Ronn Guidi Announces the Return of the Oakland Ballet Company
Chevron and Target Major Sponsors
Foundation Launches Campaign

OAKLAND, Calif. (July 28, 2007) – Ronn Guidi, Founding Artistic Director of the Oakland Ballet for 35 years, announced the return of the Oakland Ballet Company. The company will be under the direction of Guidi, who will be the Artistic Director.

Guidi’s commitment to bring ballet back to Oakland began with the successful return of Ronn Guidi’s Nutcracker in December 2006 at the Paramount Theatre.

October 20, 2007 will mark an exciting inaugural performance of the company at the Paramount Theatre with Michael Morgan conducting members of the Oakland East Bay Symphony. The program will feature Marc Wilde’s Bolero, Vaslav Nijinsky’s The Afternoon of a Faun and Guidi’s Trois Gymnopedies. December 21-24, 2007 will celebrate the 35th Anniversary of Ronn Guidi’s Nutcracker at the Paramount Theatre also with Michael Morgan conducting members of the Oakland East Bay Symphony.

The Ronn Guidi Foundation for the Performing Arts (RGFPA) has launched a fundraising campaign to raise $350,000 to help cover production costs of the upcoming performances. RGFPA has raised $80,000 to date. The campaign will extend through November 15, 2007.

I’ve devoted my life to bring ballet to Oakland and it was a joy and privilege for me to direct the Oakland Ballet Company for 35 years,” said Guidi. “My retirement in 1999 seems like yesterday. Today, I have the passion, desire, and commitment to bring ballet back to Oakland and all the communities that Oakland Ballet danced in. Oakland deserves a ballet company. We are truly appreciative of the early support from Chevron, who is our lead sponsor this year and Target, Nutcracker Family Matinee sponsor.”

Chevron is also donating 4,000 tickets to ensure that underserved families are able to attend the performances. Other sponsors include the City of Oakland Cultural Funding Program; Douglas Parking; The Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream Charitable Foundation; Mercedes-Benz of Oakland; The Oakland Community Fund; and T. Gary and Kathleen Rogers Family Foundation at the East Bay Community Foundation.

RGFPA seeks to fill several additional sponsorship opportunities including, Ronn Guidi’s Nutcracker Community Matinees; live music by members of the Oakland East Bay Symphony, and ticket donations to schools for distribution to students.

For more information about sponsorship opportunities, contact: Roz Perazzo, RPerazzo@RGFPA.org or (925) 997-6203.

For more information about ticket sales, please visit: www.RGFPA.org

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