELLAR: YEAH.

DO YOU STILL DO GUEST?

WANG: I DO STILL CONDUCT REGULAR ORCHESTRA.

AND I'D SAY MY EXPERIENCE AS A BALLET CONDUCTOR HAS MADE MY ORCHESTRAL ONLY CONDUCTING FEEL A LOT EASIER.

KELLAR: YEAH, I BET.

WANG: IT FEELS LIKE THERE'S LESS TO KEEP TRACK OF AND ONLY ONE LEVEL TO LOOK AT INSTEAD OF TWO.

YOU KNOW?

LESS MULTITASKING.

KELLAR: YEAH.

DO YOU CONDUCT ALL OVER THE WORLD?

A LOT OF CONDUCTORS -- WANG: YEAH, I CONDUCT, I WOULD SAY, CONDUCT ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES.

AND I STILL, YOU KNOW, MAINTAIN A CONDUCTING PRESENCE IN BOSTON.

AND YEAH, SO I LIKE HAVING THE VERSATILITY.

I LIKE STILL PERFORMING ON VIOLIN.

I LIKE COMPOSING.

SO I THINK I TRY TO FILL MY MUSICAL LIFE WITH AS MUCH VARIETY AS POSSIBLE.

KELLAR: HAD YOU ALREADY SEEN AND KNOWN THE MUSIC FOR THESE CLASSICAL BALLETS, ALL OF THEM?

I MEAN, WERE YOU ALWAYS A BALLETOMANE OR YOU SORT OF COME TO RECENTLY?

WANG: I THINK I KNEW THEM, I KNEW THEM ABOUT AS WELL AS ANY CLASSICAL ORCHESTRAL MUSICIAN WOULD KNOW THEM.

RIGHT?

LIKE, OF COURSE WE KNOW THE MUSIC OF THE NUTCRACKER, I'D DONE THE SUITES MANY TIMES.

THAT'S JUST FOR ORCHESTRA.

I KNEW THE SWAN LAKE MELODY, BUT I'D NEVER PLAYED SWAN LAKE, RIGHT, AS A PIT MUSICIAN.

KELLAR: GISELLE.

YOU KNEW GISELLE?

ANNOUNCER: I KNEW OF GISELLE, BUT DIDN'T KNOW THE MUSIC, DIDN'T KNOW THE PLOT, BUT I SORT OF KNEW OF IT.

SO IT HAS REALLY OPENED UP THIS WHOLE BREADTH OF REPERTOIRE THAT I DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE.

AND SOME BALLET MUSIC, WHICH HAS REALLY MADE ITS WAY INTO THE CANON, SUCH AS ROMEO AND JULIET OR FIREBIRD, RITE OF SPRING THAT WERE ORIGINALLY BALLETS, I NOW HAVE LIKE A WHOLE NEW APPRECIATION FOR THOSE PIECES BECAUSE NOW I'VE SEEN THEM ON THE BALLET SIDE.

SO WHEN I RETURNED TO THEM IN AN ORCHESTRAL CAPACITY, I FEEL LIKE I HAVE SO MUCH MORE OF THAT, THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE STYLE.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WHEN YOU WANT TO LEARN A PIECE OF MUSIC THAT YOU HAVE TO CONDUCT, DO YOU FIRST JUST LISTEN?

DO YOU READ THE THE SCORE?

HOW DO YOU -- DO YOU PLAY IT ON YOUR VIOLIN?

WANG: I DO ALL OF THE ABOVE.

KELLAR: ALL?

YOU DO ALL OF THAT?

WANG: I DO ALL OF THE ABOVE, YEAH.

THROUGH THE YEARS, I'VE SORT OF ESTABLISHED A WAY TO PREPARE AS A CONDUCTOR.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE MOST TIME CONSUMING PARTS OF BEING A CONDUCTOR IS THE SCORE STUDY IN PREPARATION.

