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NHSO Reimagines ‘Prometheus’ Ballet

In Greek mythology, Prometheus defies the gods by stealing fire to give humanity knowledge and progress, sparking both creation and conflict as he endures punishment for his defiance. On Sunday, Nov. 24, at 3 p.m. at the Lyman Center for the Performing Arts at Southern Connecticut State University, the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, NHSO Music Director Perry So, celebrated Poet Laureate Sharmont Little, and the talented performers of Tia Russell Dance Studio will take the stage to bring Beethoven’s ballet, The Creatures of Prometheus, to life as audiences have never seen or heard it before.

Rooted in Beethoven’s powerful score, this collaboration uses original poetry and choreography to explore Prometheus’s gift of fire as a symbol of both human potential and the struggles faced in the world today. After a year of creative planning, New Haven’s inaugural Poet Laureate Sharmont Little and NHSO Music Director Perry So crafted this modern interpretation to reflect and resonate with the cultural heart of New Haven.

Maestro So says, “Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to humankind, at the same time teaching us our humanity: language, dance, and morality. What does this ancient myth mean for us today? New Haven’s poet laureate Sharmont Little and I have been asking each other this question. Is one inevitable conclusion that the things we prize most about our humanity - our intelligence, culture, our understanding of good and evil - are inextricably tied to our desire for power and our capacity for destruction? Beethoven’s first great theatrical work was a ballet on this theme, and the NHSO will be joined by great New Haven artists Sharmont Little and Tia Russell with her dance company to bring to life this discussion reaching across the centuries.“

Known for his evocative poetry, Sharmont Influence Little uses his voice to uplift and inspire, having dedicated over 20 years to storytelling, poetry, and education both at home in New Haven and across the globe. Little’s work with "Influence A Life" spans impactful workshops, community programs, and a career of powerful performances, connecting audiences across the U.S. and abroad. From his groundbreaking 2007 album "Verbal Tears" to achievements like the 2018 Connecticut Grand Slam Champion and Peabody Grand Slam Finalist, Sharmont Little is a force whose artistry has impacted institutions from UConn and Yale to Clifford Beers. To learn more, visit InfluenceALife.com.

For Prometheus, choreographer and teacher Tia Russell has created new choreography that will be performed by more than 20 dancers onstage alongside the orchestra and Sharmont Little. Since 2013, Tia Russell Dance Studio (TRDS) has been dedicated to providing high-level dance education to students across New Haven, offering training in styles from Ballet to Hip Hop, West African, and Tap. TRDS is more than a studio; it’s a nurturing space that offers professional training, leadership development, and life skills to its students, emphasizing growth in artistry, confidence, and character. Learn more at TRDStudio.com

Perry So is Music Director of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra. He began his tenure at the 2024 International Festival of Arts & Ideas in a program celebrating the City of New Haven with classical, jazz, drumming, marching band, soundtracks, mariachi, dance, tabla, and Broadway. So also currently serves as chief conductor and artistic director of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Navarra (Navarre Symphony Orchestra). He served as associate conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic, conducting fellow of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, artistic collaborator of the Orquesta Sinfónica del Principado de Asturias in Spain, and on the conducting faculty of the Manhattan School of Music. When he was a student at Yale University, he founded an orchestra and led the undergraduate opera company. He received his training as a conductor initially under James Sinclair and subsequently with Gustav Meier at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore and received First and Special Prizes at the International Prokofiev Conducting Competition in St Petersburg, Russia.