Dance troupes team for ‘Mahlerfest’ at CSN

Feast on this fest, Mahler devotees.

Marking the 100th anniversary of the composer's death in 1911, the dance ensemble at the College of Southern Nevada teams with the newly formed Nevada Repertory Dance Theater tonight and Saturday for "Mahlerfest" at the college's Nicholas J. Horn Theatre on its North Las Vegas campus.

Mahler's massive "Symphony No. 9," his last completed work, explores the composer's signature themes of life, death and the meaning of existence. CSN's Kelly Roth marries dance to Mahler, whose symphonic sounds are separated into four movements, each with introductory statements written by Roth.

"The last thing we want to do is send the audience away hating Mahler," Roth said in a statement. "However, in a world of pop music and dance competitions we feel the spoken introductions will allow many audience members to feel more appreciative of the composer's vision and more comfortable with the dance language employed."

Because of state budget cuts, live accompaniment by an orchestra was ruled out, to be replaced by a classic recording by Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic.

Get your Mahler jollies and dance fix at 7 p.m. today and twice on Saturday, at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets are $8 for students and seniors, $10 general admission. For more information, call 651-5483.