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Clear filtersA dramatic ballet based on Shakespeare’s tragedy. The movement sequence includes the street awakening, the lovers’ balcony scene and love dance, the public festivities and duels, Juliet’s bedroom and farewell, and the deaths of Mercutio, Tybalt, and Juliet. Prokofiev’s original ending was happy; the score was substantially revised for the 1940 Soviet production.
Romeo and Juliet is ballet created by John Cranko to Sergei Prokofiev's eponymous score for the Stuttgart Ballet in 1962 and first seen in America in 1969. The Joffrey Ballet presented the first American production of Cranko's choreography in its 1984–1985 season, including performances in New York City at the New York State Theater and in Washington, D.C. at the Kennedy Center.
Kenneth MacMillan’s ballet to Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, structured around the characters and their pas de deux. Its set and costume design emphasizes Juliet’s vulnerability against the society surrounding her.
Rudolf Nureyev’s production of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, created for London Festival Ballet to mark the Queen’s Silver Jubilee and premiered with Patricia Ruanne as Juliet and Nureyev as Romeo.
A staged ballet setting of the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet, choreographed to Prokofiev’s score.
A three-act adaptation that sets the lovers’ story across three Italian political eras: Fascist Italy in the 1930s, political terrorism in the 1950s, and social unrest in the 1990s. It uses contrasting movement styles for the upper-class Capulets and lower-class Montagues and a multimedia video backdrop.
The ballet is recast as a contemporary political statement set in three Italian political eras of the 20th century. Act I is set in Italy in the 1930s, during the reign of Benito Mussolini and the emergence of Fascism. (1935 was the year in which Prokofiev composed the original score.) Act II takes place in the 1950s, amid the rise of the Red Brigades and political terrorism.
Roxana, the Beauty of Montenegro (Roksana, krasa Chernogorii, also known as Roxana) is a fantastic ballet in four acts, with choreography by Marius Petipa and music by Ludwig Minkus. Libretto by Sergei Khudekov and Marius Petipa. The ballet was first presented by the Imperial Ballet on January 29/February 11 (Julian/Gregorian calendar dates), 1878 at the Imperial Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, with Eugeniia Sokolova as Roxana, shortly after Montenegro was liberated by the Russian army from the Ottoman Empire. The ballet historian Konstantin Skalkovsky gives an account in his study of late 19th century ballet in St. Petersburg of how Minkus' "Grand Marche" from the third act of this ballet "was the favorite piece of Tsar Alexander II, who in general did not love music. Several units of our troops (the Russian Army) stormed the Plevna to the music of this march."
Russian Seasons is a ballet choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky to Leonid Desyatnikov's music of the same name, with costumes designed by Galina Solovyeva. The ballet premiered on June 8, 2006 at the New York State Theater, performed by the New York City Ballet. Russian Seasons is performed by six couples and has twelve sections, and is about Ratmansky's Russian roots. Russian Seasons had also been revived by the Bolshoi Ballet and the National Ballet of Canada. In 2020, in response to the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on the performing arts, the New York City Ballet will release a 2018 video recording of an excerpt from the ninth section, featuring Abi Stafford, Sara Mearns and Amar Ramasar, and a 2017 footage of the tenth section with Taylor Stanley in his role debut.
Sahdji is a 1930 ballet composition in two-movements by American composer William Grant Still. The ballet was first performed in 1931 under the direction of Howard Hanson at the Eastman School of Music. The work is about twenty minutes long.
Salem Shore is a solo modern dance work choreographed by Martha Graham to original music by Paul Nordoff. The piece premiered on December 26, 1943 at the 46th Street Theater in New York City. The ballet featured costumes by Edythe Gilfond and a set by Arch Lauterer. Program notes accompanying the first performance described the dance as "a ballad of a woman's longing for her beloved's return from the sea."
A ballet adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s play, created by Mikhail Fokine in St Petersburg in 1908 with music by Alexander Glazunov.
Salutation was a modern dance solo choreographed by Martha Graham to music by Lehman Engel. It premiered on April 7, 1936, at Philharmonic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. Subtitled Dance of Greeting, the work was performed by the choreographer. Graham performed ten other pieces on the all-solo program: Lamentation, Frontier, Satyric Festival Song, Building Motif from Horizons, Imperial Gesture, Sarabande, Act of Piety, Ekstasie, Frenetic Rhythm (No.3) and Harlequinade. Salutation-Dance of Greeting did not remain in the Martha Graham Dance Company repertory. The choreography and other details of the piece are lost. Graham also created other dances with the same name, including a 1930 work set to music by Arthur Honegger (originally called Prelude to a Dance) and a 1932 piece with music by Carlos Chávez (originally called Prelude).
Sandpaper Ballet is a ballet choreographed by Mark Morris to music by Leroy Anderson. It was created for the San Francisco Ballet, and premiered on April 27, 1999, at the War Memorial Opera House.
A ballet choreographed to Claude Debussy’s Sarabande (1901) and Danse (1890).
A ballet choreographed to Claude Debussy’s Sarabande (1901) and Danse (1890).
Scherza was a modern dance solo choreographed by Martha Graham to music by Robert Schumann. It premiered on December 10, 1927, at a special performance for the Cornell Dramatic Club. The program was billed as the Adolph Bolm Dance Recital. In addition to Graham and Bohm, the performance featured Ruth Page, Vera Mirova, Bernice Holmes and Marcia Preble. Graham appeared in two solo works, Scherza and Tanagra. As with many of her early pieces, the choreography and other details of the ballet are lost. It is known, though, that her approach to making dances during this time frame was Delsartean. In rejection of her teachers' Denishawn (Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn) forms, Graham initially drew on earlier dance concepts. These "pure objective Delsarte vignettes, depictions of moods and emotions" were "not quite camouflaged by their foreign titles and modern music." The mostly late-1920s works include Fragilité, Lugubre, Scherza and Four Insincerities.
Scherzo à la Russe is a ballet choreographed by George Balanchine to Stravinsky's music of the same name. The ballet was created for New York City Ballet's Stravinsky Festival, a tribute to the composer after his death, and premiered on June 21, 1972, at the New York State Theater, with the two lead roles originated by Karin von Aroldingen and Kay Mazzo.
Children celebrating their confirmation visit a Viennese cake shop where sweets come to life. After one boy overeats and falls ill, he dreams of Princess Pralinée’s party, amorous liqueurs, dancing confections, and a cake riot calmed by beer.
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.
Scènes de ballet is a one-act ballet choreographed by Frederick Ashton, who created it during 1947–1948 to Igor Stravinsky's eponymous music from 1944. The first performance was given by the Sadler's Wells Ballet, at the Royal Opera House, London.
A ballet for 64 School of American Ballet students staged in a Russian ballet studio bisected by a real barre and an imaginary mirror. Some dancers appear as themselves and others as their reflections. It is set to Stravinsky’s 1944 score.
Anton Dolin choreographed Scènes de ballet to Igor Stravinsky’s score for the 1944 Broadway revue The Seven Lively Arts.
Serenade is a ballet by George Balanchine to Tchaikovsky's 1880 Serenade for Strings in C, Op. 48. Serenade is credited as being George Balanchine's first full-length ballet in America. Using the students of his newly formed School of American Ballet, Balanchine choreographed this ballet for an American audience that had not been widely exposed to ballet before. Students of the School of American Ballet gave the first performance on Sunday, 10 June 1934 on the Felix M. Warburg estate in White Plains, N.Y., where Mozartiana had been danced the previous day. It was then presented by the Producing Company of the School of American Ballet on 6 December at the Avery Memorial Theatre of the Wadsworth Atheneum with sets by the painter William Littlefield. Balanchine presented the ballet as his response to the generous sponsorships he received during his immigration to America. The official premiere took place on 1 March 1935 with the American Ballet at the Adelphi Theatre, New York, conducted by Sandor Harmati. NYCB principal dancer Philip Neal chose to include Serenade in his farewell performance on Sunday, 13 June 2010. The blue tutus used in Serenade inspired the naming of the Balanchine crater on the planet Mercury.
