''Monumentum pro Gesualdo'' is a ballet by the

New York City Ballet New York City Ballet (NYCB) is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company. Léon Barzin was the company' ...

(NYCB) co-founder and balletmaster

George Balanchine George Balanchine (; Various sources: * * * * born Georgiy Melitonovich Balanchivadze; ka, გიორგი მელიტონის ძე ბალანჩივაძე; January 22, 1904 (O. S. January 9) – April 30, 1983) was ...

to music by

Igor Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (6 April 1971) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor, later of French (from 1934) and American (from 1945) citizenship. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential composers of the ...

composed in honor of the 400th birthday of the composer

Carlo Gesualdo Carlo Gesualdo da Venosa ( – 8 September 1613) was Prince of Venosa and Count of Conza. As a composer he is known for writing madrigals and pieces of sacred music that use a chromatic language not heard again until the late 19th century ...

and consisting of Stravinsky's orchestrations of Gesualdo's madrigals. The premiere took place on Wednesday, November 16,

1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Ja ...

, at

City Center of Music and Drama New York City Center (previously known as the Mecca Temple, City Center of Music and Drama,. The name "City Center for Music and Drama Inc." is the organizational parent of the New York City Ballet and, until 2011, the New York City Opera. and th ...

, New York, with scenery and lighting by David Hays (new lighting by Ronald Bates in 1974) and was conducted by Robert Irving. The composer conducted the score's orchestral premiere on Tuesday, September 27, 1960, for the XXIII Venice Music Festival at

La Fenice Teatro La Fenice (, "The Phoenix") is an opera house in Venice, Italy. It is one of "the most famous and renowned landmarks in the history of Italian theatre" and in the history of opera as a whole. Especially in the 19th century, La Fenice beca ...

. The ballet premiere was part of a special Salute to Italy, which also included the premiere of ''Variations from Don Sebastian'', called the ''Donizetti Variations'' since 1961, and performances of Balanchine's '' La Sonnambula'' and

Lew Christensen Lewellyn Farr Christensen (May 6, 1909 – October 9, 1984) was a ballet dancer, choreographer and director for many companies. He was largely associated with George Balanchine and the San Francisco Ballet, which he directed from 1952–1984. ...

's '' Con Amore''. It was first performed in conjunction with '' Movements for Piano and Orchestra'' in 1965, and this practice has been followed almost consistently since 1966, with the same leading female dancer in both in most performances. The ballet has three parts, each of just over two minutes duration. The NYCB principal dancer Darci Kistler chose to include ''Monumentum pro Gesualdo'' in her farewell performance on Sunday, June 27, 2010.

Casts

Original

* Diana Adams :''six women'' * Conrad Ludlow :''six men'' Jacques d'Amboise, for whom the male role was created, was unable to dance the premiere.

References

*''

Playbill ''Playbill'' is an American monthly magazine for theatergoers. Although there is a subscription issue available for home delivery, most copies of ''Playbill'' are printed for particular productions and distributed at the door as the show's pr ...

'', New York City Ballet, Tuesday, April 30, 2008 *''Repertory Week'', New York City Ballet, Winter Season, 2009 repertory, week 4

External links

Monumentum Pro Gesualdo
on the Balanchine Trust website {{Carlo Gesualdo 1960 ballet premieres Ballets by George Balanchine Ballets to the music of Igor Stravinsky Ballets designed by David Hays Ballets designed by Ronald Bates New York City Ballet repertory New York City Ballet Salute to Italy