Homage to Balanchine
Serenade, Rubies and Symphony in C
Mariinsky Ballet
The Royal Opera House,
Covent Garden
12, and 13 August at 7.30pm
The Mariinsky Ballet pays homage to George Balanchine, one of the greatest choreographers in the history of ballet. In an exhilarating evening which displays the Mariinsky's mastery of three inspirational works of imagination and originality, Balanchine's trademark ideals of clarity of vision, classical order and twentieth-century speed and athleticism are imbued with the Mariinsky dancers' celebrated elegance and beauty in visual spectacle. The performances are revelatory, demonstrating the direct connection from Petipa to Balanchine's groundbreaking masterpieces.
Serenade is a milestone in the history of dance, a magical fusion of Balanchine's choreographic genius with Tchaikovsky's poetry and drama. Rubies , the witty central section of Balanchine's sparkling three-act ballet Jewels , was inspired by the brilliance of the gemstone and by Stravinsky's vibrant, jazzy score for piano and orchestra. Symphony in C is a superlative realisation of Georges Bizet's youthful, effervescent symphony, where the dance, like the score, is filled with light and a joyous assurance. The Mariinsky Ballet revels in the work of this great choreographic master.
Supported by Mrs Bettina von SiemensSerenade, Rubies and Symphony in C are presented by arrangement with the George Balanchine Trust.
