“See the Music, Hear the Dance” – George Balanchine
Performances
Balboa Theatre Downtown, San Diego
Sat, Nov 4, 2023 at 8:00pm Sun, Nov 5, 2023 at 2:00pm
Program
As the father of American ballet, George Balanchine opened the eyes and ears of audiences to the marriage of music and dance. He famously said, “see the music, hear the dance.” Balanchine Extravaganza celebrates that marriage of music and dance with three of Mr. B’s finest works.
Serenade
A milestone in the history of dance, Serenade is the first original ballet George Balanchine created in America.
Choreography
George Balanchine (1935)
Staging
Zippora Katz
Music
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings in C, Op. 38 (1880)
Last performed by City Ballet of San Diego in November 2017 City Ballet’s performance of Serenade is licensed by The George Balanchine Trust
Donizetti Variations
The cheerful 26-minute Donizetti Variations sets a series of effervescent dances to music from the opera Don Sebastien, offering choice but technically challenging roles for two bravura dancers and three supporting trios.
Choreography
George Balanchine (1960)
Staging
Nilas Martins
Music
Excerpts from Gaetano Donizetti’s opera Don Sebastian, Roi de Portugal (1843)
Last performed by City Ballet of San Diego in March 2012 City Ballet’s performance of Donizetti Variations is licensed by The George Balanchine Trust
The Four Temperaments
The Four Temperaments is one of George Balanchine’s earliest experimental works, fusing classical steps with a lean and angular style. The ballet is inspired by the medieval belief that human beings are made up of four different humors that determine a person’s temperament.
Choreography
George Balanchine (1946)
Staging
Nilas Martins
Music
Paul Hindemith’s The Four Temperaments: Theme with Four Variations for String Orchestra and Piano (1943)
Last performed by City Ballet of San Diego in March 2019 City Ballet’s performance of The Four Temperaments is licensed by The George Balanchine Trust
