Ballet Fantastique’s Zorro

I didn’t expect a ballet would make me laugh out loud, but Zorro did. Today was the last performance of the Ballet Fantastique’s season opener Zorro: The Ballet at the Hult’s Soreng Theater; it was a zesty, fresh, fantastic treat. Fábio Simões, who flew in from Portugal, danced the part of Zorro with a dashing, silly and playful flair. Hannah Bontrager was his perfect foil as the cheeky, funny and independent love interest Juliana. The costumes and choreography were bright, innovative and fearless. All set against a music backdrop by the California-based Incendion Band, an exhilirating mix of Spanish guitar, violin and a dash of rock ‘n’ roll. We can’t wait to see what Ballet Fantastique does with their next production, Tales from a Floating World, which according to BF, will bring to life “ancient Asian legends of samurai adventure, romance and the supernatural.” To see find out more, see our preview coverage: “The Man, and Women, Behind the Mask.”

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

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None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!