A storm catches Bahram Shah during a hunt. While looking for a shelter in ruins of an old castle, he meets a hermit, who shows him images of seven beauties from different countries. It seems to Bahram that the beauties come to life and perform amazing dances for him. At daybreak the beauties disappear. Bahram leaves the palace and goes home. On the road he sees a stately youngster Manzar and his sister Aysha competing in a bow. Bahram calls Manzar to compete. Then they exchange gifts according to custom. Bahram gives Manzar a belt, and he gives him a sword. After Manzar goes away, Bahram makes Aysha a declaration of love. Aysha also confesses to the hunter. And when servants and a vizier come for lost Bahram, Aysha and Manzar know that this young hunter is none other than the Shah. Vizier informs him about the Khazars' invasion. Bahram gives authority to the vizier and takes the field. But the vizier, who has a plan about seizure of power, charges two of his closes to disguise themselves in Khazars' costume, to catch up and kill the Shah. A gloomy demonstration is observed on the square and population begs for mercy. Captivated girls follow the defaulters. Fierce servants of the Shah pounce on goods on stores, plunder and demolish everything which fall into their hands, after which the population runs away. At that time the vizier enjoys the power, descends to the underground treasury where he wears splendid clothes. He dreams of the day when he will be Shah. At that time a killer comes and says that they couldn't attempt on the Shah's life. Then the sound of a horn are heard. Returning to the capital Bahram, who knows about the conspiracy, wants a reprisal. But he can't leave the palace because of the vizier's guards. Then Manzar calls armed craftsmen for help. At that time, a solemn demonstration led by the vizier goes out from the palace. He gives Bahram symbols of power. Manzar knows about the vizier's perfidy, but the vizier kills close before the Shah's eyes, to show his loyalty to the Shah and that allegedly he was the organizer of the conspiracy. Guards disarm the population, tie up craftsmen and Manzar and imprison them. Knowing about Manzar's and the craftsmen's imprisonment, Aysha runs to the palace and begs the Shah, who feasts at that time, to set them free. The Shah releases only Manzar in memory of their former friendship. Disturbed by Bahram's act that didn't punish the vizier and release the craftsmen, Manzar drops the belt, presented by the Shah, on the ground. This act outrages the Shah and he orders Manzar's execution. But he runs away. The vizier wants to distract the Shah. He shows him silk textile, on which seven beauties are portrayed. Shah remembers that night spent in ruins of the palace and seven beauties seem to him again. The Shah forgets about vital problems, what the vizier tries to obtain to seize the power. He goes to a village with his guards where Manzar takes cover. Knowing that peasants don't want to give up Manzar, the vizier orders to trample down the peasants' crops. The peasants appeal to the Shah. But the Shah thinks only about Aysha, whom he cannot forget. But Aysha refuses Bahram's love, who dooms the population to starvation. Bahram orders the vizier to burn the village. Suddenly seven young peasants and craftsmen appear while the vizier looks at the fire. They commit revenge and the vizier dies. Bahram wants to forget Aysha. That is why he returns to the palace, seeking oblivion in seven beauties. But then a thunderclap is heard and the walls of the palace are parted. Seven messengers of the population appear and give the Shah a crook and cloak showing him that he has to abdicate and leave the country. Suddenly Aysha appears, saying the Shah that she loves not him, but a hunter and is ready to go with him if he abdicates. Wrathful Bahram strikes the girl with a fatal blow of the sword. The population bids farewell to Aysha and drive Bahram away.
Sol León and Paul Lightfoot’s ballet combines dance and film, drawing on the imagery of silent cinema and music by Philip Glass.
A ballet for Ballet Rambert, created largely for dancers Sally Gilmour and Margaret Scott, set to Benjamin Britten’s Simple Symphony.
A hoofer falls in love with a dance-hall girl, who is shot by her jealous boyfriend. The hoofer shoots the boyfriend. In the musical’s framing device, gangsters in the audience try to kill the lead dancer, who evades them by continuing to dance until police arrive and arrest them.
Jorma Elo’s ballet for New York City Ballet’s Diamond Project, set to selected movements from works by Biber and Vivaldi, including Vivaldi concertos from Opp. 3, 4, 8, and 57.
Cathy Marston’s one-act ballet adaptation of Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome, created for San Francisco Ballet and premiered in 2018.
A ballet using elements of Russian folklore, set to music from Rimsky-Korsakov's The Snow Maiden.
A one-act ballet with a principal character called The Girl, set to two sets of Malcolm Arnold’s English Dances and two new dances, a sarabande and a polka.
A ballet choreographed to eleven Domenico Scarlatti sonatas composed between 1728 and 1757.
Sonatine is a ballet choreographed by George Balanchine to Ravel's eponymous music. The ballet was made for the New York City Ballet's Ravel Festival, which celebrated the centenary of Ravel, and premiered on May 15, 1975, at the New York State Theater, following a preview performance the previous day. The ballet was originated by Violette Verdy and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux.
The Song of the Earth is a ballet based on Das Lied von der Erde, a symphonic work written by the Austrian composer Gustav Mahler in 1908–1909. It is scored for two voices and orchestra, and has been used for ballets by several well-known choreographers, including Antony Tudor (1908–1987), Kenneth MacMillan (1929–1992), Heinz Spoerli (born 1940), and John Neumeier (born 1939).
Principal characters: Crassus, Roman consul Spartacus, captive king of Thrace Phrygia, wife of Spartacus Aegina, concubine to Crassus The Roman consul Crassus returns to Rome from his latest conquests in a triumphal procession. Among his captives are the Thracian king Spartacus and his wife Phrygia. Spartacus laments his captivity and bids a bitter farewell to Phrygia, who is taken off to join Crassus's harem of concubines. To entertain Crassus and his entourage, Spartacus is sent into the gladiatorial ring and is forced to kill a close friend. Horrified at his deed, Spartacus incites his fellow captives to rebellion. The escaped captives celebrate their freedom. Meanwhile, Crassus entertains the Roman patricians with lavish entertainment. Spartacus and the other escaped captives disrupt the orgy and rescue the slave women, including Phrygia. Aegina insists that Crassus pursue the slave army immediately. The lovers celebrate their escape to the "Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia". Aegina discovers Spartacus's camp and observes the lovers emerging from their tent the next morning. Aegina sends word to Crassus, who sends his army in pursuit. Internecine struggles break out among Spartacus's forces. Finally, Crassus's forces discover Spartacus and impale him upon their spears. Spartacus's closest followers recover his body and carry it off while Phrygia mourns her loss.
Originally performed with the musicians onstage and a square dance caller directing the steps, the ballet is set to concerti by Vivaldi. A 1976 revival removed the caller, moved the orchestra to the pit, and added a solo to music by Corelli.
Jiří Kylián’s contemporary dance work was inspired by traditional dances of Aboriginal Australians and is set to Carlos Chávez’s Toccata for Percussion Instruments.
Stars and Stripes is a neoclassical ballet choreographed by George Balanchine to music by John Philip Sousa, orchestrated by Hershy Kay. The ballet was made as a tribute to the United States, Balanchine's adopted country. It premiered on January 17, 1958, at the City Center of Music and Drama, danced by the New York City Ballet. It is dedicated to Fiorello La Guardia, former mayor of New York City. The ballet had been revived by multiple ballet companies, and at different special occasions.
