On Stage: George Balanchine’s Jewels

The Moxie: On Stage is a new series showcasing world class performances from stages across the globe. Tickets: $20/adults; $15/members & students This series is made possible thanks to a grant from the [Springfield Regional Arts Council](http://www.springfieldarts.org/). Production Summary: Jewels uses three gem stones as starting points to explore an array of musical and dance styles, each intimately connected to Balanchine’s own life and career. Production Information: George Balanchine’s evocation of the sparkle of emeralds, rubies and diamonds is a brilliant ballet classic. The French Romantic music of Fauré provides the impetus for the subtlety and lyricism of ‘Emeralds’, while the fire of ‘Rubies’ comes from Stravinsky and the jazz-age energy of New York. Grandeur and elegance complete the ballet with the splendour of Imperial Russia and the peerless music of Tchaikovsky in ‘Diamonds’. Jewels is a masterclass in the many luminous facets of classical ballet and indeed of The Royal Ballet itself: the virtuoso choreography of Balanchine, the intensity of the soloists and the precision of the entire Company George Balanchine’s glittering ballet Jewels was inspired by the beauty of the gem stones he saw in the New York store of jewellers Van Cleef & Arpels. He went on to make history with this, the first abstract three-act ballet, first performed in 1967 by New York City Ballet. Jewels was performed in full by The Royal Ballet for the first time in 2007, using costume designs from the original NYCB production and new set designs by Jean-Marc Puissant. Each of the three movements draws on a different stone for its inspiration and a different composer for its sound. The French Romantic music of Fauré provides the impetus for the lyricism of ‘Emeralds’. The fire of ‘Rubies’ comes from Stravinsky and the jazz-age energy of New York. Grandeur and elegance complete the ballet in ‘Diamonds’, with the splendour of Imperial Russia and Tchaikovsky’s opulent Third Symphony. Each section salutes a different era in classical ballet’s history as well as a distinct period in Balanchine’s own life. Through it all, Balanchine displays his genius for combining music with visionary choreography.