Cat 10 Archives - The George Balanchine Foundation

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Vittorio Rieti, based on themes from operas by Vincenzo Bellini (1830-35, including La Sonnambula, I Puritani, Norma, and I Capuletti ed i Montecchi)

George Balanchine. Staged by John Taras

Scenery and lighting by Esteban Francés. Costumes by André Levasseur (from Les Ballets de Pâques production, 1957). Scenery and costumes executed by Nolan Brothers. Jewelry by Emmons

January 6, 1960, New York City Ballet, City Center of Music and Drama, New York. Conductor: Robert Irving

The Coquette, Jillana; The Baron, John Taras; The Poet, Erik Bruhn; The Sleepwalker, Allegra Kent; The Guests, 8 couples; DIVERTISSEMENTS: PASTORALE: 2 couples; THE BLACKAMOORS: Suki Schorer, William Weslow; HARLEQUIN: Edward Villella; ACROBATS: 3 women

Performance Type

Ballet

See Also

Video Archives Recording

George Balanchine Foundation Interpreters Archive (Sleepwalker pas de deux, finale), 2001; (Sleepwalker pas de deux, Coquette pas de deux, finale), forthcoming.

Note

At a masked ball with entertainments, the Poet pays suit to the Coquette, who is escorted by the Host. After the guests go in to supper an apparition in white enters, a beautiful Sleepwalker. Entranced, the Poet tries to wake her, but she eludes him. The jealous Coquette informs the Host who, enraged, stabs the Poet. The Sleepwalker reappears and bears the Poet’s body away. The role of the Poet was choreographed on Frederic Franklin, who could not perform at the premiere owing to injury.

Additional Productions

Revisions

The Entertainers’ dances (also called DIVERTISSEMENTS) have been changed often by the many companies that have staged the ballet. Examples in three principal companies include: Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas: MOORISH DANCE sometimes substituted for BLACKAMOORS’ DANCE; until about 1950, HARLEQUIN DANCE omitted; 1950, SHEPHERDS’ DANCE (PASTORALE) changed from two couples to one, HOOP DANCE replaced by ACROBATS’ DANCE for three (various combinations of men and women). New York City Ballet: 1960, name changed from Night Shadow to La Sonnambula, HARLEQUIN DANCE restored (for a man instead of a woman; frequently altered for various performers), ACROBATS’ DANCE retained from de Cuevas production (HOOP DANCE omitted); 1967, SHEPHERDS’ DANCE (PASTORALE) changed from two couples to a pas de trois for a virtuoso man and two women; 1979, BLACKAMOORS’ DANCE eliminated. American Ballet Theatre: 1981, HOOP DANCE rechoreographed by John Taras as GYPSY DANCE, BLACKAMOORS’ DANCE retitled DANSE EXOTIQUE.

New Productions by Balanchine Companies

1960, New York City Ballet, with scenery and lighting by Esteban Francés and costumes by André Levasseur.

Stagings

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1948   Grand Ballet de Monte-Carlo (1947-1951)
1955   Netherlands Ballet (in 1961 became Dutch National Ballet)
1955   Royal Danish Ballet
1957   Ballets de Paques (Monte Carlo)
1960   Netherlands Ballet (in 1961 became Dutch National Ballet)
1960   New York City Ballet
1961   Ballet Rambert (London)
1964   Geneva Ballet (Grand Theatre de Geneve [Ballet])
1965   National Ballet (Washington, D.C., 1963-1974)
1967   English National Ballet (London Festival)
1970   Ballet de San Juan
1971   Dutch National Ballet
1972   Geneva Ballet (Grand Theatre de Geneve [Ballet])
1972   Grand Theatre de Bordeaux
1974   San Francisco Ballet
1975   Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
1977   Louisville Ballet
1977   Turino Opera (Italy)
1978   Ballet de Nancy (France)
1979   Dallas Ballet
1980   American Ballet Theatre
1980   Boston Ballet
1981   American Ballet Theatre
1983   Ballet du Nord (France)
1984   Ballet Dallas
1985   Teatro Colon (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1986   Ballet du Nord (France)
1986   Cincinnati Ballet
1987   American Ballet Theatre
1987   Kansas City Ballet
1987   Louisville Ballet
1988   Arena di Verona (Italy)
1988   Ballet du Nord (France)
1988   Boston Ballet
1988   Tulsa Ballet Theatre
1989   American Ballet Theatre
1990   Ballet de Nancy (France)
1990   Indianapolis Ballet Theatre
1990   Kansas City Ballet
1990   Louisville Ballet
1991   Universal Ballet Company (Korea)
1992   Den Norske Opera [Ballet] (Norway)
1993   The Australian Ballet
1993   Boston Ballet
1993   Cincinnati Ballet
1993   Les Grands Ballets Canadiens
1993   Pennsylvania Ballet
1994   Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
1994   Universal Ballet Company (Korea)
1996   Kansas City Ballet
1997   Aterballetto-Centro Regionale della Danza (Reggio Emilia, Italy)
1997   Hungarian National Ballet
1998   Teatro alla Scala (Milan)
2001   Universal Ballet Company (Korea)
2002   Ballet de Nancy (France)
2002   Cincinnati Ballet
2002   Texas Ballet (formerly Fort Worth Dallas Ballet)
2005   Ballet Arizona
2006   Miami City Ballet
2008   Ballet Arizona
2008   Suzanne Farrell Ballet
2009   Carolina Ballet
2009   North Carolina Dance Theater
2009   Royal Danish Ballet
2010   Suzanne Farrell Ballet
2011   Miami City Ballet
2013   Los Angeles Ballet
2015   Ballet Arizona
2015   Perm State Ballet
2018   Sacramento Ballet – Selections

Recorded Performances

Videos/DVD

1995, Nonesuch, The Balanchine Library: Dancing for Mr. B (rehearsal excerpt);
2005, Zeitgeist Films, Ballets Russes (excerpt)

Television

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1948 (British television)
1958 (BBC [London])
1963 Sleepwalker pas de deux (NBC)
1966 excerpt (CBS, Camera Three)
1988 (PBS, Dance in America, “An Evening at ABT”)
1989 (BBC [London])
1991 excerpts (French television, FR3, “Le Ballet national de Nancy”)
1993 excerpts(French television, FR3)
196 [?] Sleepwalker pas de deux (BBC [London], Music for You)

Source Notes

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Additional music information provided by Vittorio Rieti; additional revisions and stagings information provided by Rosemary Dunleavy, John Taras, Frederic Franklin.