Video-on-Demand: JEWELS

George Balanchine is the father of numerous visionary, neoclassical choreographies, which he created for the New York City Ballet. Balanchine, who had founded the NYCB in the mid-20^th century, was at the helm of this innovative company until his death in 1983. Till today his works are brought to stages all over the world. Characteristic for Jewels – a full-length ballet from 1967 – is the fact, that is has no story but puts all the focus on the pure dance alone. Rumour has it that Balanchine drew his inspiration from a jeweller’s display on New York’s Fifth Avenue. So each part of the trilogy is named after a jewel, and each comes in a different style, atmosphere, color and shape - true ballet jewels. On top each piece has its own music. Emeralds opens with lyrical music of Gabriel Fauré, characterized by light lifts, playful arms and noble arrangements. Therewith, Balanchine draws a dreamy world of classical ballet. In contrary to that, Rubies represents a contemporary panorama underscored by Igor Stravinsky’s jazzy Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra. The sharpness of the music runs parallel to the dynamic choreography – characterized by speed and precision, high legs and quick turns. Rubies is a winky and flirty play full of strength, in which Balanchine’s knowledge of the Broadway business and show business as such shine through, as does the atmosphere of the wild New York he was living in. The third piece, Diamonds, with music of Peter I. Tchaikovsky’s Third Symphony, is dedicated to the great ballet classics of the Russian tsarist era, which Balanchine knew from his childhood days. Opulence and pomp frame the ballet dancers during a masterpiece marked by solo parts, formations and structures on a high level of technique. Beautiful shapes, elegance, gracefulness and glamour complete the evening.

Igor Zelensky, who used to be frequent guest with the New York City Ballet when he was still an active dancer, has kept a strong connection to Balanchine’s aesthetics. With Jewels he now brings a piece to the stage of the Bayerisches Staatsballett that to this day has maintained the sparkle it had at its world premiere some 50 years ago.