AND WITH BALLET, IT'S LIKE EXTRA BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE YOU STUDYING THE SCORE, YOU ALSO HAVE TO STUDY THE SET CHANGES, THE CHOREOGRAPHY, THE CUES, YOU KNOW, HOW DO I KNOW WHEN TO START THIS?

HOW DO I KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN TO GO ON?

AND SO YOU HAVE TO STUDY ALL THIS EXTRA STUFF FOR BALLET.

BUT IT IS A TIME CONSUMING ENDEAVOR TO PREPARE A SCORE.

BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S PART OF THE JOB.

KELLAR: THAT'S PART OF YOUR JOB, YEAH.

AFTER YOU'VE CONDUCTED, SAY, A NUTCRACKER ONE, TWO, THREE, FIVE TIMES, COULD YOU DO IT WITHOUT A SCORE?

WANG: YES, AND I DID.

KELLAR: AND I BET YOU COULD.

AND YOU COULD AND YOU DID.

WANG: I COULD, AND I HAVE.

AND I THINK BY THE TIME -- LET'S SEE, I DID 23 THIS PAST YEAR, THIS PAST DECEMBER.

KELLAR: 23?

WANG: 23 NUTCRACKERS.

KELLAR: WHOA.

WANG: AND I PROBABLY BY THE TIME I GOT TO 17, 18, I JUST STOPPED TURNING THE PAGES AND I WOULD END AND IT WOULD STILL BE ON THE FIRST PAGE.

KELLAR: THAT'S RIGHT.

WANG: BECAUSE I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T NEED IT.

KELLAR: ISN'T THAT MORE FUN?

WANG: IT WAS ACTUALLY AND IT WAS VERY LIBERATING.

AND I GOT TO SPEND A LITTLE MORE TIME WITH THE ORCHESTRA INSTEAD OF IN MY MUSIC, SO.

KELLAR: YEAH.

I IMAGINE THE ORCHESTRA KIND OF LIKES THAT TOO.

WANG: YEAH, WELL, NUTCRACKER IS A SPECIAL CASE.

I MEAN, THAT'S ONE WHERE I THINK IF YOU TOOK A MUSICIAN AND SAID, "I'M GOING TO CLOSE YOUR MUSIC," THEY'D PROBABLY STILL BE ABLE TO PLAY IT.

KELLAR: YEAH, THEY TOO COULD.

WANG: THEY TOO COULD DO IT.

KELLAR: THEY TOO COULD DO IT.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE BALLET?

WANG: OH, MY GOSH.

WELL, MY FAVORITE BALLET, MUSICALLY SPEAKING, IS RITE OF SPRING, STRAVINSKY'S RITE OF SPRING, WHICH HAS BEEN TO ME ONE OF THE GREATEST WORKS OF GENIUS IN ORCHESTRAL COMPOSITION TO EVER BE COMPOSED.

AND IN TERMS OF LIKE THE COHESIVE, LIKE FULL LENGTH STORY BALLETS, I HAVE TO SAY ROMEO AND JULIET, JUST BECAUSE.

KELLAR: PROKOFIEV?

WANG: PROKOFIEV, ROMEO AND JULIET, JUST BECAUSE THE MUSIC IS PROBABLY THE BEST BALLET MUSIC THAT WE HAVE FOR FULL LENGTH BALLET.

AND EVERY TIME I'VE CONDUCTED IT, IT'S SO EMOTIONAL.

KELLAR: OH, I KNOW.

WANG: AND HEAVY AND YOU REALLY -- BUT SO SATISFYING, SO GRATIFYING.

KELLAR: SOME DANCERS IN THE OLYMPICS DID PROKOFIEV'S ROMEO AND JULIET, AND IT -- THAT MUSIC IS SO UNIQUE, I MEAN, THE FIRST COUPLE NOTES AND YOU KNOW IT, YOU KNOW IT.

BUT YOU DON'T CONDUCT THE MODERN STUFF BECAUSE WE DON'T-- WANG: IT JUST DEPENDS, I MEAN, IF THERE'S A MIXED REP PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT HAS LIVE MUSIC, THEN THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD COME IN AND CONDUCT.

