Theme and Variations (ballet)

Theme and Variations is a ballet choreographed by George Balanchine to the final movement of Tchaikovsky's Orchestral Suite No. 3. The ballet was made for Ballet Theatre (now American Ballet Theatre), and premiered on November 26, 1947, at the City Center 55 Street Theater, with the two leads danced by Alicia Alonso and Igor Youskevitch.

Theme and Variations
refer to caption
Kansas City Ballet's Tempe Ostergren and Liang Fu in Theme and Variations
ChoreographerGeorge Balanchine
MusicPeter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky
PremiereNovember 26, 1947 (1947-11-26)
City Center 55 Street Theater
Original ballet companyBallet Theatre
Created for

The ballet was well-received and was revived by other ballet companies. In 1970, Balanchine incorporated the choreography of Theme and Variations to Suite No. 3 (now titled Tschaikovsky Suite No. 3),[lower-alpha 1] performed by the New York City Ballet.

Production
Tempe Ostergren and Kansas City Ballet dancers Theme and Variations

Balanchine's Theme and Variations is set to the final movement of Tchaikovsky's Orchestral Suite No. 3.[2] It was commissioned by Lucia Chase for Ballet Theatre (now American Ballet Theatre).[2] The sets and costumes of the original production were designed by Woodman Thompson.[3]

The ballet is plotless and abstract.[2] Like Ballet Imperial (now titled Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2),[lower-alpha 1] Balanchine made Theme and Variations as a tribute to the Imperial Russian ballet style, and he wrote that the ballet was intended "to evoke that great period in classical dancing when Russian ballet flourished with the aid of Tchaikovsky's music."[4]: 175 [5]: 22  It is also regarded as his tribute to Imperial Russian Theater and the ballet The Sleeping Beauty.[6]: 22 

The ballet features a lead couple, created on Alicia Alonso and Igor Youskevitch, plus four soloists and a corps de ballet.[3] Mary Ellen Moylan, who had trained under Balanchine, was offered the female principal role and was asked to join Ballet Theatre, though she opted to rejoin Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.[7] While making the ballet, Youskevitch and Balanchine disagreed as the former wanted to dance like a prince from Swan Lake or Giselle, but Balanchine wanted him to focus on the steps only.[5]: 22  Alonso previously believed that ballet cannot be abstract, and stated she "always have a feeling of being just behind the music" during rehearsals with Balanchine. She also said Balanchine kept giving her and Youskevitch more "complex steps," hoping to eliminate their personalities.[8]: 68  However, the presence of their personalities remained obvious. In rehearsals, Balanchine neither criticized nor approved them, although Youskevitch was convinced that their "romanticized" interpretations were not accepted by Balanchine.[8]: 112  Alonso nevertheless noted she "learned a lot" through Theme and Variations, especially "to listen to each instrument individually," which became helpful when her eyesight got worse.[8]: 112 

Premiere

Theme and Variations premiered on November 26, 1947, at the City Center 55 Street Theater.[5]: 405–406  It was well-received by both critics and the audience.[5]: 22  Lincoln Kirstein, who co-founded the Ballet Society with Balanchine, was pleased that Balanchine achieved success, but jealous that it was with another company.[5]: 22–23  In a letter to Igor Stravinsky on Boxing Day 1947, Kirstein wrote that he and Pavel Tchelitchev both thought Theme and Variations was not Balanchine's best work, "but it appealed madly to the public," and believed that Balanchine had "become recognized" after spending fifteen years in the United States.[5]: 22–23 

Original cast

Source:[9]

Revivals
The Royal Ballet's Darcey Bussell and Carlos Acosta at the curtain call of Theme and Variations

Balanchine debut as an orchestral conductor during a Ballet Theatre performance of Theme and Variations in December 1947.[10] Months after the world premiere of Theme and Variations, the ballet was performed in Cuba, Alicia Alonso's home country, with her and original cast members Igor Youskevitch, Melissa Hayden and Fernando Alonso, alongside members of Ballet Alicia Alonso (now Cuban National Ballet).[8]: 110 

