It had to happen someday.
Wednesday evening, longtime Cincinnati Ballet artistic director Victoria Morgan announced that she will retire at the end of the 2021-22 season, her 25th year at the head of the company. Given Morgan’s continued vitality and enthusiasm for the position, the announcement, made as part of the company’s annual meeting, came as something of a surprise. But 25 years is an unusually long time to lead any company, let alone one demanding such a constant outpouring of creativity.
“I’m a big believer in that old adage about going out on top,” said Morgan. “The company is about to move into a new building and we’re financially stable. So I don’t have to worry about the health of the company. The years that I’ve been here have been intense and full of passion and joy and love. I’m a happy camper.”
[ Keep up with the arts. Read more recent stories from David Lyman ]
On June 14, the company is expected to begin classes in its new home, the $31 million Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance at 1801 Gilbert Ave. in Walnut Hills, near the foot of the Cincinnati Art Museum’s Art Climb. And as for finances?
“Our budget is over $11 million now,” says Scott Altman, the ballet’s president and CEO. That is more than double the budget when Morgan arrived. “Our endowment is north of $14 million and our cash reserve is completely intact. And against all odds, the project to build our new home – almost all of it done during the pandemic – is on budget and on time.”
Unlike many professional performing arts groups, Cincinnati Ballet found ways to maintain an active presence during the pandemic. They continued performing, sometimes in front of strictly distanced audiences and sometimes online. Working with WLWT-TV (Channel 5), they even managed to present a one-hour broadcast version of “The Nutcracker” with music by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
The company’s rosy outlook is in stark contrast to the Cincinnati Ballet Morgan took over in 1997. “Disarray” is a mild description of the situation.
During the previous decade, the company had seen deficits soar as dual-city relationships with New Orleans and Knoxville collapsed. Worse yet, there was something of a round-robin of artistic directors, as four of them left the company, including one who was publicly accused of sexual harassment.
It was far from the ideal atmosphere to begin her first position as an artistic director.
“No one was more shocked than me,” recalled Morgan. “I was organizing some files a few days ago and I found an article about me coming to Cincinnati. There had been so much turmoil that the headline wondered ‘Will She Stay?’ Now we know, I guess.”
But Morgan’s enthusiasm and energy were boundless as she attacked the company’s issues with an optimism that few others could understand.
“She has worked so hard,” says maestro Carmon DeLeone, the company’s music director for more than 50 years. “It seemed that no matter what time it was, her car would be in the parking lot. She was always in the office. And when she wasn’t there, she was in the studio working with dancers.”
Just as memorable to DeLeone is that no matter how rattled or frustrated Morgan might have felt, she never showed it.
“I have never ever seen her get angry or raise her voice to anyone at any time,” said DeLeone. “She’s been in situations where it seemed there was no way she would have the time to finish a particular project and she found a way to stay calm and focused.”
Just as important, she proved a likable leader. A couple of the men who preceded her in the job – they were all men – were combative or even vengeful. But Morgan had charisma and the ability to will people to support her dreams for the company, particularly board members and donors.
As far as her legacy, it’s too soon to know. After all, she still has another season remaining as artistic director. But there are many things that stand out already.
- Her commitment to new work. Every season, the company has featured several world premieres. Not all have been successful. But the now-annual New Works Series has proven a favorite among the company’s core audience.
- Morgan has proven adept at choreographing or producing the sort of big, splashy ballets that attract huge audiences. She created a particularly playful version of “The Nutcracker” for the company in 2011, a production the company still performs. In 2017, she created a new full-length work called “King Arthur’s Camelot.”
- There were also collaborations like “Frampton and Cincinnati Ballet Live” (2013), “Cincinnati Ballet and Over the Rhine Live” (2014) and four joint performances with BalletMet Columbus that enabled the company to stage full-sized works like “Swan Lake” and “Jewels.”
- Former resident choreographer Adam Hougland staged three mammoth works for the company, each representing a level of boldness rarely seen in the company before. “Mozart’s Requiem” premiered in 2010, followed by “Firebird” (2011) and “Rite of Spring” (2012).
As one of the very few women to lead a major ballet company, Morgan championed women choreographers long before the rest of the dance world turned its attention to the lack of equity for women in the field. It has not been unusual for more than half of a season’s offerings to be choreographed by women. Morgan’s final season will be no exception, with 10 of 14 works being choreographed by women.
The company has already engaged Management Consultants for the Arts to spearhead a national search for a new artistic director. Altman says there is no timeline for the search yet.
“I can tell you this much, though,” said Altman, “that I have not met an individual in my career who will be more challenging to replace. Victoria truly is one of a kind. She is iconic in our community.”
As for Morgan, there can be no letup as she prepares for another season packed with performances and new choreography.
Morgan, who recently turned 70, said she would rather not use the word “retire” to describe her next professional step. She prefers to use the word “re-fire.”
“I’ve been thinking about this for some time,” said Morgan, who says she intends to stay in Greater Cincinnati after leaving the company. “You guys are stuck with me – Cincinnati is my home – I love it here.”
There are no specific plans for the future, but a special concern, she said, is helping people age more gracefully.
“I want to be a part of how Cincinnati ages.”
Here is the 2021-2022 season Morgan announced Wednesday.
“The Kaplan New Works Series in the Park,” Sept. 23-26, Seasongood Pavilion, Eden Park. Choreography by Jennifer Archibald, Daniel Baldwin, Heather Britt, Taylor Carrasco and Melissa Gelfin de-Poli.
“King Arthur’s Camelot,” Nov. 5-7, Springer Auditorium, Music Hall. Choreography by Victoria Morgan.
“The Nutcracker,” Dec. 16-26, Springer Auditorium, Music Hall. Choreography by Victoria Morgan.
“Cinderella,” Feb. 17-27, Springer Auditorium, Music Hall. Choreography by Victoria Morgan.
“Bold Moves Festival,” May 12-22, Procter & Gamble Hall, Aronoff Center. Choreography by Victoria Morgan, David Morse, Ohad Naharin, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Helen Pickett and Twyla Tharp.
Family Series “Snow White,” featuring Cincinnati Ballet Second Company and dancers from the ballet academy’s Professional Training Division. April 7-10, Procter & Gamble Hall, Aronoff Center.
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