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Ballets By George Balanchine
This is a list of ballets by George Balanchine (1904–1983), New York City Ballet co-founder and ballet master. Chronological *1928 ''Apollo'' *1929 ''Le Bal'' *1929 '' The Prodigal Son'' *1935 ''Serenade'' *1936 '' Slaughter on Tenth Avenue'' *1936 ''Zenobia'' *1937 '' Jeu de cartes'' *1941 ''Concerto Barocco'' *1941 '' Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2'' *1942 '' Circus Polka'' *1946 ''La Sonnambula'' *1946 '' The Four Temperaments'' *1947 ''Haieff Divertimento'' *1947 ''Symphonie Concertante'' *1947 '' Symphony in C'' *1947 '' Theme and Variations'' *1948 ''Orpheus'' *1948 ''Pas de Trois'' (Minkus) *1949 ''Bourrée fantasque'' *1949 ''The Firebird'' *1950 ''Sylvia Pas de Deux'' *1951 ''À la Françaix'' *1951 '' La Valse'' *1951 ''Swan Lake'' (Act 2) *1952 ''Bayou'' *1952 ''Concertino'' *1952 '' Caracole'' *1952 '' Harlequinade Pas de Deux'' *1952 ''Metamorphoses'' *1952 '' Scotch Symphony'' *1954 '' Ivesiana'' *1954 ''The Nutcracker'' *1954 ''Western Symphony'' *1955 '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Balanchine (1965)
George Balanchine (; Various sources: * * * * born Georgiy Melitonovich Balanchivadze;, Romanization of Georgian, : April 30, 1983) was a Georgian-American ballet choreographer, recognized as one of the most influential choreographers of the 20th-century. Styled as the father of American ballet, he co-founded the New York City Ballet and remained its artistic director for more than 35 years.Joseph Horowitz (2008)''Artists in Exile: How Refugees from 20th-century War and Revolution Transformed the American Performing Arts.'' HarperCollins. His choreography is characterized by plotless ballets with minimal costume and décor, performed to classical and neoclassical music. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Balanchine took the standards and technique from his time at the Imperial Ballet School and fused it with other schools of movement that he had adopted during his tenure on Broadway theatre, Broadway and in Cinema of the United States, Hollywood, creating his signature " ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Firebird
''The Firebird'' (; ) is a ballet and orchestral concert work by the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. It was written for the 1910 Paris season of Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes company; the original choreography was by Michel Fokine, who collaborated with Alexandre Benois and others on a scenario based on the Russian fairy tales of the Firebird (Slavic folklore), Firebird and the blessing and curse it possesses for its owner. It was first performed at the Palais Garnier, Opéra de Paris on 25 June 1910 and was an immediate success, catapulting Stravinsky to international fame and leading to future Diaghilev–Stravinsky collaborations including ''Petrushka (ballet), Petrushka'' (1911) and ''The Rite of Spring'' (1913). ''The Firebird'' mortal and supernatural elements are distinguished with a system of leitmotifs placed in the harmony dubbed "leit-harmony". Stravinsky intentionally used many specialist techniques in the orchestra, including ''ponticello'', ''col legno'', '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Square Dance (ballet)
''Square Dance'' is a ballet made by New York City Ballet co-founder and balletmaster George Balanchine to Antonio Vivaldi's '' Concerto Grosso in B minor'' and the first movement of his '' Concerto Grosso in E major'', Op. 3, nos. 10 and 12, respectively; in 1976 he added Arcangelo Corelli's '' Sarabanda, Badinerie e Giga'', second and third movements. The premiere took place on November 21, 1957, at City Center of Music and Drama, New York, with lighting by Nananne Porcher. The original version placed the musicians on stage with a square dance caller calling the steps; from its 1976 revival the caller was eliminated, the orchestra placed in the pit, and a solo added for the ''premier danseur'' to the Corelli ''Sarabanda''. The Pacific Northwest Ballet restored the caller for one performance at the 2007 Vail International Dance Festival. Original cast * Patricia Wilde *Nicholas Magallanes References *''Playbill'', New York City Ballet, Friday, June 27, 2008 *Dance review: OBT ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Agon (ballet)