THIS SEASON, WE'RE BRINGING IN TCHAIKOVSKY'S SERENADE FOR STRINGS, WHICH IS FOR OUR DIRECTOR'S VISION PROGRAM IN APRIL.

AND THAT PROGRAM WAS ORIGINALLY ONE THAT WASN'T GOING TO HAVE LIVE MUSIC.

AND WE SINCE WERE ABLE TO SECURE FUNDING TO HAVE LIVE MUSIC.

SO I'LL BE CONDUCTING JUST PART OF THAT CONCERT, WHICH WILL HAVE STRING PLAYERS.

SO IT REALLY JUST DEPENDS.

AND IT'S ONE OF MY GOALS AS MUSIC DIRECTOR TO TRY TO INCORPORATE MORE LIVE MUSIC IN OUR CONTEMPORARY ONES, IN OUR MIXED REP PROGRAMS.

SO THAT WAY IT'S NOT JUST WHEN THE CINCINNATI SYMPHONY IS PLAYING, BUT IT'S A MORE INTEGRAL PART OF EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IN THE COMPANY.

KELLAR: RIGHT.

AND EVERYBODY SHOULD REMEMBER, LIVE MUSIC COSTS, IT'S EXPENSIVE.

ALL THOSE MUSICIANS EACH HAVE TO BE PAID.

THEY'RE ALL PROFESSIONALS.

AND SO I KNOW WE'VE HAD SPECIAL FUNDS FOR LIVE MUSIC AND MY HUSBAND WAS SO PROUD.

HE WOULD ALWAYS SAY, "THE CINCINNATI BALLET HAS THE BEST PIT ORCHESTRA IN THE WORLD."

WANG: WE DO.

KELLAR: THEY HAVE THE CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.

BUT WOULD THEY GO BACK TO HAVING A DIFFERENT ORCHESTRA, LIKE PREVIOUSLY AT THE BALLET?

WANG: YOU MEAN IF WE WERE TO ADD MORE?

IF YOU WERE TO ADD THE MODERN THINGS.

YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE, I THINK IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT THE PROGRAM IS AND, YOU KNOW, OUR ARRANGEMENT WITH THEM IS SORT OF SHIFTING, YOU KNOW, YEAR TO YEAR.

SO YEAH, I THINK IT JUST DEPENDS.

KELLAR: AND SOME OF THOSE PIECES, THOSE MODERN PIECES, JUST 1 OR 2 INSTRUMENTS.

WANG: THAT'S TRUE.

THAT'S REALLY TRUE.

YEAH.

I MEAN, I THINK IF THE COMPANY AS A WHOLE, YOU KNOW, REALLY FOCUSES ON LIVE MUSIC AND WE HAVE SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY TO INVEST IN THE LIVE MUSIC, TO ME, THIS IS LIKE, THIS IS WHERE THE FUTURE OF BALLET IS.

I MEAN, WHEN WE SEE COMPANIES THAT ARE GETTING RID OF THEIR ORCHESTRAS IN ORDER TO SAVE MONEY TO STAY AFLOAT, THAT'S A REALLY -- THAT'S A DIRECTION THAT WE DON'T WANT TO GO IN.

AND YOU KNOW, IT'S TOUGH.

I MEAN, THE NONPROFIT FUNDRAISING LANDSCAPE IS ALWAYS REALLY CHALLENGING.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SO LUCKY TO HAVE THE CINCINNATI SYMPHONY TO PLAY WITH US.

AND I THINK MY NEXT GOALS, YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO WORK TOWARDS GETTING BETTER PIANOS FOR OUR STUDIO.

I'M WORKING TOWARDS TRYING TO HAVE OUR REHEARSALS BE COMPLETELY TO LIVE MUSIC.

SO THAT MEANS HAVING A STAFF PIANIST IN THE STUDIOS WITH THE DANCERS, DOING A REDUCTION OF THE SCORE ON PIANO.

