James Kudelka’s critically acclaimed The Four Seasons introduces a compelling human dimension to Venetian composer Antonio Vivaldi’s familiar and much loved set of four violin concertos. The ballet follows a central character, “A Man,” through the cycles of life. Spring sparkles with the buoyant, intoxicating idealism of youth. The heat of summer brings romance and fiery passion. Autumn suggests the mellow satisfaction of human camaraderie; a time to relish life’s simple pleasures – until the first chill of winter intrudes as the harbinger of inevitable decline and death. Kudelka anchors each “season” in a choreographically emblematic pas de deux for the man and a different leading woman. The corps meanwhile adds texture and nuance, sometimes amplifying each section’s emotional tone or hinting, contrapuntally, at its psychological undercurrents. The choreography, though classically rooted, is marked by fast, rhythmically complex footwork, athletic lifts and unexpected shifts of direction. Kudelka’s keen ear remains sensitive to the pulse of Vivaldi’s score but resists being tied to its formal intricacies. The result is an extraordinary meeting of Baroque and contemporary sensibilities to create a work of visual delight and psychological depth. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQrHz4LBqf0] The Four Seasons October 21-23 at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Purchase tickets online here.