Still Life at the Penguin Cafe is an ecocritical ballet choreographed by David Bintley and featuring music composed by Simon Jeffes, founder of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra. It is also the title of the accompanying album. Geoffrey Richardson co-wrote one of the pieces. The name of the ballet is derived from that of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra, which was Simon Jeffes' ensemble. The ballet's debut production in 1988 was performed by The Royal Ballet at Covent Garden, in England. The ballet was conceived by David Bintley (at that time resident choreographer at Covent Garden), who approached Simon Jeffes about the music that was to be used in the choreography. The music for the ballet was drawn from several musical pieces composed by Jeffes before the ballet was conceived, composed during the period 1981 to 1987. Most of the pieces were originally written for small ensembles, consisting of, for example, violin, cello, guitar and piano. Jeffes orchestrated the pieces for the ballet, and in the Royal Ballet production, they were performed by a full orchestra. The ballet was filmed in 1988 by Thames Television and commercially released. The ballet premiered in the United States in 1991.
Stravinsky Violin Concerto, originally titled Violin Concerto, is a neoclassical ballet choreographed by George Balanchine to Stravinsky's Violin Concerto. Balanchine had previously choreographed another ballet to the concerto in 1941 for the Original Ballet Russe, titled Balustrade, though it was not revived following a few performances. He then reused the concerto for New York City Ballet's Stravinsky Festival in 1972, a tribute to the composer following his death. The ballet premiered on June 18, 1972, at the New York State Theater.
An abstract neoclassical ballet set to music from Édouard Lalo’s Namouna. Its original all-white costumes inspired its title; later productions dressed the men in black and used the title Noir et Blanc.
Jerome Robbins’s ballet was made from his 1974 Dybbuk Variations, a cut version of his ballet Dybbuk; all three versions use Leonard Bernstein’s 1974 music.
Prince Siegfried encounters Odette, a princess transformed into a swan by the sorcerer Rothbart. Their love faces deception and an enchantment that can be broken only by a faithful vow. Tchaikovsky’s score anchors a ballet whose choreography and ending vary across productions.
In this revival’s libretto, Odette and other young women are cursed to become swans by day. Siegfried vows to rescue her, but is deceived into pledging himself to Odile; when he and Odette choose to die together, the evil genie is destroyed. The ending and act structure were revised from the 1877 scenario.
The 1895 Petipa/Ivanov/Drigo revival of Swan Lake is a famous version of the ballet Swan Lake, (ru. Лебединое Озеро), (fr. Le Lac des Cygnes). This is a ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky based on an ancient German legend, presented in either four acts, four scenes (primarily outside Russia and Eastern Europe), three acts, four scenes (primarily in Russia and Eastern Europe) or, more rarely, in two acts, four scenes. Originally choreographed by Julius Reisinger to the music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (opus 20), it was first presented as The Lake of the Swans by the Ballet of the Moscow Imperial Bolshoi Theatre on 20 February/4 March 1877 (Julian/Gregorian calendar dates) in Moscow, Russia. Although the ballet is presented in many different versions, most ballet companies today base their stagings both choreographically and musically on this revival by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, staged for the Imperial Ballet, first presented on 15 January/27 January 1895, at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia instead of the original version.
A one-act ballet by George Balanchine set to Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake music.
The ballet Sweeney Todd, Op. 68 by Malcolm Arnold was completed in 1959. It is a one-act ballet based on the legend of Sweeney Todd, a villain in The String of Pearls serial. The scenario and original choreography were by John Cranko and the scenery and costumes by Alix Stone in the style of Victorian toy theatres. It was first performed by the Royal Ballet touring company on 10 December 1959, at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, with the Royal Opera House Orchestra conducted by John Lanchbery. The dancers who created the roles in the first production were Donald Britton (Sweeney Todd), Johaar Mosaval (Tobias), Elizabeth Anderton (Johanna), Desmond Doyle (Mark Ingestre), Ian Hamilton (Colonel Jeffrey). Paul R.W Jackson noted the ingenious interweaving and development of the themes or motifs used for each of the main characters. "The grisly opening prelude turned into Todd's theme, while Johanna's music became an ingratiating waltz for a pas de deux". The first complete recording was issued in 2025, with the BBC Concert Orchestra, conductor Martin Yates.
The huntress nymph Sylvia mocks Eros and wounds the shepherd Aminta when he protects the god. Eros revives Aminta, while hunter Orion abducts Sylvia; she escapes by getting Orion drunk and returns to Aminta. At Diana’s temple, the goddess ultimately relents and permits the lovers to unite.
Symphonic Variations is a one-act ballet by Frederick Ashton set to the eponymous music (M. 46) of César Franck. The premiere, performed by the Sadler's Wells Ballet, took place at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, on 24 April 1946 in a triple bill; the other works were Ashton's Les Patineurs and Robert Helpmann's Adam Zero. The ballet was conducted by Constant Lambert and the set designed by Sophie Fedorovitch.
Peter Martins’s ballet is set to Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 1 in G minor, Op. 13, Winter Dreams.
Symphony in C, originally titled Le Palais de Cristal, is a ballet choreographed by George Balanchine, to Georges Bizet's Symphony in C. The ballet was originally created for the Paris Opera Ballet, and premiered on July 28, 1947, at the Palais Garnier.
John Clifford’s ballet is set to Stravinsky’s Symphony in E-flat, Op. 1.
Symphony in Three Movements is a neoclassical ballet choreographed by George Balanchine to the music of the same name by Igor Stravinsky. The ballet was made for the New York City Ballet Stravinsky Festival in 1972, a tribute to the composer following his death. The ballet premiered on June 18, 1972, at the New York State Theater.
George Balanchine’s ballet is set to Stravinsky’s Tango, originally written in 1940 and arranged by the composer in 1953.
Peter Martins’s ballet is set to Stravinsky’s Tango, written in 1940 and arranged by the composer in 1953.
Tarantella is a ballet choreographed by George Balanchine to Grande Tarantelle by Louis Moreau Gottschalk, arranged by Hershy Kay. The ballet premiered on January 7, 1964, at the New York City Center, performed by New York City Ballet's Patricia McBride and Edward Villella.
Terpsichore is a ballet in one act based on the myth of Terpsichore, with choreography by Marius Petipa and music by Cesare Pugni. First presented by the Imperial Ballet on November 15/27 (Julian/Gregorian calendar dates), 1861, for the Imperial court at the theatre of Tsarskoe Selo in St. Petersburg, Russia.
A grand ballet in two acts and five scenes with a prologue, based on Miguel de Cervantes’s novella La gitanilla.
A fantastic ballet in three acts and seven scenes.
A full-evening ballet in three parts explores life, love and transformation through movement and an original score.
A one-act ballet created for students of the Imperial Ballet School.
A two-act ballet first presented by the Imperial Ballet, with Mariia Surovshchikova-Petipa as the Blue Dahlia and Timofei Stukolkin as Beausoleil.
The ballet is an ironic tale of slovenly work in a Soviet factory. The lazy Lyonka hates work and together with a local priest and anti-Soviet plotter he plans to sabotage the machinery by putting a bolt in it. Their plan is foiled by a group of Young Communists.
A ballet adaptation of John Boyne’s novel, with a score by Gary Yershon.
Among a tribe of female insect that preys on their male counterparts, The Novice, the daughter of The Queen, is born, and her membranous covering is removed. She is confronted by the First Intruder, a male insect, and she reflexively stabs him and cracks his neck until he dies. The tribe celebrates that she has been initiated. The Second Intruder appears, and this time the tribe leave her to kill him. However, the two fall in love and mate. The tribe returns and the couple attempts to hide, but are discovered. The tribe attacks the Second Intruder, and finally, the Novice is overcome by animal instincts and kills him. The Novice is embraced by the Queen, while the rest of the tribe salutes her.