WHICH WE DO A LITTLE BIT, BUT I'D LOVE TO DO EVEN MORE.

SO YEAH, IT'S EXCITING.

I MEAN, WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND I HAVE A VISION, SO.

KELLAR: YEAH.

I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, BUT AND I DON'T.

SINCE YOU'RE THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK, YOU MAY NOT KNOW THIS, BUT WE ARE VERY PRIVILEGED TO HAVE LIVE MUSIC OF THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA BECAUSE A HUGE, HUGE PATRON LEFT, LOUISE NIPPERT LEFT ENOUGH MONEY, SHE LEFT IT TO THE OPERA, BALLET AND SYMPHONY, AND I GUESS MAY FESTIVAL TOO.

THEY HAD TO USE THAT MONEY TO HIRE THE CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, WHICH WAS THE GREATEST GIFT, THE GREATEST THOUGHT, THE WAY SHE SET IT UP.

SO WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.

WANG: YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

SO, I MEAN, WHEN YOU COME AND SEE NUTCRACKER OR SWAN LAKE OR WHATEVER, IF YOU'RE THINKING, "WOW, THAT ORCHESTRA SOUNDS REALLY GOOD."

KELLAR: THAT'S RIGHT.

WANG: THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S THE CINCINNATI SYMPHONY.

KELLAR: YES, EXACTLY.

YOU DON'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT.

WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT YOU.

YOU LIVE HERE PART TIME AND PART TIME IN BOSTON.

WANG: PART TIME IN BOSTON.

KELLAR: YEAH.

AND YOU HAVE A LITTLE PLACE HERE.

WANG: I LIVE IN OTR.

KELLAR: RIGHT NEXT TO MUSIC HALL.

WANG: RIGHT NEXT TO MUSIC HALL.

KELLAR: JUST WALK OVER.

WANG: I JUST WALK OVER TO MUSIC HALL.

SO I LOVE BEING IN THE CENTER.

KELLAR: OH I BET.

YEAH.

AND YOU CAN JUST WALK ACROSS THE STREET.

WANG: JUST WALKED ACROSS THE STREET.

KELLAR: YEAH.

AND YOU DON'T HAVE MUCH CONNECTION WITH THE BALLET BUILDING, BUT THAT -- WANG: YOU MEAN THE NEW BUILDING?

KELLAR: THE NEW, YES.

WANG: WELL, I MEAN, I NEVER SAW THE OLD ONE, BUT I CAN STILL APPRECIATE THIS ONE.

KELLAR: IT'S MOST BEAUTIFUL.

OH, THEY LEFT NOTHING -- NOTHING TO -- WANG: IT'S TRULY OUTFITTED FOR, LIKE, A MODERN BALLET COMPANY.

IT'S AMAZING.

KELLAR: IT HAS TO BE ONE OF THE BEST, IF NOT THE BEST.

YEAH, IT IS REALLY, REALLY, REALLY SPECIAL.

WHEN YOU ARE HERE DO YOU STAY A WEEK AT A TIME OR?

WANG: USUALLY MUCH LONGER.

USUALLY IT'S A MONTH.

I WOULD SAY A MONTH IS A TYPICAL TIME.

KELLAR: FOR EACH BALLET?

WANG: BECAUSE I'M IN THE STUDIOS WITH THE DANCERS FOR WEEKS BEFORE WE MEET WITH THE ORCHESTRA.

AND THEN WE'RE CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, FOR INSTANCE, WE'RE IN PRODUCTION WEEK, OUR TECH WEEK.

SO WE'VE BEEN RUNNING TECH REHEARSALS.

I'VE BEEN REHEARSING THE ORCHESTRA AND WE'RE NOW IN THE DRESS REHEARSAL PHASE.

WE OPEN TOMORROW, SO THIS WHOLE WEEK, I'VE JUST BEEN, LIKE, LIVING IN THE THEATER.

