Ballet’s woes

I picked up NUVO this weekend and read your good column about the ballet (Hoppe, “Good-bye to Ballet Internationale,” Nov. 16-23). Undoubtedly, you may have taken some shots from some ardent ballet supporters for your perspective. It is refreshing, however, to have someone calling attention to some specific critical issues.

The ballet’s woes cause other organizations working hard to connect to this community to be questioned (this is a natural occurrence, of course, and one we all are prepared to handle but it provides worry about how it might affect critical contributions). We all want Indy to have professional ballet again and hope that we all can learn from this dire situation. We feel for the many artists and students losing income and opportunity.

We work to produce professional opera — the most expensive of all the performing arts. Organizations like ours and the ballet, which have not yet achieved significant endowments, are financially fragile. Indianapolis Opera works very hard to build a diverse and younger audience through a myriad of notable education and community outreach programs which have received national recognition.

Those of us working diligently to do things in the best manner possible with limiting resources appreciate your candor and keen sense of reality. I hope you will continue to help our community see the positive things going on in the professional performing arts. We all need the ongoing support.
Again, thank you!