The Cellist is a one-act ballet about British cellist Jacqueline du Pré, choreographed by Cathy Marston, with the scenario devised by Marston and Edward Kemp. The music was written by Philip Feeney and incorporated scores du Pré was best known for. The ballet is Marston's first Royal Ballet main stage production, and premiered on 17 February 2020 at the Royal Opera House,
A ballet by Peter Martins set to John Adams’s 1985 concert piece, originally written for the opera Nixon in China. The music accompanies a scene in which Mao Zedong dances with his future bride, film star Chiang Ch’ing.
A comic ballet by Jerome Robbins set to nine Chopin piano pieces, including the Military Polonaise, Berceuse, waltz, mazurka, ballade, and several preludes.
An allegorical two-act ballet in which Prometheus gives life to two humans and brings them to Apollo to learn music, dance, and the arts. The gods teach them, they fall in love, and the ballet ends with a wedding celebrating Prometheus’s success.
The Daughter of the Snows (also known as Snegurochka or La Fille des neiges) is a ballet in three acts and five scenes, with choreography by Marius Petipa and music by Ludwig Minkus. The libretto by Marius Petipa is based on the 1873 play The Snow Maiden by Alexander Ostrovsky, inspired by a Russian folk fairy tale about Snegurochka from the folklore collection by Alexander Afanasyev. The ballet premiered on 7 January 1879 at the St. Petersburg Imperial Bolshoi Kammeny Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia by the Imperial Ballet. Prima ballerina Yekaterina Vazem considered it "among Petipa's less successful ballets" and "not popular with the public." According to Vazem, the ballet was taken out of the repertoire after only a few performances. Principal dancers: Yekaterina Vazem (as the Snow Maiden).
A ballet drawing parallels between lyrebird courtship displays and the mateship of Australian men at a bush picnic as they try to seduce a woman.
In the forest outside Athens, Oberon, king of the fairies, fights furiously with his wife Titania, as they both want the same young Indian in their entourage. Oberon decides to punish Titania for her insolence and sends his servant, the mischievous fairy Puck, to look for a pansy: the dew of the flower, poured into the eyes of sleeping Titania, will make her fall in love with the first person she will see when she awakens. Meanwhile, Oberon and Puck meddle in the lives of four mortal lovers who wander into their path. Much confusion ensues, between the four mortals as their loves intertwine, and within a troupe of actors, one of whom is turned into a donkey to become Titania's lover. In the end, Oberon and Titania make peace, and Puck brings things back to their natural order.
The Dying Swan (originally The Swan) is a solo dance choreographed by Mikhail Fokine to Camille Saint-Saëns's Le Cygne from Le Carnaval des animaux as a pièce d'occasion for the ballerina Anna Pavlova, who performed it about 4,000 times. The short ballet (four minutes) follows the last moments in the life of a swan, and was first presented in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1907. The ballet has since influenced modern interpretations of Odette, heroine of Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake, and has inspired non-traditional interpretations as well as various adaptations.
In the original libretto, the story takes place in a Parisian toy shop in the 1830s. The curtain rises on the everyday life of a shop selling mechanical dolls. Assistants keep order while the owner attends to his work. A postman delivers letters, a messenger demands a tip, and a maid arrives asking for a doll to be repaired. The shopkeeper restores the toy. A merchant enters with his wife and daughter. The child becomes fascinated with a baby doll and insists on buying it. During the commotion, another doll is accidentally activated, startling them. After disagreements over prices, they leave. A commissioner arrives with news that a wealthy Englishman will soon visit. Sir James Plumpstershire, his wife, and their children enter the shop. The owner presents various dolls dressed in costumes representing different nations, each performing characteristic dances, including Tirolean Ländler, Chinese Polka, Spanish Dance, Japanese Mazurka and the Harlequin’s Tarantella.The highlight is the Fairy Doll, who performs a waltz. The Englishman is delighted and purchases her before leaving with his family. After closing time, the shop is locked and the lights are extinguished. At midnight, the Fairy Doll emerges and, with a wave of her wand, brings all the dolls to life. The shop fills with magical light as the dolls dance and celebrate. At one point, the shopkeeper and his assistant return, having heard noises, but everything appears normal. Once they leave again, the dolls resume their festivities, honoring the Fairy Doll as their queen. As dawn approaches, they return to their original positions before the shop reopens.
The Firebird (L'Oiseau de feu; Жар-птица) 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 and the blessing and curse it possesses for its owner. It was first performed at the 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 (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, flautando, glissando, and flutter-tonguing. Set in the evil immortal Koschei's castle, the ballet follows Prince Ivan, who battles Koschei with the help of the magical Firebird. Stravinsky later created three concert suites based on the work: in 1911, ending with the "Infernal Dance"; in 1919, which remains the most popular today; and in 1945, featuring significant reorchestration and structural changes. Other choreographers have staged the work with Fokine's original choreography or created entirely new productions using the music, some with new settings or themes. Many recordings of the suites have been made; the first was released in 1928, using the 1911 suite. A film version of the popular Sadler's Wells Ballet production, which revived Fokine's original choreography, was produced in 1959.
A spoof of an Edwardian country-house shooting party: six dancers dressed as pheasants open the ballet, then Lady de Fontenoy’s admirer accidentally shoots her during the party. She dies in his arms while the guests look on.
The Fool on the Hill is a ballet created by British choreographer Gillian Lynne.
The ballet opens at Bakhchisarai Palace, where Khan Girey is seated surrounded by his court. Dancers try to entertain him but he is oblivious to his surroundings, staring at water trickling from a fountain. The scene shifts back in time to the palace of a Polish nobleman, where a ball is being held for the engagement of Maria, the daughter of the house, to the young noble Vaslav. Suddenly lurking Tartars led by Khan Girey scale the walls and attack the guests. After a vicious fight in which the Khan kills Vaslav, the palace is looted and torched and the women carried away as part of the booty. Maria hides her face, but the Khan tears away her scarf and is mesmerized by her beauty. The Khan and his warriors return to Bakhchisarai Palace where he is greeted by Zarema, his harem favorite. While Zarema, who obviously loves him, is overjoyed at his return, the Khan ignores her completely in his preoccupation with Maria. He has Maria installed in an apartment isolated from the harem and visits her there. Laying his heart at her feet he tries to make her love him, but Maria is appalled and rejects him. In their brief struggle the Khan's hat falls to the floor. The Khan returns to the court where Zarema tries to win his attention by dancing for him, but he rejects her and she collapses in despair. During the night Zarema steals out of the harem and past the guards to visit Maria in her chamber. She tries to tell Maria how desperately she loves the Khan, finally drawing a concealed dagger to stab her unwilling rival. At first afraid, Maria stands before Zarema and opens her arms wide, showing Zarema that she would welcome death. Zarema is stunned and falls to the ground. Maria tries to comfort her, but Zarema has seen the Khan's hat on the floor. Fearing the worst, she is again inflamed with jealousy. As the Khan and his guards rush in to try and stop her, Zarema breaks free and stabs Maria to death. The Khan draws his own dagger to kill Zarema, but she kneels down in front of him and offers her chest to the knife, just as Maria did. The Khan cannot kill her, but commands the guards to take her away to be flung to her death from the palace walls. In the court, Khan Girey sits, devastated, and stares at the Fountain of Tears, as his orders are carried out.
A ballet by Jerome Robbins set to excerpts from three Giuseppe Verdi operas: I Vespri Siciliani, I Lombardi, and Il Trovatore.
The Four Temperaments or Theme and Four Variations (The Four Temperaments) is an orchestral work and ballet by Paul Hindemith. Although it was originally conceived as a ballet for Léonide Massine, However, Balanchine created the choreography a few years later. The ballet, The Four Temperaments was the first work Balanchine made for the Ballet Society, the forerunner of the New York City Ballet, and premiered on November 20, 1946, at the Central High School of Needle Trades, New York, during the Ballet Society's first performance. Though critics at the premiere did not receive the ballet well, it was later acknowledged as a "masterpiece," and was revived by ballet companies worldwide.