KELLAR: YEAH, BUT YOU LOVE IT.

WANG: NO, I DO, I DO, YEAH.

NO.

KELLAR: YOU MUST LOVE IT.

WANG: MUSIC HALL IS INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL AND THE FACILITIES ARE BEAUTIFUL, SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE THERE.

KELLAR: AND SERVILIO TO WORK WITH, HE IS -- THAT'S THE BALLET DIRECTOR FOR OUR AUDIENCE, THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR.

YEAH.

AND HE IS SO -- WANG: HE'S WONDERFUL AND HE'S GOT FRESH IDEAS AND A VISION, A LONG TERM VISION FOR THE COMPANY.

AND THE OTHER THING THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE ABOUT HIM IS THAT HE'S SO INTERESTED IN SOURCING OPINIONS FROM THOSE AROUND HIM.

SO YOU KNOW, HE COMES UP TO ME AND SAYS, YOU KNOW, "WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS MUSIC?

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS?

I'M THINKING ABOUT PROGRAMMING THIS BALLET.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT MUSICALLY?"

AND HE'S ALWAYS OPEN TO HAVING THAT DIALOGUE.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT ABOUT HIM.

AND IT'S A -- WE HAVE A VERY NEW TEAM IN A WAY, RIGHT?

LIKE, IT'S THERE'S BEEN SORT OF A LOT OF BIG NEW PEOPLE COMING ON TO THE TEAM.

SO IT REALLY FEELS LIKE WE'RE AT THE BEGINNING OF A REALLY EXCITING TIME.

KELLAR: YEAH, NEWNESS BRINGS GREAT NEW IDEAS, BUT IT ALSO BRINGS EXTRA CHALLENGES.

WANG: YES, OF COURSE.

KELLAR: BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE HISTORICAL MEMORY.

WANG: THAT'S RIGHT.

KELLAR: AND SO THERE ARE THINGS YOU HAVE TO INSTILL IN THEM.

BUT SERVILIO, HIS STORY IS JUST -- WANG: AND HE WAS A DANCER IN THE COMPANY, HE WAS A PRINCIPAL DANCER IN THE COMPANY, SO HE IN FACT, DOES HAVE THE INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY FROM A VERY INTERESTING PERSPECTIVE TOO.

KELLAR: YEAH, AS A DANCER.

WANG: AS A DANCER.

KELLAR: HE WAS FABULOUS.

BUT HE HAS WHAT IS SO, SO SOUGHT AFTER, AND YOU HAVE IT TOO.

I KNOW NOW BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HAVING TALKED TO YOU, HAVING A REALLY ENGAGING PERSONALITY IS WONDERFUL BECAUSE IT INSPIRES DONORS.

IT'S NOT JUST THE ART, IT'S THE PEOPLE.

AND IF A DONOR IS INTERESTED AND YOU'RE SO CHARMING AND LOVELY AND BRIGHT AND SERVILIO IS THAT WAY, IT INSPIRES PEOPLE TO SUPPORT THE ART THAT THEY MIGHT OTHERWISE, EH, YOU KNOW?

BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY WONDERFUL THAT WE NOW HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S REALLY GREAT AND FUN AND I HEARD YOU CONDUCT, SEEN YOU, BUT.

WANG: YOU WENT TO NUTCRACKER THIS PAST YEAR.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WELL, NO, UH, LET'S SEE, YOU DID GATSBY YOU SAID.

WANG: YES.

KELLAR: YOU DID GATSBY AND THE OTHER ONE WAS, AND I SAW THAT TOO BEFORE.

YEAH, BUT I'VE SEEN THEM.

WANG: IT WAS LIKE A NEW, A NEW THAT WAS, THE NEW WORKS PROGRAM.

KELLAR: OH, YEAH.

WANG: THERE WAS NO ORCHESTRA IN THAT, THOUGH.

KELLAR: YEAH, OBVIOUSLY I GO TO ALL THE BALLETS, BUT THINGS IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO HAVE KEPT ME FROM IT.