''Agon'' is a 22-minute ballet for twelve dancers with music by Igor Stravinsky. It was choreographed by George Balanchine. Stravinsky began composition in December 1953 but was interrupted the next year; he resumed work in 1956 and concluded on April 27, 1957. The music was premiered in Los Angeles at UCLA's Royce Hall on June 17, 1957, conducted by Robert Craft. Stravinsky himself conducted the sessions for the work's first recording the following day on June 18, 1957. ''Agon'' was first performed on stage by the New York City Ballet at the City Center of Music and Drama on December 1, 1957. The composition's long gestation period covers an interesting juncture in Stravinsky's composing career, in which he moved from a diatonic musical idiom to one based on twelve-tone technique; the music of the ballet thus demonstrates a unique symbiosis of musical idioms. The ballet has no story, but consists of a series of dance movements in which various groups of dancers interact in pair ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Divertimento No
(; from the Italian '' divertire'' "to amuse") is a musical genre, with most of its examples from the 18th century. The mood of the ''divertimento'' is most often lighthearted (as a result of being played at social functions) and it is generally composed for a small ensemble. The term is used to describe a wide variety of secular (non-religious) instrumental works for soloist or chamber ensemble. It is usually a kind of music entertainment, although it could also be applied to a more serious genre. After 1780, the term generally designated works that were informal or light. Genre As a separate genre, it appears to have no specific form, although most of the ''divertimenti'' of the second half of the 18th century go either back to a dance suite approach (derived from the 'ballet' type of theatrical ''divertimento''), or take the form of other chamber music genres of their century (as a continuation of the merely instrumental theatrical ''divertimento''). There are many other term ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Allegro Brillante
''Allegro Brillante'' is a ballet choreographed by George Balanchine to Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 3. The ballet is danced by a principal couple and a corps de ballet of eight. Balanchine said it "contains everything I knew about classical ballet." ''Allegro Brillante'' was made for the New York City Ballet, and premiered on March 1, 1956, at the City Center of Music and Drama, with Maria Tallchief and Nicholas Magallanes originating the two principal roles. Choreography ''Allegro Brillante'' is danced by a lead couple and a small corps de ballet of eight. The ballet is set to Piano Concerto No. 3, which Balanchine found to be "brisk and declarative but is also deeply contemplative." Balanchine said the ballet "contains everything I knew about classical ballet – in thirteen minutes." He also wrote, "I had no narrative idea for the work, only wishing to have the dancers complement the music as best I could." Maria Tallchief, who originated the lead ballerina role, not ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Western Symphony
''Western Symphony'' is a ballet made by New York City Ballet co-founder and founding choreographer George Balanchine to American folk tunes arranged by Hershy Kay. It premiered on September 7, 1954 at the City Center of Music and Drama in New York. The ballet was originally presented in practice clothes without scenery. Scenery by John Boyt and costumes by Karinska were added in 1955. Lighting was originally by Jean Rosenthal and subsequently Mark Stanley. Set in the Western United States, the ballet features cowboys and dance hall girls (or saloon girls). Setting The ballet follows no plot but presents several short stories throughout the ballet (similar to ''Serenade'') outside a saloon. It is almost a satire on classical ballet with imitations of '' Giselle'' and ''Swan Lake'' (second movement). The ballet originally had four movements: Allegro The Allegro is for four cowboys, eight girls (divided into two groups of four) and a lead couple. The lengthy Allegro goes fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Nutcracker (Balanchine)
Choreographer George Balanchine's production of Petipa and Tchaikovsky's 1892 ballet ''The Nutcracker'' is a broadly popular version of the ballet often performed in the United States. Conceived for the New York City Ballet, its premiere took place on February 2, 1954, at City Center, New York, with costumes by Karinska, sets by Horace Armistead and lighting and production by Jean Rosenthal. With the exception of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, it has been staged in New York every year since 1954, and many other productions throughout the United States either imitate it, or directly use its staging. Staging In contrast to other productions of the ballet, Balanchine's production of The Nutcracker uses more children, and give the principal roles of Clara/Marie and Drosselmeyer's Nephew/Nutcracker/Prince to children instead of adults. This also causes the choreography for these characters to be simplified, and they largely only appear in the second act of the ballet as observer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ivesiana
