George Balanchine was a Russian-born Georgian-American ballet choreographer who was one of the most influential 20th century choreographers. Styled as the father of American ballet, he co-founded the New York City Ballet and remained its Artistic Director for more than 35 years.
The American Ballet was the first professional ballet company George Balanchine created in the United States. The company was founded with the help of Lincoln Kirstein and Edward Warburg, managed by Alexander Merovitch and populated by students of Kirstein and Balanchine's School of American Ballet. Having failed to mount a tour, American Ballet began performing at the "Old Met." After being allowed to stage only two dance performances, Balanchine moved the company to Hollywood in 1938. The company was restarted as the American Ballet Caravan and toured North and South America, although it too folded after several years.
Jewels is a three-act ballet created for the New York City Ballet by co-founder and founding choreographer George Balanchine. It premièred on Thursday, 13 April 1967 at the New York State Theater, with sets designed by Peter Harvey and lighting by Ronald Bates.
Apollo is a neoclassical ballet in two tableaux composed between 1927 and 1928 by Igor Stravinsky. It was choreographed in 1928 by twenty-four-year-old George Balanchine, with the composer contributing the libretto. The scenery and costumes were designed by André Bauchant, with new costumes by Coco Chanel in 1929. The scenery was executed by Alexander Shervashidze, with costumes under the direction of Mme. A. Youkine. The American patron of the arts Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge had commissioned the ballet in 1927 for a festival of contemporary music to be held the following year at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
John Taras was a prominent American ballet master and choreographer.
Tango is a ballet made by New York City Ballet co-founder and founding choreographer George Balanchine to Stravinsky's Tango (1940) arranged 1953 by the composer. The premiere took place June 10, 1982, as part of City Ballet's Stravinsky Centennial Celebration at the New York State Theater, Lincoln Center.
Zakouski is a ballet made by New York City Ballet ballet master in chief Peter Martins to:
Piano–Rag–Music is a ballet made by Todd Bolender to Stravinsky's eponymous music from 1919. The premiere took place on June 23, 1972, as part of New York City Ballet's Stravinsky Festival at the New York State Theater, Lincoln Center.
Ode is a ballet made by Lorca Massine to eponymous music from 1943 by Igor Stravinsky. The premiere took place June 23, 1972, as part of New York City Ballet's Stravinsky Festival at the New York State Theater, Lincoln Center.
Symphony in Three Movements is a ballet made by New York City Ballet co-founder and balletmaster George Balanchine for the opening night of the New York City Ballet Stravinsky Festival, based on Igor Stravinsky's 1942–45 Symphony in Three Movements, with lighting by Mark Stanley. The premiere took place on June 18, 1972, at the New York State Theater, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
Orpheus is a thirty-minute neoclassical ballet in three tableaux composed by Igor Stravinsky in collaboration with choreographer George Balanchine in Hollywood, California in 1947. The work was commissioned by the Ballet Society, which Balanchine founded together with Lincoln Kirstein and of which he was Artistic Director. Sets and costumes were created by Isamu Noguchi.
The Cage is a ballet made by New York City Ballet ballet master Jerome Robbins to Stravinsky's Concerto in D for string orchestra, also known as the "Basel Concerto", which he was commissioned to compose on the twentieth anniversary of the chamber orchestra Basler Kammerorchester; it notably shifts between D major and minor. The premiere took place on Sunday, 10 June 1951 at the City Center of Music and Drama, New York, with décor by Jean Rosenthal, costumes by Ruth Sobatka and lighting by Jennifer Tipton. It was danced as part of City Ballet's 1982 Stravinsky Centennial Celebration.
Élégie is a neoclassical ballet made by New York City Ballet's founding ballet master George Balanchine to Igor Stravinsky's Élégie for solo viola (1944). The first of three ballets made with this title was a pas de deux which had its première Monday, November 5, 1945, on a program of the National Orchestral Society entitled Adventure in Ballet, together with Circus Polka, danced by School of American Ballet students with Todd Bolender as guest artist, and Symphonie Concertante.
Variations is a ballet made by New York City Ballet co-founder and founding choreographer George Balanchine to Stravinsky's Variations: Aldous Huxley in memoriam (1963–64). The premiere took place on Thursday, 31 March 1966 at the New York State Theater, Lincoln Center; Balanchine made a new version for City Ballet's 1982 Stravinsky Centennial Celebration.
Variations for Orchestra is the last ballet made by New York City Ballet co-founder and founding choreographer George Balanchine to Igor Stravinsky's Variations: Aldous Huxley in memoriam (1963–64). The premiere took place on Friday, 2 July 1982 at the New York State Theater, Lincoln Center.
Requiem Canticles is a ballet made for New York City Ballet's Stravinsky Festival by balletmaster Jerome Robbins to eponymous music from 1966 by Igor Stravinsky. The premiere took place June 25, 1972, at the New York State Theater, Lincoln Center.
Jeu de cartes is a ballet in three "deals", composed by Igor Stravinsky in 1936–37 with libretto by the composer in collaboration with M. Malaieff, and with choreography by George Balanchine. The ballet was premiered by the American Ballet at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York City on 27 April 1937, with the composer conducting. The European premier was on 13 October 1937 at the Dresden Staatsoper. The New York City Ballet premiere took place on 15 February 1951 under the title The Card Game at City Center of Music and Drama, New York.
Scènes de Ballet is a suite of dance movements composed in 1944 by Igor Stravinsky. It was commissioned by Broadway producer Billy Rose for inclusion in the revue The Seven Lively Arts that opened at the Ziegfeld Theater on December 7, 1944.