SO YEAH, AND I'M REALLY, EACH NEW PERFORMANCE, AND EVEN IF IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE DONE OVER AND OVER, IT'S A NEW CAST AND PEOPLE WOULD, WE WOULD SEE THE SAME BALLETS SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE THE CASTING.

PEOPLE SAY, WELL, IT'S THE SAME THING.

NO, IT'S NOT.

WANG: RIGHT.

KELLAR: IT'S NEVER THE SAME WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

IT'S JUST A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND A NEW EXPERIENCE EACH TIME.

SO YEAH, WE REALLY, REALLY LOVE IT.

DO YOU HAVE TIME TO GO TO THE SYMPHONY OR GO?

WANG: YES, ABSOLUTELY, WELL, IT'S A LITTLE COMPLICATED BECAUSE USUALLY WHEN I'M HERE, I'M CONDUCTING THEM.

SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DOING A BALLET THING.

BUT NO, I MEAN, I'VE SEEN THEM SEVERAL TIMES.

AND YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THE ART SCENE IN CINCINNATI IS INCREDIBLE, SO THERE'S SO MUCH TO OFFER.

KELLAR: YEAH, WE HAVE A GREAT OPERA, MAY FESTIVAL, ALL THOSE THINGS.

MAYBE YOU'LL LOVE US SO MUCH YOU'LL JUST STAY HERE LONGER.

WANG: I'LL NEVER SAY NEVER.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WHAT KEEPS YOU IN BOSTON?

WANG: SO I -- KELLAR: I'M REALLY GETTING -- WANG: OH, IT'S FINE.

KELLAR: YOU CAN SAY THAT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.

WANG: NO, NO, I'M HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT IT.

I MEAN, SO I HAVE A SUMMER FESTIVAL THAT I CONDUCT DOWN THERE WITH A GROUP THAT I CO-FOUNDED CALLED THE BOSTON FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA.

I'M A VIOLINIST IN THE BOSTON CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY, SO I PLAY MOST OF THE VIOLIN STUFF THAT I DO IS CIRCULATED IN THE BOSTON AREA.

AND I ALSO AM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE CAPE SYMPHONY ON CAPE COD.

KELLAR: WOW.

WANG: SO I'M BOUNCING AROUND AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S -- I TELL MYSELF NOW IS LIKE THE RIGHT TIME TO DO THAT KIND OF STUFF.

KELLAR: YES, EXACTLY, WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG AND YOU HAVE ALL THE ENERGY.

WANG: I CAN SUSTAIN IT, I HAVE THE ENERGY FOR IT, THE PROJECTS ARE ALL INTERESTING TO ME.

SO, IT'S A NEW CHAPTER FOR ME.

I MEAN, I THINK I HAVEN'T, YOU KNOW, TOTALLY WRAPPED MY HEAD AROUND THE MUSIC DIRECTOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND EVERYTHING THAT THAT ENCOMPASSES.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M LEARNING QUICKLY AND I'M REALLY ENJOYING JUST, I'M ENJOYING CONDUCTING THIS ORCHESTRA.

I'M ENJOYING WORKING WITH THE DANCERS HERE.

SO YEAH, IT IS A REALLY WONDERFULLY FULFILLING ARTISTIC ENDEAVOR FOR ME.

AND I LOVE THE TEAM THAT I WORK WITH AND THE TEAM THAT CONSISTS OF ALL OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE HANDS ON DECK AT THE BALLET.

EVERYBODY'S JUST SO FRIENDLY.

AND REALLY, I COME TO THEM WITH SOME IDEAS LIKE, "HEY, I REALLY WANT TO DO THIS PROJECT."

AND EVERYBODY'S LIKE, "YES, LET'S DO IT.

HOW DO WE MAKE THIS HAPPEN?"

AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE ENERGY THERE.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WOULD YOU EVER PLAY YOUR VIOLIN WITH -- WANG: 100%.

