'Lady of the Ring'

This Hobbit Day, journey to the East Kingdom for an enchanting evening of song, story, and dance. Spend the last evening of summer in a beautiful amphitheatre at the Water Conservation Garden in El Cajon. There, innovative classical production company Cinballera Entertainment is putting on "Lady of the Ring," a chamber ballopera based on J.R.R. Tolkien's timeless saga "The Lord of the Rings."

The story will be told twice, first through song and then through dance. The opera is composed of diverse songs, including a rare song cycle commissioned by Tolkien himself, with words in English and the Elvish language from the books. The ballet includes original choreography to a piano concerto by Dmitri Shostakovich. Both were arranged, staged, and directed by Cinballera's co-founders, sisters Tiffany and Rebekah Brannan. A fellowship of nine performers will bring a concise, artistic take on this story to life. Led by the Brannan sisters, the cast includes talented professional opera singers and ballet dancers who have performed around the world. The opera will be performed with live piano accompaniment.

Cinballera stands for Cinema, Ballet, and Opera, the three inspirations behind this unique production company. "Lady of the Ring" wasn't based on the popular Peter Jackson films, though. It was inspired by the classic novels, which this program encapsulates like a movie from the Golden Era of Hollywood.

The show will last around an hour and a half. Allow us to transport you to Middle Earth for one enchanted evening!