Relationship to Chaconne clarified by Barbara Horgan
400. Chaconne 1976
Music
Christoph Willibald Gluck (ballet music from Orfeo ed Euridice, produced 1762, with music from the Paris production of 1774)
Choreography
George Balanchine, staged by Brigitte Thom
Production
Lighting by Ronald Bates
Premiere
January 22, 1976, New York City Ballet, New York State Theater. Conductor: Robert Irving
Cast
Suzanne Farrell, Peter Martins; PAS DE TROIS: Renee Estopinal, Wilhelmina Frankfurt, Jay Jolley; PAS DE DEUX: Susan Hendl, Jean-Pierre Frohlich; PAS DE CINQ: Elise Flagg; Bonita Borne, Elyse Borne, Laura Flagg, Nichol Hlinka; PAS DE DEUX: Farrell, Martins; CHACONNE: Farrell, Martins; Susan Pilarre, Marjorie Spohn, Tracy Bennett, Gerard Ebitz, corps de ballet
Performance Type
Ballet
See Also
*170. Orpheus and Eurydice (Orfeo ed Euridice), 345. Orpheus und Eurydike (Orfeo ed Euridice), 399. Orfeo ed Euridice
The finale of Gluck’s opera is in the form of a dance rather than song. This choreography, first performed in the 1963 Hamburg State Opera production of Orfeo ed Euridice [345], was somewhat altered for presentation as the ballet Chaconne and Balanchine added a new pas deux at the beginning for Farrell and Martins. Initially danced in practice clothes; costumes by Karinska were added in the spring of 1976.
Additional Productions
Revisions
Spring 1976, New York City Ballet: Opening ensemble added to ‘The Dance of the Blessed Spirits.’
1978 Paris Opera Ballet
1983 Pacific Northwest Ballet (with San Francisco Ballet)
1983 San Francisco Ballet (with Pacific Northwest Ballet)
1986 Pacific Northwest Ballet
1989 Pacific Northwest Ballet
1992 Pacific Northwest Ballet
1994 Stuttgart Ballet
1995 Miami City Ballet
1996 Pacific Northwest Ballet
2001 Pacific Northwest Ballet
2003 Suzanne Farrell Ballet
2005 State Ballet of Georgia
2007 Cincinnati Ballet
2007 The Suzanne Farrell Ballet
2008 Ballet West
2011 Ballet West
2014 Tbilisi Ballet
2017 Ballet West
2017 Suzanne Farrell Ballet
2018 Boston Ballet
2019 National Ballet of Canada
Recorded Performances
Videos/DVD
1995, Nonesuch, The Balanchine Library: Choreography by Balanchine (excerpts [1978]); 2001, Kultur, Peter Martins: A Dancer (PAS DE DEUX); 2004, Kultur, Balanchine (excerpts)
Film
1978, The Film Company, Peter Martins: A Dancer (PAS DE DEUX)
Balanchine, Arlene Croce, Nancy Goldner, Barbara Horgan
345. Orpheus und Eurydike (Orfeo ed Euridice) 1963
Opera in Three Acts and Five Scenes
Music
Christoph Willibald Gluck (Orfeo ed Euridice, produced 1762, with ballet music from the Paris production of 1774). Libretto by Raniero da Calzabigi, translated by Hans Swarowsky
Choreography
George Balanchine
Production
Directed and choreographed by George Balanchine. Scenery and costumes designed by Rouben Ter-Arutunian
Premiere
November 16, 1963, Hamburgische Staatsoper, Hamburg. Danced by Ballett der Hamburgischen Staatsoper. Conductor: Janos Kulka
Cast
SINGERS: Orpheus, Ursula Boese; Eurydike, Doris Jung; Amor, Ria Urban; and others. DANCERS: SCENE 1: Shepherds and Shepherdesses, 7 women, 4 men. SCENE 2: Furies, 12 women, 12 men. SCENE 3: Night, Angèle Albrecht; 8 Spirits (women), 4 Shadows (women). SCENE 5: CHACONNE: Christa Kempf, Heinz Clauss; Albrecht; Erika Czarnecki, Falco Kapuste; Wilfried Schumann; 9 women, 6 men; PAS DE TROIS: Uta Graf, Heidi Korf, Helmut Baumann; CUPID AND CHERUBS (PAS DE CINQ): Henni Vanhaiden, 4 women; PAS DE DEUX: Dulce Anaya, Rainer Kochermann; Marilyn Burr, Peter van Dyk
Performance Type
Opera
See Also
*170. Orpheus and Eurydice (Orfeo ed Euridice), 399. Orfeo ed Euridice, 400. Chaconne
The CHACONNE of this production, directed and choreographed by Balanchine at the invitation of Rolf Liebermann, formed the basis for the ballet Chaconne [400], first performed by the New York City Ballet in 1976.
Additional Productions
Revisions
1973, Théâtre National de l’Opéra, Paris: Choreography from Hamburg, 1963, performed in a new production of the opera (not directed by Balanchine).
Other Versions
1936, Metropolitan Opera (danced by American Ballet, as American Ballet Ensemble)
