The Last Curtain

Nira Paz was a dancer of the highest caliber. She spent many years in New York where she trained and where she was a leading dancer with the Met Opera Ballet. When Nira returned to Israel she joined Bat-Dor dance company and immediately became my mentor and a close friend. I danced several roles with her – always to my delight, because Nira was so profound in her approach, so musical and so accomplished – I could do nothing but learn from her and aspire to do better. A short time after I moved to New York Nira has also moved, but not to another country, rather to another company, Batsheva Dance Company. Several years later Nira has decided to retire from company life and Batsheva company invited me to choreograph a work for her. At the time I have already been researching and familiarizing myself with the compositions of Italian composer Luciano Berio. Since I was in Italy at that time, I reached out to Mr. Berio and received his permission to use his work “Recital One” which he wrote for his wife, singer Kathy Berberian. We both felt the uniqueness of the music and it’s interpretation would be so suitable of the work I was going to choreograph – namely “The Last Curtain”, portraying a farewell performance of a diva opera singer, and the revelation of her personal struggles behind the scenes. The last curtain was premiered in 1980 by Batsheva Dance Company at the Habima Theater in Tel Aviv, and Nira has taken her last bow as company member. Nira continued to be my close friend and a source of inspiration for years to come…

The Last Curtain was re-staged for Peridance’s 1988 season at the Joyce Theater with dancer Nancy Mikota- Hutchings in the lead role.