The David H. Koch building: Balanchine’s “Jewels”: a 3 parts ballet: “Emeralds”/ “Rubies” / “Diamonds” Thursday September 21st, 2023.
Welcome back friends to our new 2023-24 New York cultural season!
Yay!
Welcome this week to launch the season, to the gorgeous world of ballet.
Yay!
So welcome to “Jewels”, an iconic, 1967, plotless, classical, Balanchine ballet, performed by the NYCB, featuring a unique, unbelievably poetic work, filled with clusters of unusual, charming, graceful “excerpts” extracted from romantic, at times also, joyful, and always, lavish scores.
Yay!
And “Jewels” displays as well, superb, passionate, glorious pas de deux’, from a magnificent, scintillating, mythical, Balanchine choreography, showcasing wonderful NYCB personalities, dancing to highly jeweled costumes, designed by the one and only, Karinska.
Wow!
And finally, “Jewels”, is interestingly a ballet inspired by a previous 1947 Balanchine “Palais de Cristal” ballet, and by a visit by Balanchine as well, to famed jewelers Van Cleef and Arpels, which led Balanchine to select these three shimmering gems (emeralds, rubies, and diamonds), for this stunning work, which to me also, pays homage to three “ballet” countries which were extremely dear to Balanchine: France, the United States, and of course, Russia.
Yay!
So get ready for unsurpassed, dazzling and enduring, timeless beauty.
Yay!
1) With “Emeralds”, first, in my mind, it is France, and its elegance and romantic character, that Balanchine celebrates, with his “Emeralds” first “act”.
An “old world” charm enhanced by the entire production and choreography: the set design (delicate morning dew drops hanging from spider webs), the sparkling and shimmering costumes: long, light, airy, tulle like green hued tutus, and visually as well, in the choreography the awesome looking “port de bras” throughout the entire piece from all the dancers, were particularly graceful to watch.
Yay!
Of course most importantly also, the unbelievably gorgeous score by Fauré added to the overall romantic atmosphere, in particular, an excerpt of “Pelléas et Mélisande”, which portrays a short, yet powerfully intense happiness, encapsulated by a “sicilienne” mouvement, featuring two “doomed” love birds.
Wow!
Additionally, Balanchine also chose from Fauré, excerpts from “Shylock”, a French verse adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Merchant of Venice”, and I especially enjoyed the “Nocturne” mouvement.
Yay!
And last Thursday the NYCB dancers were particularly focused, graceful, light on their feet, and precise in their footwork, which the audience loved, of course.
Yay!
And two dancers particularly stood out for me: principal dancer Mira Nadon, and Megan LeCrone, who were both in top form.
Yay!
Let’s take a look at a short excerpt of “Emeralds” danced by a different company:
So classically beautiful and what incredible “port de bras”.
Wow!
And finally, the graceful restrained “mood” rendered on stage, reminded me not only of some romantic Van Cleef “ballerinas” actual jewels, but evoked as well in particular, “La Camargo”, a “star” of her time; an 18th century French ballerina, whom we can find depicted delicately dancing, in a beautiful “Fête galante” like painting, by 18th century Nicolas Lancret, a talented student of world famous, Watteau: look at how much this Van Cleef ballerina, is the spitting image of the magically evocative Lancret painting found below, and the same focused gracefulness was found on stage last Thursday.
Yay!
So gorgeous.
So incredible. So close in “atmosphere” as a jewel, a painting, or a ballet.
Wow!
2) With “Rubies”, this second “act” of “Jewels” was the “crowning act” of this ballet in my opinion, danced at warp speed, with incredible energy, joy, unusual steps at times, and one could feel how close collaborators and friends Balanchine and Stravinsky must have been.
Wow!
It also seems to me, that Rubies is dedicated to the United States, with in particular, the fabulous glittering, glowing, geometric “gem” set design, the flaming red scintillating, more “risqué” modern, short, sparkling “tutus” like /skirts. Of course, it is even more enhanced by the classic yet modern Balanchine choreography, almost “clowning” dancing at times, which also evoke, (for me at least), the early, “spunky”, free thinking, original, 20th century performers/celebrities found in the U.S., from saloons, music halls, to “musicals”, and even modern “flappers”, such as Zelda Fitzgerald.
Yay!
Also, and most importantly, Stravinsky’s vibrant almost modern sounding music (he had just become an American), with a piece entitled “Capriccio” for piano and Orchestra, whose energetic, enthusiastic, optimistic sounds and super fast tempo add to the impression of “jazzy” years in America. And to me this second “Rubies” “act” mirrors as well America’s founding values, its energy, enthusiasm, joy, freedom of speech, quirkiness, and modern take on life.
Yay!
And the dancers last Thursday were all superb, joyful and alive while performing it, especially as the tempo sped up at the very end of the piece.
Yay!
And Emma Von Enck, principal dancer Jovani Furlan, and Christina Clark were particularly on fire.
Yay!
Let’s watch now a short excerpt of “Rubies” by the NYCB, and listen to what another former NYCB dancer, Sterling Hyltin has to say about “Rubies”, and watch and listen to the modernity of the steps and of the music:
Just incredibly alive.
Wow!
3)And last but not least, with “Diamonds”, the third and final “act” of “Jewels”, the audience was totally mesmerized and awe-struck by not only, the spectacular and enchanting wintery set evoking the cold and purity, or the gorgeous, elegant, crisp and solemn white costumes, but especially, by the perfectly performed choreography from a great number of dancers on stage, most of the NYCB company, reminiscent of grandiose imperial evenings at times, giving even more gravitas to the work.
Wow and yay!
Another Balanchine choreography brought to life musically, most beautifully, by some fabulously awesome Tchaikovsky excerpts (symphony #3 in D major Op 29). Like many, I simply adore Tchaikovsky’s unique, visceral, highly emotional and expressive, almost fairy-tale like, drop dead gorgeous compositions for classical ballet.
Yay!
Reminiscent at times, also, (for me) of a lovely fall of scintillating snow, glittering in the sunlight in wintertime, as diamonds sometimes do too.
Yay!
Of course, one thinks also, of poetic Russian folk poems, I associate with winter, such as the famous “Ruslan and Ludmila”, by Pushkin; which tells the (very long) story of the abduction of Ludmila, the daughter of Prince Vladimir, by an evil wizard; and the attempt by a brave knight, Ruslan, to find and rescue her.
Let’s now watch a short excerpt of “Diamonds” danced by another company, and pay attention to how solemn this piece is:
Wow!
So, to sum up my feelings, about “Jewels”, performed last Thursday by the NYCB, and admired in great company: what iconic, delightful, elegant, romantic, charming, expressive, at times fun, glorious, wonderful, imaginative, beautiful, imperial Balanchine ballet, set to stunning sets, costumes, and classical music gems.
Wow and yay!
Just awe-inspiring.
Not to be missed!
Until next time friends!
Yay!
Soft…
Fluttering…
Sunny…
Joyful…
Happy…
Loving…
Eternal butterflies 😊