The Goldberg Variations is a ballet choreographed by Jerome Robbins to Bach's Goldberg Variations. A plotless ballet, it starts with two performers dancing to the Theme, followed by the variations divided into two parts, with variations repeated as Bach had intended in the score. Robbins made the ballet for the New York City Ballet, and premiered on May 27, 1971, at the New York State Theater.
The ballet is a satirical take on the political and cultural change in 1920s Europe. It follows a Soviet football (soccer) team in a Western city where they come into contact with many politically incorrect antagonistic characters such as the Diva, the Fascist, the Agent Provocateur, the Negro and others. The team falls victim to match rigging, police harassment, and unjust imprisonment by the evil bourgeoisie. The team is freed from jail when the local workers overthrow their capitalist overlords. The ballet ends with a dance of solidarity between the workers and the football team. Shostakovich himself was a very keen football follower, and is said to have coined the expression "Football is the ballet of the masses". Prelude Act I, Scene 1, The Golden Age of Industry Exhibition: Procession of the Guests of Honour Act I, Scene 1, The Golden Age of Industry Exhibition: Inspection of the Display Windows Act I, Scene 1, The Golden Age of Industry Exhibition: Demonstration of Important Exhibits - Appearance of the Soviet Football Team Act I, Scene 1, The Golden Age of Industry Exhibition: Magician-Advertising Agent - Dance of the Hindu Act I, Scene 1, The Golden Age of Industry Exhibition: Boxing as an Advertising Stunt Act I, Scene 1, The Golden Age of Industry Exhibition: Scandal during the Boxing Match - Entrance of the Police Act I, Scene 2, Exhibition Hall: Dance of the Golden Youths Act I, Scene 2, Exhibition Hall: Dance of Diva: Adagio Act I, Scene 2, Exhibition Hall: Appearance of the Soviet Football Team and Diva's Variations Act I, Scene 2, Exhibition Hall: Soviet Dance Act I, Scene 2, Exhibition Hall: Diva asks the Leader of the Soviet Team to Dance with Her Act I, Scene 2, Exhibition Hall: Dance and Scene of the Diva and the Fascist Act I, Scene 2, Exhibition Hall: Dance of the Black Man and 2 Soviet Football Players Act I, Scene 2, Exhibition Hall: The Supposed Terrorist, "The Hand of Moscow" Act I, Scene 2, Exhibition Hall: General Confusion - The Embarrassment of the Fascists Act I, Scene 2, Exhibition Hall: A Rare Case of Mass Hysteria Act I, Scene 2, Exhibition Hall: Conversation between the Director of the Exhibition and the Fascist Act I, Scene 2, Exhibition Hall: Foxtrot... foxtrot... foxtrot Act II, Scene 3, A Street in the Same City: Mime of the Agents Provocateurs, Provocation and Arrest: Galop Act II, Scene 4, Workers' Stadium: Procession of the Workers to the Stadium - Dance of the Young Pioneers - Sports Games Act II, Scene 4, Workers' Stadium: Football March Act II, Scene 4, Workers' Stadium: Intermezzo, "Everybody amuses oneself in one's own way" Act II, Scene 4, Workers' Stadium: Dance of the Western Komsomol Girl and 4 Sportsmen Act II, Scene 4, Workers' Stadium: Sports Contests - Joint Sports Dance Act II, Scene 4, Workers' Stadium: Scene and Exit of the Soviet Team Act III: Entr'acte, "Tea for Two" Act III, Scene 5, Music Hall: Chechotka, "Shoe Shine of the Highest Grade" Act III, Scene 5, Music Hall: Tango Act III, Scene 5, Music Hall: Polka, "Once upon a Time in Geneva" - Polka, "Angel of Peace" Act III, Scene 5, Music Hall: The Touching Coalition of the Classes, slightly fraudulent Act III, Scene 5, Music Hall: Entrance of Diva and the Fascist - Their Dance Act III, Scene 5, Music Hall: Can-can Act III, Scene 6, Prison Building: Prelude Act III, Scene 6, Prison Building: Scene of the Freeing of the Prisoners Act III, Scene 6, Prison Building: Total Unveiling of the Conspiracy - The Bourgeoisie in Panic Act III, Scene 6, Prison Building: Final Dance of Solidarity
Based on Carlo Goldoni’s comedy, the ballet follows the diversions of a count disguised as a woman during a carnival.
A diplomatic conference opens and closes the ballet: the diplomats debate peace, declare war, and then resume their futile negotiations after the conflict. Six intervening scenes portray farewells, battle, partisan fighting, refugees, a brothel, and the aftermath. Death, a skeletal figure, relentlessly claims victims while the politicians remain indifferent.
A ballet adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s novel, choreographed by Lila York and produced by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
While resetting the ballet in a 1960s-style American town and costuming it garishly and making the characters rather cartoonlike (the toy soldiers are an army of G.I. Joes), the overall plot of The Nutcracker was rather faithfully followed, to the point of including a pantomime version of "The Story of the Hard Nut," the tale-within-a-tale of E.T.A. Hoffmann's "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" in Act II, to explain how Drosselmeyer's nephew was turned into the Nutcracker. This section is usually not included, not even in Tchaikovsky's original version. Princess Pirlipat is turned into a pig-snouted creature as a baby by the vengeful Mouse Queen, and Drosselmeyer searches the world for a way to break the spell, thus ushering the famous Danses caracterisques of Act II. The only one able to do so is Drosselmeyer's nephew, who, after biting a hard nut, breaks the spell placed on Princess Pirlipat, but is turned into a Nutcracker. Princess Pirlipat promptly rejects him, whereupon Clara (here called Marie) declares her love for him and the spell on Drosselmeyer's nephew is broken.
Set in a haunted ballroom, the ballet tells how the heads of the family of Treginnis are under a curse that leads to their deaths, dancing with ghostly partners. Three guests at a ball in another part of the Tregennis house persuade the heir of Treginnis to show them the haunted ballroom. Fascinated, they want to dance, but are stopped by the master of the house. They leave and he is left alone, realising that the ghosts will come for him. Shapes appear, led by a thinly cloaked figure. Three of the ghosts resemble the young women who had strayed into the room. Treginnis seeks to dance with them, but Death intervenes. and the ballet closes with Tregennis's young son realising that he too will meet the same death.
The Incredible Flutist is a ballet composed by Walter Piston in 1938, his only composition for the stage. The ballet received its premiere by the Boston Pops under Arthur Fiedler on May 30 of that year. The libretto, written by Piston and Hans Wiener, describes a marketplace teeming with activity and enlivened by a circus. A flutist acts as a snake charmer and also charms women. A rich widow flirts with a merchant, is discovered by her lover, faints, and is revived by the flutist's music. The circus then leaves the square. Piston extracted an orchestral suite from the ballet, which was premiered on November 22, 1940, by the Pittsburgh Symphony under Fritz Reiner. The suite is in thirteen movements: Introduction "Siesta Hour in the Marketplace and Entrance of the Vendors" "Dance of the Vendors" "Entrance of the Customers" "Tango of the Four Daughters" "Arrival of Circus and Circus March" "Solo of the Flutist" Minuet – "Dance of the Widow and Merchant" "Spanish Waltz" "Eight O'Clock Strikes" Siciliano – "Dance of the Flutist and the Merchant's Daughter" Polka Finale Elliott Carter commented on how Piston avoided the use of a particular musical geographic "pastiche" style in the music, which could have made the setting specific to one geography, and noted that the village can be "any village" in this setting.
A one-act ballet centered on seduction and rape, whose rape scene generated controversy at the time.
In a bleak urban setting, a woman is abused and murdered by a gang. One of her lovers is blamed and betrayed by a kiss from the actual culprit; the gang kills him, and the culprit hangs himself. The story draws on Judas’s betrayal of Jesus and on contemporary acts of betrayal.
