Otto pens ballet in Halloween spirit

The Toledo Ballet has spread Christmas cheer for over 80 years with its top-tier production of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker .

Eric Otto , the ballet’s artistic director, wants to establish a new tradition: spreading Halloween fear.

This weekend schoolmaster Ichabod Crane, the Headless Horseman, Katrina van Tassel, and “Brom Bones” debut a two-act ballet at the Valentine Theatre at 7 p.m. on Friday and 2 p.m. on Saturday.

“I’d like to start a new holiday family tradition here in Toledo, where people can get excited about Halloween and go and see a Halloween show and a big Halloween ballet,” Otto said. “I thought it would be a lot of fun, especially when you're a kid, to get dressed up in costumes, you can go to the theater, and you listen to live music.”

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is an original ballet written, choreographed, and directed by Otto with music composed by Jonathan Heck .

“It's loosely, loosely based on the Washington Irving story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, but still, the same characters,” Otto said. “It takes place in 1790 in mid to late October. Just think very fall, October, cold.”

In the story, Ichabod Crane, a tall, lanky schoolmaster, arrives in the town and falls in love with pretty and rich Katrina van Tassel. Trouble is, Abraham “Brom Bones” van Brunt loves her too.  Hovering over this love triangle is the eerie legend of the ghost of a Hessian solider, i.e., the Headless Horseman, whose story Brom Bones regales the guests at a harvest party. The tale makes an indelible impression on the superstitious Crane.

“I came up with this concept and idea about, probably about five years ago,” Otto said. “It was pre-COVID, and I thought it would be a great idea to do a fall ballet; something that was spooky and fun and tying into Washington Irving's story.”

He reached out to Heck in Germany, and the project took shape.

“We have been working on the music now for over a year back and forth, having amazing conversations about what a specific scene would need, what a pas de deux would need, what a big group dance with lots of children ... would that sound like?

“So that's been such a cool experience for me, collaborating with the composer,” he said.

“I wanted this to be very entertaining, and I wanted to capture people with the choreography and the sound and hearing [the score],” he said. “I could see the movement. I had the concepts and the vision, and it felt very organic. The music is overall spooky, eerie at times, also lively and festive, and a nice kind of cinematic kind of sound quality to it.”

Otto said the Toledo Ballet students are participating, but he’s bringing six guest artists from the Cleveland Ballet and the Albany Berkshire Ballet.

But will it scare people, especially young children?

“Oh, I hope it does,” Otto said with a laugh. “I mean scare, but not have them running out of the theater.”

He doesn’t think that there will be an exodus from the theater.

“There are moments in the show where it gets a little spooky and dark; we have the Hessian soldier and all these things. But it's not to the point where I think people will be so scared they'll be leaving their seats.”

After all, Halloween is meant for low-key frights that will make your heart beat a little faster, and maybe make some goosebumps pop up on your arms.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is meant to be taken in the Halloween spirits.

The ballet is 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday at the Valentine Theatre, 410 Adams St. Tickets begin at $15 to $50. Visit artstoledo.com , call 419-246-8000, or visit the box office at 1838 Parkwood Ave.

Coming Up:

■ The Summit Center, 23 N. Summit St., Toledo. 8:45 p.m. Sunday. “A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics.” Spooky music by the sinister glow of candles will send icy fingers of delight up your spine. Program includes “Thriller,” Michael Jackson; “Funeral March of a Marionette,” Charles Gounod; “Tubular Bells (Theme from The Exorcist ),” Mike Oldfield . Tickets: $42.50, $53, $59.50. Visit feverup.com .

■ Lucille’s Jazz Lounge, 1447 N. Summit St., TolHouse, Toledo. 8 p.m. Friday. Grammy-nominated pianist and vocalist Johnny O’Neal. Tickets $30 and $75.

8 p.m. Saturday. Nikki D & The Sisters of Thunder. Tickets $22 and $45. Visit lucillesjazzlounge.com .

■ Glass City Center, 405 Jefferson Ave., Toledo. 3 p.m. Saturday. Ramona Collins Group, Ramona’s Birthday Edition. Free.

■ University of Toledo, Doermann Theater, 2801 W. Bancroft St., Toledo. 7 p.m. Thursday, Choirs. Call 419-530-2452 or visit utoledo.edu .

■ UToledo Center for Performing Arts, Recital Hall, 1910 W. Rocket Dr., Toledo. 2 p.m. Sunday. Faculty violin recital Maria Bessmeltseva . The program includes Sonata in D Minor, Mikhail Glinka; Sonata No. 3 in C Minor, Edvard Grieg; and Polka, Alfred Schnittke. Free.

7 p.m. Wednesday. Faculty Jazz Trio. Free. For more information call 419-530-2787 or visit utoledo.edu . For parking information, visit parkutoledo.com .