''Ivesiana'' is a ballet choreographed by George Balanchine to compositions by Charles Ives. The ballet premiered on September 14, 1954, four months after Ives's death, at the City Center of Music and Drama, performed by the New York City Ballet. Balanchine made several changes to the ballet since, including adding and removing sections of the ballet, and the final version of ''Ivesiana'' consists of ''Central Park in the Dark'', ''The Unanswered Question'', ''In the Inn'' and ''In the Night''. Production Balanchine first learned about Charles Ives in 1934, despite his works being rarely performed at the time. Later, he attended a concert of Ives' works conducted by Léon Barzin. While he was fascinated, he also found Ives' works "incredibly difficult, far too complex for dancing." Years later, after completing a ballet to music by Arnold Schoenberg, Balanchine decided to choreograph to Ives' works. Balanchine stated that he found the rhythm in Ives' works most interesting, and a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scotch Symphony
''Scotch Symphony'' is a ballet choreographed by George Balanchine to Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 3, "Scottish". The ballet is inspired by Scotland, and evokes the style of the romantic ballet era, particularly ''La Sylphide'', which is set in Scotland. ''Scotch Symphony'' was made for the New York City Ballet, and premiered on November 11, 1952, at the City Center of Music and Drama. Choreography The program for ''Scotch Symphony'' stated, Balanchine ike Mendelssohnwishes to evoke the sweep and freshness, the brilliance and strength inherent in the Highland landscape. He has invented a classic ballet based on atmosphere and music, with an affectionate nod to the romantic tradition that made the hero of ''La Sylphide'' a Highlander. The ballet is set to Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 3, "Scottish". Dance critic Richard Buckle described ''Scotch Symphony'' as "one of those Balanchine ballets ... that hover between romance and comedy or pastiche." Author Nancy Reynolds wrote ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harlequinade Pas De Deux
''Les Millions d'Arlequin'' (English: ''Harlequin's Millions'') (Russian: "Миллионы Арлекина", ''Milliony Arlekina'') also known under the title ''Harlequinade'' (Russian: "Арлекинада", ''Arlekinada'') is a ''ballet comique'' in two acts and two tableaux with libretto and choreography by Marius Petipa and music by Riccardo Drigo. It was first presented at the Theatre of the Imperial Hermitage Museum by the Imperial Ballet in Saint Petersburg on . The ballet was given a second premiere with the same cast at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre on . The ''Sérénade'' from the first act of the ballet became a popular repertory piece that has been arranged for various instruments and recorded on numerous occasions. History Ivan Vsevolozhsky took up the directorship of the Imperial Hermitage Museum in 1899, a post that required supervision over performances given at the museum's theatre. Vsevolozhsky commissioned Marius Petipa—''Premier maître de ball ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Caracole (ballet)
''Divertimento No. 15'' is a ballet choreographed by George Balanchine to Mozart's eponymous music. The ballet was made for the New York City Ballet. Balanchine first choreographed the score in 1952, for a ballet titled ''Caracole''. In 1956, he planned to revive ''Caracole'' for a celebration of Mozart's bicentenary but made a new ballet to the same music instead. ''Divertimento No. 15'' premiered on May 31, 1956, at the American Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford, Connecticut. Choreography ''Divertimento No. 15'' contains five movements, Allegro, Theme and Variations, Minuet, Andante and Finale. The ballet is danced by five principal women, three men, and a corps de ballet of eight women. Balanchine wrote that ''Divertimento No. 15'' "follows the different movements of the score. There is no story." Author Nancy Reynolds described the ballet as "Balanchine's purest dance creations – a string of dancers, solos, ensembles, pas de deux – with muted emotional overtones and little v ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