At a church fair (or kermesse) in 17th century Bruges three brothers (Adrian, Geert, and Carelis) receive magical gifts from the alchemist Mirewelt. The two older brothers, Adrian and Geert, leave their sweethearts behind and set off into the world with their gifts (a sword and a ring) to seek their fortunes. The magical gifts bring disappointment to the two men but, back home, the brothers discover Carelis' magic lute brings happiness to all. Adrian, Geert, and Mirewelt are charged with sorcery and sentenced to death at the stake, but Carelis appears and his magic lute sets everyone to dancing joyfully. The condemned are released and reunited with their sweethearts while Carelis and Eleonore, the alchemist's daughter, embrace. Carelis' magic lute is locked away in a chest, to be taken out only at the yearly kermesse.
The King's Command (also known as L'Ordre du Roi, or Les Élèves de Dupré) is a ballet in 4 Acts-6 Scenes, with choreography by Marius Petipa and music composed by Albert Vizentini. The work was first presented by the Imperial Ballet on, 1886 at the Imperial Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, with Virginia Zucchi (as Pepita), Pavel Gerdt (as Pepito), Enrico Cecchetti (as Dupré), and Lev Ivanov (as Milon) in the leading roles. This was the last ballet to be given at the St. Petersburg Imperial Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre before it was demolished in 1886.
A Carolina Ballet adaptation of Tolstoy’s novella, choreographed by Robert Weiss and combining music by Beethoven, Janáček, and J. Mark Scearce. The production uses a narrator/actor and flashbacks leading into ballet segments.
During a prelude the curtain rises on a dark street with couples on their way to a ball (music from Alzira).; A sad theme (Jérusalem) marks the entrance of two poor clowns, Moondog and Bootface who head for an empty bench in the street, where they fall asleep. On her way to the ball and beautifully dressed, La Capricciosa notices the two ragged clowns, wakes them up and asks them to dance for her (Alzira).; The clowns dance a grotesque divertissement; La Capricciosa is delighted by their dance and sweeps them both along with her to the ball. In a splendid reception room at the palace of Signor Midas guests arrive (music from Il finto Stanislao and Giovanna d'Arco). Signor Midas greets everyone, welcomes the entrance of the dashing Capitano Adoncino (Il finto Stanislao, Aroldo, Les vêpres siciliennes) and the romantic Prince of Arroganza. The host and his guests are pursued by two debutantes looking for a rich husband, but the men eagerly await the arrival of La Capricciosa. At the height of a tarantella, a fanfare announces her arrival, and she dances a brilliant solo (I due Foscari) and introduces the two clowns, who then perform for the guests, with a scene based on a quarrel over a rose (Il finto Stanislao, Aroldo). An off-stage band summons the guests to dance, leaving the masked La Capricciosa with her three suitors (Ernani).They at first dance together (I due Foscari) then one by one the men tears a mask from her face – only to reveal another mask underneath; first Midas (Ernani, I masnadieri), then the Prince (I masnadieri, Macbeth, I due Foscari) and finally Adoncino (Macbeth, Attila), but they are rejected, and retire.; Alone, La Capricciosa removes her final mask, and at that moment Moondog enters and falls instantly in love with her (Attila). The off-stage band strikes up again and all re-enter, leading to several dances for Midas (Jérusalem), the Prince (Ernani, I Lombardi alla prima crociata) the husband-hunting debutantes (Il finto Stanislao, Oberto), Adoncino, with a pas de cinq to finish (Jérusalem, Attila). La Capricciosa enters, soon followed by Moondog (Les vêpres siciliennes) who makes passionate advances to her. She eventually allows her love to overwhelm her and they dance a pas de deux (Aroldo, I masnadieri).; After an ensemble in which Bootface tries to attracts the debutantes (Ernani, I Lombardi alla prima crociata, Les vêpres siciliennes), La Capricciosa enters. Despite the pleas of her three suitors, she points out Moondog, and they embrace to the horror of the guests who leave the room (Aroldo, Luisa Miller). La Capricciosa helps Moondog to his feet and they slowly go off, leaving a disconsolate Bootface; but they return and take him with them (Ernani, Aroldo). In the final scene, back in the street, all three curl up to sleep on the bench (Jérusalem, Aroldo).
The Lady in the Ice is a 1953 ballet composed by Jean-Michel Damase, choreographed by Roland Petit, and directed by Orson Welles, based on an idea by Welles. Welles also wrote the libretto and was the ballet's costume and set designer. Richard Negri was the assistant designer. It was Welles's only attempt at a ballet. The ballet was staged by the Ballet de Paris, premiering on 7 September 1953 at the Stoll Theatre in London. The cast included Colette Marchand, Georges Reich, and Joe Milan. Later in 1953 the ballet was produced by Petit in Paris, as Une femme dans la glace. Welles discussed the production with Peter Bogdanovich in the book This Is Orson Welles: It was very successful in London, and only moderately so in Paris, where it was very badly lit — as everything always is in Paris. The plot is: a girl's been found, like dinosaurs have been found, in a block of ice. And she's on display in a sort of carnival. A young man falls in love with her, and his love melts the ice. And when she kisses him, he turns to ice. A little parable for our times.
At an auction of Marguerite Gautier’s belongings, her former lover Armand recalls their story. He falls in love with the Parisian courtesan, and they begin a life together in the country. At her father’s request, Marguerite leaves Armand without explaining the truth. Later Armand courts her friend Olympe in revenge; Marguerite, gravely ill, returns to him, but leaves again after a dream of Manon Lescaut. Armand is left alone.
The plot centres around a group of ballet dancers who have been sent to provide sophisticated entertainment on a new Soviet collective farm during their harvest festival. The workers, along with two older residents of a nearby dacha, welcome the city dancers, with special welcome given to the troupe's ballerina who was the former dance teacher of Zina. Zina introduces the ballerina to her husband, Pyotr, and Pyotr immediately begins to flirt with the ballerina. Hurt, Zina removes herself from the celebrations and is comforted by the ballerina. The ballerina suggests a plan in which she will dress as her dance partner, her dance partner will dress as a female dancer, and Zina will dress as the ballerina. They will fool Pyotr and the two dacha dwellers and Pyotr will realize his mistake. The woes of two other couples with overly-assured men are also resolved through the plan. After this all has been accomplished, there is a grand celebration which, in the Ratmansky production, includes the grim reaper who, after a scare, is banished.
Ivan the fool, helped by a magical horse, defeats an evil khan and wins the Tsar Maiden. Ivan eventually replaces the incompetent tsar and becomes tsar himself.
A six-scene danced drama by John Weaver, conveying its story through dance, gesture, and music alone and drawing on Peter Anthony Motteux’s play of the same title.
Act I is set in a cave inhabited by several sorceresses. Act II presents various games — croquet, bingo, billiards, a spinning top, draughts, cards, and others — all allegorically played by various dancers. Act III features the Kingdom of the Laces, which presents a large variety of laces made by different nationalities, including Russian, French, Spanish, and Italian, in a series of dances.
The ballet is set in France in 1860. A world-famous toymaker has created exquisite dancing dolls in his magic toyshop. The automata perform various dance routines for the prospective customers. At first the toys entertain two English ladies and an American family. Some dolls perform a tarantella for the guests, followed by other dolls dressed as playing cards who dance a mazurka. Then two dolls come in and perform another routine involving a snob and a melon vendor. New customers arrive, a Russian family, and everyone welcomes them. Five Cossack dolls enter and perform a traditional dance, followed by an animal act featuring two dancing poodles.
A two-act ballet adaptation of Mordicai Gerstein’s picture book, conceived, choreographed, and directed by Paule Turner; it uses puppetry especially for the wirewalking sequence.