KELLAR: DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS, SPECIFIC IDEAS FOR SOMETHING YOU WANT TO DO HERE IN THE FUTURE?

WANG: ACTUALLY, I JUST DID ONE.

I HAD THIS CRAZY IDEA THAT I BROUGHT TO SERVI AND I SAID, "I'D REALLY LIKE TO DO A LECTURE PERFORMANCE THAT IS ABOUT GOING REALLY IN DEPTH INTO THE SCORE, EXPLAINING WHAT ALL THE MUSIC MEANS, MAYBE A LITTLE MUSIC THEORY, MUSIC HISTORY THROWN IN THERE, AND TRYING TO MAKE THE CONNECTION TO THE STORY LENGTH BALLET THAT WE'RE DOING."

SO I NAMED IT BEHIND THE BATON AND THEY SAID WE'VE NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THIS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

KELLAR: OH, GREAT.

WANG: WE DID IT.

WAS IT LAST WEEK?

I THINK IT WAS JUST LAST WEEK.

I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE IT.

IT WAS LAST WEEK.

WE DID IT IN THE SHEAKLEY THEATER IN THE BALLET STUDIOS.

WE HAVE A FULL AUDIENCE.

AND I HAD SOME MUSICIANS FROM THE CINCINNATI CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC COME IN, AND WE DID A LITTLE REDUCTION OF THE ORCHESTRA SCORE, AND I JUST TALKED TO THE AUDIENCE ABOUT WHAT MAKES THE SCORE OF SWAN LAKE SO INCREDIBLE.

WHY DO WE KEEP COMING BACK TO THIS MUSIC TIME AND TIME AGAIN?

WHAT WAS IT THAT TCHAIKOVSKY DID TO BRING THIS STORY TO LIFE?

SO I WENT INTO LOTS OF DETAIL ON ALL OF THAT.

AND THEN WE HAD MUSICAL DEMONSTRATIONS FROM THE MUSICIANS, AND WE HAD DANCING DEMONSTRATIONS FROM TWO OF THE DANCERS IN THE COMPANY.

SO WE KIND OF PUT IT ALL TOGETHER.

AND IT, I THINK, JUST GAVE PEOPLE A REALLY VALUABLE UNDERSTANDING OF THE MUSIC.

SO THAT WAY WHEN THEY COME AND SEE THE SHOW NOW, THEY'RE GOING TO BE LISTENING FOR CERTAIN THINGS, LISTENING FOR CUES, LISTENING FOR MELODIES, AND IT'LL JUST MAKE THEIR MUSICAL EXPERIENCE, IT'LL ENHANCE THEIR EXPERIENCE.

KELLAR: WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO MOLD THAT INTO SOMETHING YOU COULD DO AT A REGULAR BALLET?

WANG: YEAH.

I MEAN, I THINK THE IDEA IS THAT FOR EVERY, YOU KNOW, MAJOR STORY LENGTH BALLET THAT WE DO, I WOULD PRESENT THAT AND JUST TAILOR IT TO WHATEVER THAT BALLET IS.

SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF LIKE ONE PROJECT THAT I WAS REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT AND I MENTIONED IT AND THEN THREE MONTHS LATER, IT WAS A REALITY.

KELLAR: SO WHAT WAS THAT?

WANG: THIS.

KELLAR: OH, THIS?

WANG: YEAH.

SO IT'S JUST, IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF JUST THE AMAZING WILLINGNESS TO TRY NEW THINGS.

KELLAR: SERVILIO IS AS YOU ARE YOUNG AND OPEN TO ALL KINDS OF WONDERFUL IDEAS WHERE YOU BOTH CREATIVELY CAN MAKE ALL KINDS OF NEW AND WONDERFUL AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THERE'S NEVER ENOUGH OR TOO MUCH EDUCATION.

BALLET, AND PEOPLE WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY COULD SEE DANCERS IN JUST CLASS.

