Historic Moment: Northrop's Grand Reopening

April 2, 2014
by
Nicole Stumpf

On Friday, April 4th, Northrop will reopen its doors unveiling the results of the transformation it has under gone for the past three years. To celebrate this great milestone, you are invited to join us for Northrop’s Inside Out Grand Reopening. This momentous event will be filled with an evening of ballet, live music, dancing, and refreshments.

Prior to the start of the ballet, leading into the entrance of the new awe-inspiring, Carlson Family Stage, you will be greeted with a brass fanfare composed by University of Minnesota School of Music student Spencer Brand, performed with other gifted student musicians. Once settled into the comfortable seats of the new auditorium, you will feel the historical air of Northrop, while experiencing the performance of the classic Giselle with the technical prowess of one of the world’s leading ballet companies, the American Ballet Theatre. Performing the role of Giselle in one of the world’s oldest surviving full-length ballets, Paloma Herrera will float across the stage with delicate feet and dainty bourrées. Accompanying Paloma Herrera with seemingly effortless strength, will be Cory Stearns in the role of Albrecht. Using the theater to its full potential, a live orchestra will perform in the new orchestra pit, filling the auditorium through its revolutionary acoustical design.

"To see American Ballet Theatre at its best is to see it in Giselle. This production glows with dramatic life and finely nuanced acting that illuminates ABT's virtuoso dancing!"The New York Times

Following the ballet, inside the restored Memorial Hall with light from the elegant chandeliers above, Twin Cities-based blues troupe, Davina and the Vagabonds, will dazzle you with their dynamic tunes. Upon stepping outside onto the front steps of Northrop, the University of Minnesota Marching Band will continue the excitement on the Northrop Plaza, as you stroll over to Northrop’s West Lawn for the Inside Out After Dark party. Once you enter the heated tent for the party, your ears will fill with tunes by DJ Jake Rudh, weekly host of “Transmission” on 89.3 The Current, and best Twin Cities DJ as voted by City Pages.

The dress code for the evening’s festivities is black tie optional – so, wear your best threads! Make sure you come early and stay late to walk around and explore Northrop’s new spaces. On the fourth floor, check out the Northrop Gallery for 100 Years of Student Drawings: Selections from the College of Design’s School of Architecture and the technology-rich Best Buy Theater to view images displaying the process of Northrop’s revitalization.

Please join us to be a part of this eventful evening at Northrop, and help us write the next chapter of history at the new Northrop.