Preparing and serving a meal becomes a dance about bodies, labour, pleasure, and hierarchy. The performance challenges the expectations of ballet and the social divisions between those who create and those who consume.
An ante-room in the Pontevedrian Embassy in Paris in 1905 A ball is to be held that evening at the Pontevedrian Embassy to celebrate the birthday of the Grand Duke, the sovereign of the Grand Duchy of Pontevedro, and Kromow and Pritschitsch are keen to leave their desk work and join the festivities. Camille is also anxious to leave work. However, before they can leave, Njegus arrives and instructs the three men to return to the desk to take care of some extra papers he is carrying. Discovering that Danilo is missing, Njegus enquires where he is, and Kromow and Pritschitsch comment that Danilo is out drinking. Njegus sits at Danilo's post at the desk, and together the four men go through the paperwork, following which Njegus informs them that Pontevedro is bankrupt. Baron Zeta arrives, carrying a telegram and mentioning that a rich Pontevedrian widow, Hanna Glawari, is to attend the embassy ball. The Baron wants Count Danilo to marry the widow so that her money will stay in Pontevedro. Valencienne comes into the room and then everyone drinks to the health of the Duke. The men then leave — except for Camille, who has some extra paperwork to do. Valencienne, who has deliberately lagged behind the others in their departure, flirts with Camille, trying to distract him from his work. Camille tries to keep on working, but eventually gives up and goes to Valencienne — and then Valencienne half-heartedly keeps showing Camille her wedding ring. While the couple are flirting, Njegus, who has some further work to do, comes back into the room unnoticed, and without noticing the lovers. Suddenly becoming aware of the presence of Camille and Valencienne, Njegus hides in a cupboard underneath the desk. The couple end up on the desk with Camille kissing Valencienne and the two hugging each other, at which point Njegus suddenly confronts them, much to their surprise and embarrassment. Camille leaves immediately. Valencienne pleads with Njegus to keep what he has seen a secret — to which Njegus agrees — and then Valencienne also leaves. While Njegus is finishing his tasks, Danilo enters the room, having just arrived from Maxim's. Danilo is drunk and is finding it difficult to stand without falling over. Baron Zeta and Valencienne then enter the room — and the Baron, seeing that Danilo has returned to the embassy, attempts, unavailingly, to tell Danilo that he is to marry a wealthy widow. Finally giving up, the Baron asks Njegus to sober Danilo up before the ball. The Ballroom in the Pontevedrian Embassy The ball begins and Baron Zeta dances with his beautiful wife. However, he has trouble with rheumatism and he asks Camille to dance with Valencienne in his place. Camille does so with enthusiasm, and Njegus, who is watching the pair closely, is unimpressed by the open display of Camille's and Valencienne's affection for each other. The Baron does not seem to notice anything amiss, but he does get upset at the amount of time the two of them dance together, and he makes an effort to remind Camille that Valencienne is married to him. The widow, Hanna Glawari, arrives, amidst a stir from the hopeful young bachelors. Baron Zeta introduces Hanna to Danilo, not knowing that Hanna and Danilo had previously been romantically involved with each other. Both Hanna and Danilo are stunned to see each other. Danilo is thrilled, and tells Hanna that he loves her, but Hanna accuses him of only wanting her for her money. Upset about this, Danilo mops the sweat from his forehead with a kerchief, which Hanna instantly recognises as a keepsake she had given to Danilo the last time they had seen each other (when Danilo's aristocratic uncle had forbidden their romance and had forbidden Danilo to marry Hanna, because Hanna was a poor peasant girl). Hanna takes back the kerchief from Danilo and then leaves the room. Danilo remembers Hanna the way she used to be — as a young peasant girl — and he remembers, with fondness, the way she had given him the kerchief - these memories are danced as a pas de deux. When Danilo returns to the ballroom, it is time for the 'ladies choice' dance. Hanna chooses Danilo to dance with, and curtsies to him, expectantly, but, still upset with what Hanna had said to him, Danilo snubs her and dances with somebody else. Feeling hurt because of Danilo's actions, Hanna dances with Camille — an action which upsets Valencienne. Valencienne and Danilo then dance together, and they effect a change of partners. Before Hanna can react, Valencienne and Camille go off together. Eventually, though, Hanna dances with Danilo. The garden of Hanna's Villa The following night, Hanna gives a party in the garden of her Parisian villa, and she and all her guests wear Pontevedrian clothes, so that they can celebrate the birthday of the Grand Duke in Pontevedrian fashion. There are many Pontevedrian folk dances, including one in which Danilo and Hanna dance together — at the end of which Hanna mops her forehead with her kerchief. Later, Hanna returns the kerchief to Danilo in exactly the same way as she had originally given it to him, following which both leave the garden. Entering the garden together, Camille and Valencienne are no longer concealing their passion for each other. Camille entices Valencienne to enter the pavilion in the garden with him. Njegus, arriving for a meeting in the pavilion with the Baron and Danilo, sees what happens and goes to the pavilion door to peep though the keyhole. Baron Zeta and Danilo arrive, and, seeing Njegus at the door, they go to join him, as they think that Njegus is opening the door. Njegus quickly locks the door, and, when Baron Zeta and Danilo find the door is locked, they demand he unlock the door for them. Njegus refuses to do so. As the Baron and Danilo discuss what to do with Njegus, he breaks away from them and looks around desperately for help. Seeing Hanna, who has just arrived in the area, Njegus explains the situation to her and asks her to change places with Valencienne in the pavilion. Hanna agrees to do so. Baron Zeta and Danilo catch up with Njegus, and demand that he hand them the key. Shaking his head in refusal, Njegus puts the key in his mouth. Baron Zeta and Danilo pick up Njegus and hold him upside down and shake him until the key drops onto the ground. Baron Zeta picks up the key and he and Danilo then go to the door of the pavilion. Meanwhile, Hanna changes places with Valencienne through a door on the other side of the pavilion. Hanna presumably explains to Valencienne what is going on, and the escaped Valencienne joins a returning group of friends, so that she will appear innocent. The Baron opens the door and Camille leaves the pavilion, followed by Hanna. Danilo is stunned to see that Hanna is the woman with Camille, and Hanna states that she and Camille are engaged. Camille looks startled at this unexpected announcement and Valencienne faints with shock at her lover committing himself to another woman. Baron Zeta is horrified at the thought of Pontevedro losing all Hanna's money to a foreigner and also faints. Danilo is furious. Hanna explains to Camille why she pretended that they were engaged, and Camille, looking relieved, smiles. Baron Zeta, Valencienne and Njegus then leave in a huff. All the guests congratulate Hanna and Camille on their 'engagement' and then leave — followed by the swift departure of Camille. Finally, the jealous Danilo throws down the kerchief and storms off in a rage. The delighted Hanna then picks up the kerchief knowing that Danilo truly loves her. Chez Maxim The maître d' is welcoming his patrons as they arrive, and the waiter rushes around serving drinks. Camille arrives. Shortly after, Baron Zeta, Valencienne and Njegus arrive, and they openly show their contempt for Camille. With the fear that Pontevedro will become bankrupt as a result of Hanna's marriage to a non-Pontevedrian, Njegus and Zeta lower the Pontevedrian flags. Soon after, Danilo arrives and is aggressively approached by Camille. The two men fight, in the middle of which they are both restrained. Then Hanna arrives and, when she accepts the arm of Camille, Danilo wants to hit Camille with his gloves and challenge Camille to a duel. Baron Zeta's eyes are finally opened to what is happening between Camille and Valencienne, when Valencienne shields Camille from the angry Danilo. Hanna dances with Camille, while Danilo dances with Valencienne. Gradually, however, the dance brings Hanna and Danilo together — and Camille and Valencienne likewise end up together. Resignedly, the upset Baron accepts the romance between his wife and Camille, and the three leave together. Hanna is left alone in the room, feeling dejected. Then Danilo quietly returns and folds Hanna in his arms, and all ends in blissful happiness. Njegus and Zeta, who have also quietly returned to the room, are delighted at the outcome and raise the Pontevedrian flags on either side of the stage in celebration.
