If you squint, you might think this shot of Spoleto festival-goers watching a rehearsal by French troupe Les Ballets de Félix Blaska was snapped last May. In truth, the photo was taken by local shutterbug William Struhs back in 1978. On this day, dancers were practicing for a segment that ran on NBC’s Today, and both Spoleto founder Gian Carlo Menotti and NBC host Tom Brokaw were among the crowd of onlookers. The photo was published in the festival’s official souvenir program in 1979, a perfect example of how Charleston had become—and continues to be—a stage for international arts during each Spoleto season.
