Salem Symphonic Winds & Rainbow Dance Theatre: The Princess & the Wind

Salem Symphonic Winds and Rainbow Dance Theatre will present the World Premiere of Leroy Osmon's new ballet, The Princess and the Wind at 4 pm on Sunday, April 13, in Rose Auditorium at South Salem High School. Valerie Bergman and Darryl Thomas choreographed the program. John Skelton will conduct the ensemble.

This is Osmon's third ballet, the second he has written for band. Salem Symphonic Winds and Rainbow Dance Theatre collaborated to produce his Garden of Earthly Delights in January of 2019 and a suite from Astor Piazolla's opera Maria de Buenos Aires in January of 2023.

Osmon agreed to write this ballet as part of the 50th-anniversary celebration of Salem Symphonic Winds, mainly as a result of his response to the creative choreography of Bergman and Thomas for his earlier ballet. The ballet also satisfies a bucket list dream of Osmon. For more than thirty years, he has wanted to write a ballet based on a fairy tale he discovered in a long-lost collection of Mayan folk tales.

This program is the third of four concerts celebrating the 50th season of Salem Symphonic Winds.

John Skelton - Artistic Director of Salem Symphonic Winds with Leroy Osmon - composer of The Princess and the Wind.

A quaint village lay in the land of the Maya, nestled amidst lush jungles and ancient Mayan ruins. Among its residents was a young woman whose heart was pure, yet she bore a burden that kept her hidden from the world. She was very unattractive and chose to live in her room and not leave the house. The young woman’s only companions were her thoughts and dreams.

One day, a young man arrived in the village seeking employment as a craftsman. His skills caught the attention of the young woman’s woodworker father, who welcomed him into his workshop and home. The daughter was intrigued by the unfamiliar voice and found herself drawn to the workshop door, where she would listen to the young man’s stories of his travels and his dreams.

As the days turned into weeks, the conversations grew more profound, and the two fell in love. The young man approached the father and expressed his desire to marry his daughter. The father tried to dissuade the young man but soon saw the love was real and agreed to the union.

The young woman was so happy that she left the house to organize the wedding. She kept her face veiled, unable to shed her fear of rejection fully. While out of the house, she encountered a witch that the villagers were taunting and trying to force her to leave the village. The young girl went to the witch’s defense, offered her kindness, and invited her to the wedding.

On the day of the wedding, the church was filled with anticipation. The young woman, her face still veiled, walked down the aisle. The mysterious witch slipped into the back of the church, unnoticed by most. As the ceremony concluded and the veil was lifted, a collective gasp filled the air. The young woman’s beauty was radiant, her features illuminated by an inner light that shone brighter than any jewel. The townsfolk were stunned, their previous judgments replaced by awe and admiration.

The mysterious witch approached as the newly married couple stepped out of the church. With a single touch, she transformed into a bird, soaring into the sky. The townsfolk watched in amazement and rejoiced. The townsfolk, forever changed by the experience, learned to look beyond the surface, seeking the beauty within each soul. As the bird flew high above, the villagers danced with joy.

Host or Publisher Salem Symphonic Winds