■ Moore Musical Arts Center: Bowling Green State University, 1001 E. Wooster St., Bowling Green. 8 p.m. Thursday Bryan Recital Hall. Chamber Jazz Ensembles. Student chamber jazz ensembles will perform. Free; 3:30 p.m. Friday, Cello Studio Recital. Free; 2 p.m. Sunday. Student Recital by Julia Posadny , mezzo-soprano. Free.; 4 p.m. Sunday. Student Recital: Phoebe Saboley , horn. Free; 8 p.m. Tuesday. Student Composers Forum. BGSU composition students will present their new works. Free.; 8 p.m. Oct. 31. Trombone Choir, Horn Club, and Trumpet Ensemble. BGSU brass ensembles join forces for an evening of chamber music. Free.

Fine Arts Center, Uber Bryan Gallery 8 p.m. Thursday. Acoustic Extended Vol 2: New Experimental Music Performance. Miles Jefferson of the University of Texas, San Antonio, and Joo Won Park , Wayne State University. Also featuring Elainie Lillios and Piyawat Louilarpprasert of Bowling Green State University, and BGSU student artists. Free.

■ First Unitarian Church of Toledo, 3205 Glendale Ave., Toledo. 7 p.m. Friday. Charlie King & Rick Burkhardt in Concert. Tickets: $20. Visit uutoledo.org , eventbrite.com , or charlieking.org for more information.

■ Pavilion at Bittersweet Farms, 12660 Archbold-Whitehouse Rd., Whitehouse. 11:30 a.m. Friday. Music Vine Concert Series: Papa Teague : Free.

■ The Ritz Theatre, 30 S. Washington St., Tiffin. Righteous Brothers. 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $60, $70, $80, and $90. Tickets are almost gone. Contact the ritztheatre.org or call the box office at 419-448-8544.

■ Grace Episcopal Church, 315 Wayne St., Sandusky. 7 p.m. Saturday. Phantom of the Pipes: Haunted Organ Recital. Spooky tales by storyteller Geoff Poor and organist Susanna Valleau. Costumes are encouraged, it’s family-friendly. Suggested donation $20 adults and $5 youths. Visit gracesandusky.org

■ Fayette Opera House: 105 E. Main St., Fayette, Ohio; 7 p.m. Saturday.  ​Down Home with guests Cedar Creek Bluegrass, country, gospel, bluegrass show. With Quinn Mitchell and Steve Snider . Call 419-237-3111 for more information and ticket prices.

■ Niswonger Performing Arts Center, 10700 State Rt. 118 South, Van Wert, Ohio. 7:30 p.m. Saturday. David Phelps : The Speak of Love Tour. Tickets $17.10 to $65. Visit vanwertlive.com or call 238-6722.

■ First United Methodist Church, 901 Northwest St., Bellevue, Ohio. 2:30 p.m. Sunday pre-show. 3 p.m. Sunday. Dottie Pickering and Dennis Stoneham pre-show.The Indiana Wesleyan University Chorale Concert. Tickets $12 per person. Call 668-0637. Free parking is available.

■ Hill Auditorium: 825 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor. 4 p.m. Sunday. University Symphony and University Philharmonia Orchestras Halloween Concert. A U-M tradition, the Halloween Concert brings together the University Symphony and University Philharmonia Orchestras to celebrate the spookiest time of year. Discount available when you purchase 4 or more tickets. Kenneth Kiesler , artistic director.Tickets $11 to $25. Visit smtdtickets@umich.edu or call 734-764-2538.

■ Kerrytown Concert House: 415 N. Fourth Ave., Ann Arbor. 7:30 Friday. An Evening with Adam Plomarita , singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Tickets $11-$35

2 p.m. Sunday. American Song (R)evolution: Laura Strickling , soprano; and Daniel Schlosberg, pianist. Tickets $18-$40

7:30 p.m. Sunday. Kalos Celtic Roots Music – Headland: A musical exploration of the dreamlike space between land and sea. Ryan McKasson, fiddle, viola, background vocals; Eric McDonald, guitar, mandolin, lead vocals; Jeremiah McLane, accordion, piano, background vocals. Tickets $11-$35.

7:30 p.m. Quivering Quavers and Hellish Relish Part III – Featuring tenor George Shirley and baritone Stephen West with pianist Timothy Cheek. A special Halloween concert of melodramas for the entire family-ghoulish storytelling, in English. Tickets $11-$35.

For tickets, visit kerrytownconcerthouse.com , call 734-769-2999; email kch@kerrytownconcerthouse.com .

■ La-Z-Boy Center-Meyer Theater: Monroe County Community College, 1555 S. Raisinville Rd., Monroe. 7 p.m. Saturday. Colton Dixon , Christian rock artist, with Austin French , Jeremy Rosado : Tickets $35. Visit monroeccc.edu/events or call 734-384-4242.

■ Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway St., Detroit. 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday. La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi. Cast includes Emily Pogorelc , Galeano Salas , and Joo Won Kang . For tickets visit detroitopera.org or call 313 237-SING [7464] box office.

Send news of music to Heather Denniss at hdenniss@theblade.com at least one week before your event.