FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 21, 2025
Media contacts
Lesa Griffith
808-532-8712
lgriffith@honolulumuseum.org
Matt Serrao
808-532-8785
mserrao@honolulumuseum.org
BALLET HAWAII BRINGS ART OF MARY CASSATT TO LIFE SEPT. 5 AND 6
Other September events include Indian film Hellaro, a Navratri celebration and 2025 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour
WHAT: A Night at the Paris Opera Ballet
WHEN: Sept. 5, 7:00-8:30 p.m., Sept. 6, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
WHERE: Honolulu Museum of Art, 900 S Beretania St., 808-532-8700
HONOLULU, HAWAI‘I— Audiences can discover the art, dance, and music of Belle Epoque Paris on Sept. 5 and 6 as Ballet Hawaii performs the innovative program A Night at the Paris Opera Ballet at the Honolulu Museum of Art’s Doris Duke Theatre.
As part of programming for HoMA’s hit summer exhibition Mary Cassatt at Work, on view through Oct. 12, HoMA invited Ballet Hawaii to collaborate on a one-of-a-kind event that brings Impressionist art to life.
Cassatt, along with other Impressionist artists such as Edgar Degas, was deeply inspired by the vibrant performing arts scene of the Paris Opera in the late 19th century. In HoMA’s exhibition are examples of this, including the stunning painting Woman in a Loge, which greets visitors as they enter the gallery.
The performance features visual art, original choreography inspired by works by Cassatt and other Impressionisst artists, and music by the female Impressionist composers Cécile Chaminade and Germaine Tailleferre as well as favorites by Erik Satie, Claude Debussy and other composers.
The magical 45-minute performance features dancers from Ballet Hawaii’s performing ensemble, as well as six younger students. It will be followed by a short discussion about Impressionist art and ballet in late 19th-century Paris.
Ballet Hawaii school director and associate artistic director Christine Kaminski developed the original choreography for 11 dances, taking inspiration from Cassatt artworks and selected music. For example, the artist's groundbreaking print The Letter inspired Kaminski to create a solo set to Vivaldi's Concerto in B-Flat Major featuring dancer Janie Okamoto. The program closes with an ensemble performance based on Woman in a Loge paired with Nadia Boulanger's lyrical Three Pieces for Cello and Piano.
ALSO IN SEPTEMBER
Film: 2025 Sundance Film Festival Short Tour
Sept. 7, 11, 12, 21, 25 at 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $15 general, $12 museum members, free for youth 18 and under
The 2025 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour is a 100-minute program of seven short films selected from this year’s festival lineup, including two award-winning productions. The tour program is a sampling of festival offerings and a testament to the unique storytelling potential the format holds. Viewers can enjoy a mix of fiction documentary, and animated shorts. See the trailer.
HoMA
Nights: Navratri
Friday,
Sept. 26, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Tickets:
$25 online, $30 at the door, $15 for museum members, $10 for students and
children
Every
Friday, HoMA is open until 9 p.m., for HoMA Nights—offering live music and dinner at the HoMA
Café. On Sept. 26, HoMA Nights ramps up with a celebration of the South Asian
festival Navratri, which celebrates women and empowerment. The evening will
feature music from DJ Ajay and dance workshops with Sumoha Jani and Nada
McClellan. Guests can enjoy art activities inspired by South Asian traditions
and delicious vegetarian and vegan Indian food from Simply Indulge.
Film:
Hellaro + dance workshop
Sunday,
Sept. 28, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Tickets:
$30, $25 for museum members
HoMA
screens the 2019 film Hellaro, which has never been released in the US
and is not available through streaming. It is the first Gujarati film to win
the best feature film prize at India’s National Film Awards. Hellaro is
a moving film about the emotional journey of a group of women in 1975 living a
silent life in a patriarchal village in rural Kutch. Biscuits and chai will be
provided during the screening.
The film will be followed by a dance
workshop with Sumoha Min and Nada McClellan in Central Courtyard. See the trailer.
Images available on request.
About the Honolulu Museum of Art
The Honolulu Museum of Art is Hawai‘i’s premier art institution, inspiring and uplifting the community through transformative art experiences. Founded in 1927 to reflect Hawai‘i’s multicultural makeup, today HoMA’s extraordinary collection of more than 55,000 works of art from across the globe spans 5,000 years.
Through its collection, innovative exhibitions, and programs, the museum is able to tell stories relevant to Hawai‘i and the world at large. It serves as a gathering place of learning and discovery, where visitors can encounter new ideas, explore diverse perspectives, develop empathy, and contribute to their well-being through art. Home to an art school, Honolulu’s last art house theater, two cafes, and a shop—just 10 minutes from Waikīkī—HoMA is a vital part of Hawai‘i’s cultural landscape committed to access for all.
Hours: Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday 10am–6pm; Friday 10am–9pm
Admission: Adults $25; residents $15; free for youth 18 and under; free for SNAP beneficiaries and college students enrolled at any Hawai‘i state university or college.
Honolulu Museum of Art
900 S Beretania St
Honolulu, HI 96814
Honolulu Museum of Art School
1111 Victoria St
Honolulu, HI 96814
Communications: 808-532-8712
You are receiving this email because of your interest in the Honolulu Museum of Art.