I HAVE BEEN IN CLASSES AS OBVIOUSLY AS AN OBSERVER, NEW YORK CITY BALLET, WHERE THE DANCERS ARE STANDING AT THE BAR.

THEIR BODIES ARE GOING NOWHERE BUT THE POOL OF PERSPIRATION ON THE FLOOR.

THEY ARE WORKING SO HARD, NOT ONLY MOVING THEIR ARMS, NOT GOING ANYWHERE, BUT JUST STANDING AT THAT BAR.

THE ENERGY THAT THEY ARE EXPELLING.

IF YOU'VE NEVER SEEN IT, YOU JUST CAN'T SEE IT.

WANG: IT'S VERY HUMBLING.

AND I ALWAYS SAY AS A MUSICIAN, I MEAN, WE LOVE TO COMPLAIN AS MUSICIANS, BUT.

KELLAR: OF COURSE YOU DO.

WANG: AFTER WORKING WITH DANCERS, I'M NEVER GOING TO COMPLAIN AGAIN.

KELLAR: NO, NO, NO.

WANG: YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY DO IS SO ATHLETIC.

IT'S SO HARDCORE, IS REALLY WHAT IT IS.

THE DEDICATION, THE SACRIFICE TO THEIR OWN BODIES] FOR THE ART FORM, I MEAN, IT'S REALLY INTENSE AND -- KELLAR: YEAH, AND IT ONLY LASTS A FEW YEARS.

WANG: IT DOESN'T LAST A LONG TIME.

I MEAN, AND WE'RE SO LUCKY AS MUSICIANS, I COULD CONDUCT AS LATE AS I WANT, YOU KNOW, UNLESS SOMETHING CRAZY HAPPENS.

KELLAR: WAVE YOUR ARMS AROUND.

WANG: I CAN WAVE MY ARMS AROUND UNTIL I'M DEAD, YOU KNOW?

SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE REALLY TRYING TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE TIME THAT THEY HAVE.

KELLAR: ABSOLUTELY.

WANG: AND I SEE THAT AND IT'S REALLY INSPIRING ACTUALLY.

IT'S REALLY AFFECTED MY RELATIONSHIP TO MY ART AND WHAT I DO AS A CONDUCTOR.

SO I THINK THAT'S A HUGE REASON WHY I LOVE BEING IN THE BALLET WORLD, IS BECAUSE I GET TO BE SO CLOSE TO THE DANCERS AND THEIR WORK ETHIC AND THEIR APPROACH TO ART, THEY REALLY JUST PUT IT ALL ON THE LINE AND THEY REHEARSE FOR WEEKS AND MONTHS FOR A CHANCE TO JUST PERFORM SOMETHING ONE TIME EVEN.

SO IT'S REALLY, IT'S AMAZING.

KELLAR: IT REALLY IS ALL SUMMED UP IN THE SONG FROM CHORUS LINE, WHAT I DID FOR LOVE.

DANCERS, WHAT WE DID FOR LOVE.

WE DID THIS NOT BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE RICH, LORD KNOWS, BUT BECAUSE WE LOVE IT AND OUR BODIES WEAR OUT WAY TOO SOON.

BUT WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT AND WE'RE GOING TO LOVE IT EVEN MORE NOW THAT YOU'RE HERE.

AND WE LIKE CONSISTENCY.

WE LIKE TO SEE YOU THERE.

ALL THOSE YEARS CARMEN WAS THERE, WE REALLY LOVED CARMEN.

HE WAS HE WAS WHAT WE COULD COUNT ON.

AND WE LOVE HAVING YOU HERE.

WE WISH YOU ALL THE BEST.

WANG: THANK YOU.

KELLAR: WE'RE GOING TO BE CLAPPING VERY, VERY LOUDLY, LOTS OF BRAVAS AND BRAVOS, SO STICK AROUND.

WANG: THANK YOU.

KELLAR: THANKS FOR COMING.

WANG: THANKS.

ANNOUNCER: JOIN US NEXT WEEK FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR RIGHT HERE ON CET.

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