The Middle Duo (Middle Duet) (choreographer Alexei Ratmansky, composer Yuri Khanon) — is a one-act ballet staged at the Mariinsky Theater in November 1998 to the music of the first movement of the Middle Symphony. The ten-minute production became Ratmansky's debut as a choreographer at the Mariinsky Theater. In 2000, the Middle Duet received a Golden Mask Award nomination in the “best ballet” category. After his appointment as chief choreographer of the Bolshoi Theater, Ratmansky transferred “The Middle Duet” to this stage, and then to the New York City Ballet (2006). Two or three years after the premiere, “The Middle Duet” became a kind of calling card for Ratmansky as a choreographer and followed him on all the stages on which he worked, and then was included in the program of the farewell concert “Ratmansky Gala” on the New Stage of the Bolshoi Theater before his leaving the post of chief choreographer and moving to New York. In addition to the theatrical version with scenery and orchestra, for ten years the Middle Duet was shown around the world as a concert number, not only on theater tours, but also in numerous enterprises, earning a reputation as one of the best one-act ballets in Russia at the beginning of the 21st century. From the moment the ballet was staged at the Mariinsky Theater until the last performance, music was used in the ballet without drawing up a contract. As a result of systematic violation of the composer's copyright and counterfeit use of music, in 2010 “Middle Duet” was banned from performance and removed from all stages.
Beginning—Curtain rises First seduction game Second seduction game Third seduction game—the Mandarin enters Dance of the girl The chase—the tramps leap out Suddenly the Mandarin's head appears The Mandarin falls to the floor After an orchestral introduction depicting the chaos of the big city, the action begins in a room belonging to three tramps. They search their pockets and drawers for money, but find none. They then force a girl to stand by the window and attract passing men into the room. The girl begins a lockspiel—a "decoy game", or saucy dance. She first attracts a shabby old rake, who makes comical romantic gestures. The girl asks, "Got any money?" He replies, "Who needs money? All that matters is love." He begins to pursue the girl, growing more and more insistent until the tramps seize him and throw him out. The girl goes back to the window and performs a second lockspiel. This time, she attracts a shy young man, who also has no money. He begins to dance with the girl. The dance grows more passionate, then the tramps jump him and throw him out too. The girl goes to the window again and begins her dance. The tramps and girl see a bizarre figure in the street, soon heard coming up the stairs. The tramps hide, and the figure, a mandarin (wealthy Chinese man), stands immobile in the doorway. The tramps urge the girl to lure him closer. She begins another saucy dance, the Mandarin's passions slowly rising. Suddenly, he leaps up and embraces the girl. They struggle and she escapes; he begins to chase her. The tramps leap on him, strip him of his valuables, and attempt to suffocate him under pillows and blankets. However, he continues to stare at the girl. They stab him three times with a rusty sword; he almost falls, but throws himself again at the girl. The tramps grab him again and hang him from a lamp hook. The lamp falls, plunging the room into darkness, and the Mandarin's body begins to glow with an eerie blue-green light. The tramps and girl are terrified. Suddenly, the girl knows what they must do. She tells the tramps to release the Mandarin; they do. He leaps at the girl again, and this time she does not resist and they embrace. With the Mandarin's longing fulfilled, his wounds begin to bleed and he dies.
The Moor's Pavane is a 20-minute ballet based upon the tragedy Othello by William Shakespeare. The ballet was choreographed by José Limón in 1949 to music from Henry Purcell's Abdelazer, The Gordion Knot Untied, and the pavane from Pavane and Chaconne for Strings, arranged by Simon Sadoff. This ballet is José Limón's most famous work and his influence from Doris Humphrey is evident in his choreography. It was created on the Limón Company. There are only four dancers who appear in this rendition of Othello. These dancers represent The Moor, originally played by Limón himself, Desdemona, originally played by Betty Jones, Iago, originally played by Lucas Hoving, and Emilia, originally played by Pauline Koner. Desdemona, an innocent character and tragic victim, is betrayed by Iago who hints that she has been unfaithful. This causes Othello to murder her. These dramatic actions and events take place in the form of a pavane, which is a type of courtly dance. The stately and formal choreography provides a stark contrast to the emotional and passionate characters and the violent story. The work premiered at the Connecticut College American Dance Festival on August 17, 1949. American Ballet Theatre was the first company outside Limon's company to include the work in its repertory. Notable interpreters of the Moor include Rudolf Nureyev and Cynthia Gregory. Since its creation, The Moor's Pavane has been added to the repertories of many different companies, including major ballet companies, showing the fading divisive line between modern dance and ballet.
In a joyless kingdom ruled by Karl, a contest offers half the kingdom and the Princess’s hand to whoever invents the most incredible thing. Leo wins with a clock displaying twelve visions, but Karl smashes it; the judges award Karl the prize, and Leo is imprisoned. Three muses help Leo rebuild the clock, enabling creativity to overcome destruction and Leo and the Princess to reunite.
A German ballet adaptation of Michael Ende’s novel, with music composed by Siegfried Matthus.
A ballet by Miriam Mahdaviani set to David Diamond’s Rounds for String Orchestra.
A ballet based on Oscar Wilde’s short story of the same name, created to music commissioned from Bright Sheng for New York City Ballet.
In Balanchine’s staging, Clara/Marie and the Nutcracker Prince are children, and the Journey Through the Snow is replaced by a scene in which Clara’s bed moves across the stage as the Nutcracker transforms into the Prince.
Christensen’s production was the first complete staging of The Nutcracker in the United States and used the ballet’s original plot.
A one-act comic ballet with libretto and choreography by Marius Petipa and music by Cesare Pugni.
The Path of Thunder is a ballet in three acts with libretto by Yuri Slonimsky, music by Gara Garayev and choreography by Konstantin Sergeyev. Inspired by the 1948 eponymous novel of Peter Abrahams, the ballet tells the story of a forbidden love between a black teacher and a white girl in 1940s Apartheid South Africa. The ballet premiered at the Mariinsky Theatre (called S. M. Kirov Leningrad State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet at the time) in Saint Petersburg (Leningrad at that time). Garayev used a soft, melodic music, which turns lyrical and passionate in the love scene, while the conflict with the girl's father and the other whites is accompanied by harsh, dissonant music. The lovers die in the course of conflict, but the people rise up against the racial prejudices towards them, leading themselves to the Path of Thunder, the way of liberation. Many other versions of the ballet have been staged throughout the former Soviet Union, and in 1967 it won the Lenin Prize.
During a safari, an English lord takes opium in a pyramid and dreams he is Ta-Hor, an ancient Egyptian who rescues Princess Aspicia from a lion. They fall in love and flee her betrothed, the King of Nubia. Aspicia escapes into the Nile, where the river spirits dance for her, and returns in time to save Ta-Hor from execution. The Pharaoh permits their marriage; the opium dream ends and the lord leaves the pyramid remembering their love.
A Jerome Robbins ballet choreographed to Aaron Copland’s Clarinet Concerto.
An Emperor must decide which of his two daughters should inherit the throne, and he chooses the evil older sister Belle Epine over the young and beautiful Belle Rose. Belle Rose is taken by magical flying frogs to Pagoda Land, and meets the Prince of Pagoda Land who is in the guise of a Salamander. Belle Rose and the Prince return to the land of her father and confront her evil sister, in the end driving her away.
Kenneth MacMillan’s Royal Ballet production is based on John Cranko’s 1957 ballet, with a scenario by Colin Thubron and music by Benjamin Britten.
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