The Philadelphia Ballet announced Bold, Brilliant, Balanchine. Part of the Philadelphia Ballet’s 2021-2022 season, this program features three of George Balanchinethe company’s famous ballets, including Symphony in C, Divertimento No. 15 and the iconic Stars and Stripes, which the company will present for the first time in three decades. The program offers only five performances, from March 17 to 20, at the Academy of Music at the Kimmel Cultural Campus. Tickets are now on sale at philadelphiaballet.org.
“Bold, Brilliant, Balanchine is a chance for our company to stage three of Balanchine’s most renowned works while showcasing the strength and abilities of our dancers,” said Angel Corella, Artistic Director. “Balanchine’s influence is fundamental to the identity of our company, and it is an honor to continue to celebrate his enduring legacy.”
George Balanchine‘s fame as the father of American Ballet is on full display in this trio of technically demanding neoclassical ballets. Symphony in C, composed by a 17-year-old Georges Bizet, is a masterpiece in four movements with more than 50 dancers. A hallmark of this ballet is its spectacular finale, using the entire cast in an impressive display of Balanchine’s use of precision and space. Mozart’s Divertimento No. 15 features an asymmetrical cast (five female lead dancers to three male lead dancers) that carves out a complex but lively pattern of pairings and re-pairings. The sparkling, crystal-clear ballet is danced to one of Mozart’s most impressive musical achievements.
To close the program, Stars and Stripes is a vibrant tribute to Americana, on the music of Jean Philippe Sousa and Hershy Kay. Performed by the Philadelphia Ballet in 2022 for the first time in three decades, this work is filled with marches, salutes, kicks and struts, a vibrant display of patriotism and athleticism. Philadelphia Ballet Musical Director and Conductor Beatrice Jona Affron conducts the Philadelphia Ballet Orchestra for all performances.
“Our late founder Barbara Weisberger was a Balanchine protege, and it’s always a real pleasure for us to bring Balanchine’s singular works to life for our audiences,” said Shelly Power, Executive Director. “Between the three works there is something for everyone, and combined they are a powerful demonstration of Balanchine’s mastery of form.”
Bold, brilliant, Balanchine opens on March 17 and presents only five performances, until March 20, at the Academy of Music on the cultural campus of Kimmel. Buy your tickets online at philadelphiaballet.org or call Ticket Philadelphia at 215-893-1999. Tickets start at $25.
