May 10-19, 2024

Jewels

About the Show – Kansas City Ballet Premiere

BALANCHINE SPARKLES WITH THESE THREE BALLET GEMS!

Balanchine paired the fiery beauty of precious gems with the incredible music of three very different composers to create a ballet in three unforgettable acts. Each is distinct in both music and mood.

Emeralds, with music by Gabriel Urbain Fauré, evokes the elegance, comfort, couture, and perfume of the French Romantics’ 19th-century dances. Rubies, with music by Igor Stravinsky, is a jazzy, high-energy piece that showcases Balanchine’s signature neoclassical style. Diamonds, with music by Peter I. Tchaikovsky, recalls the essence of Imperial Russia, where Balanchine was trained.

The ballet features lavish costumes and sets, and the choreography is known for its technical difficulty and precision. Jewels is considered one of Balanchine’s greatest works and is a beloved piece in the repertoire of many ballet companies around the world.

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The Story Of Jewels

Jewels is a three-act ballet created for the New York City Ballet by co-founder and founding choreographer George Balanchine. It premiered in April 1967 at the New York State Theater.

Jewels has been called the first full-length abstract ballet. It has three related movements: Emeralds, Rubies, and Diamonds (usually separated by intermissions). It can also be seen as three separate ballets, linked by their jewel-colored costumes. Balanchine commented: “The ballet had nothing to do with jewels. The dancers are just dressed like jewels.”

Pre-Curtain Talks

Free for all ticketholders, arrive early and hear about the show you are about to see. Learn how music, special effects, and costumes all make magic on stage by attending the pre-curtain talk, Belger Footnotes, hosted by Artistic Director Devon Carney.

Held at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts one hour prior to curtain. No reservation is necessary.

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