Dallas Arts

From the Dallas Morning News:

Although the Texas Ballet Theater received a long-term $500,000 pledge Thursday morning, it is still planning to use recorded music for the 2008-09 season.

The dance company’s decision, which is part of its emergency efforts to conserve funds and raise at least $2 million by mid-September, came as a surprise to the Dallas Opera Orchestra and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. Both orchestras were scheduled to perform live music for dance performances.

“We’re going to have to work with them to see what this means,” said Jennifer Schuder, director of marketing at the Dallas Opera Orchestra.

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra leaders did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Using recorded music instead of paying both orchestras for live music is a necessary step toward helping the company raise $500,000 in cash and an additional $1.5 million in pledges within the next three weeks, said Margo McCann, the dance company’s interim managing director.

The $500,000 pledge that the company received Thursday is to be paid over the next five years. Ms. McCann declined to name the donor.

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