Balanchine Catalogue Archive
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369. Suite No. 3 (Tschaikovsky Suite No. 3) 1970
(from 1971 called TSCHAIKOVSKY SUITE NO. 3)
- Music
Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky (Suite No. 3 in G major, Op. 55, 1884)
- Choreography
George Balanchine
- Production
Scenery and costumes by Nicolas Benois; costumes for TEMA CON VARIAZIONI later redesigned by Ben Benson. Lighting by Ronald Bates
- Premiere
December 3, 1970, New York City Ballet, New York State Theater. Conductor: Robert Irving
- Cast
ÉLÉGIE: Karin von Aroldingen, Anthony Blum, 6 women;
VALSE MÉLANCOLIQUE: Kay Mazzo, Conrad Ludlow, 6 women;
SCHERZO: Marnee Morris, John Clifford, 8 women;
TEMA CON VARIAZIONI: Gelsey Kirkland, Edward Villella, 4 demi-solo couples, 8 women, 8 men
VALSE MÉLANCOLIQUE: Kay Mazzo, Conrad Ludlow, 6 women;
SCHERZO: Marnee Morris, John Clifford, 8 women;
TEMA CON VARIAZIONI: Gelsey Kirkland, Edward Villella, 4 demi-solo couples, 8 women, 8 men
Performance Type
Ballet
Note
The first three movements take place in a darkened ballroom with the women’s dresses long and flowing, their hair unbound; in the first movement they are barefoot. In the final movement, TEMA CON VARIAZIONI, the stage brightens, the women appear in tutus and the men are dressed as cavaliers. In 1947, as Theme and Variations, this section was premiered as an independent work.
Recorded Performances
Videos/DVD
1998, Nonesuch, The Balanchine Library: Choreography by Balanchine (ÉLÉGIE [1979])
Television
1979 Élégie (PBS, Dance in America)
Source Notes
Rosemary Dunleavy
330. Theme and Variations 1960
- Music
Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky (final movement of Suite No. 3 for orchestra in G major, 1884)
- Choreography
George Balanchine
- Production
Costumes by Karinska (from Symphony in C [244]). Lighting by David Hays
- Premiere
February 5, 1960, New York City Ballet, City Center of Music and Drama, New York. Conductor: Robert Irving
- Cast
Violette Verdy, Edward Villella, Susan Borree, Judith Green, Francia Russell, Carol Sumner, Conrad Ludlow, Richard Rapp, Roy Tobias, William Weslow; 8 women, 8 men
Performance Type
Ballet
Note
Originally presented by Ballet Theatre, New York, 1947.