Balanchine's company, the New York City Ballet, performed Theme and Variations for the first time in 1960, with the two lead roles danced by Violette Verdy and Edward Villella respectively. However, Verdy had already danced the ballet with Ballet Theatre before. The costumes of this production were designed by Karinska.[11]

In 1970, when Balanchine made Suite No. 3, (now titled Tschaikovsky Suite No. 3),[lower-alpha 1] a ballet to the whole suite, he incorporated the choreography of Theme and Variations.[12][13] At the premiere, the Theme and Variations portion was danced by Edward Villella and Gelsey Kirkland.[12]

Other ballet companies that had performed Theme and Variations include The Royal Ballet,[14] Kirov Ballet,[15] San Francisco Ballet,[16] Dutch National Ballet,[17] Birmingham Royal Ballet,[18] Boston Ballet,[19] Pacific Northwest Ballet,[20] Houston Ballet,[21] Royal Danish Ballet and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens.[22]

Notes
  1. At the New York City Ballet, the composer's last name is spelled "Tschaikovsky" rather than "Tchaikovsky" as he used the former spelling during a visit to New York in 1891.[1]

References
  1. Macaulay, Alastair (September 25, 2014). "A Four-Work Leap Into the Forefront of Classical Ballet". New York Times.
  2. Marton, John (December 14, 1947). "The Dance: Triumph; A Balanchine Masterpiece For Ballet Theatre". New York Times.
  3. Martin, John (November 27, 1947). "Balanchine Dance in World Premiere; ' Theme and Variations' Wins Approval as Ballet Theatre Offers It at City Center". New York Times.
  4. Scholl, Tim (September 2, 2003). From Petipa to Balanchine: Classical Revival and the Modernisation of Ballet. ISBN 1134873077.
  5. Taper, Bernard (1987). Balanchine: A Biography. ISBN 9780520060593.
  6. Seibert, Brian (December 15, 2005). George Balanchine. ISBN 9781404206410.
  7. Sulcas, Roslyn (April 13, 2021). "Mary Ellen Moylan, 'First Great Balanchine Dancer,' Is Dead at 94". New York Times.
  8. Roca, Octavio (2010). Cuban Ballet. ISBN 9781423615408.
  9. "American Ballet Theatre – Theme and Variations". American Ballet Theatre. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  10. Martin, John (December 18, 1947). "Balanchine Leads Ballet Orchestra". New York Times.
  11. Martin, John (February 6, 1960). "Ballet: Balanchine Work; ' Theme and Variations' Is Revived by Dance Troupe at City Center". New York Times.
  12. Barnes, Clive (December 4, 1970). "Dance:Duo‐Tchaikovsky". New York Times.
  13. Barnes, Clive (December 6, 1971). "Dance: A Roller‐Coaster". New York Times.
  14. Crisp, Clement (October 21, 2010). "Royal Ballet Quadruple Bill, Royal Opera House, London". Financial Times.
  15. Reynolds, Nancy (March 5, 1989). "The Kirov Claims Its Balanchine Legacy". New York Times.
  16. Bauer, Claudia (April 9, 2016). "San Francisco Ballet – Continuum, In the Countenance of Kings (premiere), Theme and Variations – San Francisco". DanceTabs.
  17. Zijp, Isabella (March 30, 2016). "Dutch National Ballet shows beauty and timelessness of Balanchine's choreography in Best of Balanchine". Bachtrack.
  18. Veale, Sara (October 21, 2015). "Birmingham Royal Ballet – Themes & Variations, Enigma Variations, The King Dances – London". DanceTabs.
  19. Basco, Sharon (May 18, 2015). "Boston Ballet Caps Season With A Classic Balanchine And Comical Robbins". WBUR.
  20. Kiraly, Philippa (June 2, 2019). "Balanchine, Limón and an emerging choreographer close PNB season". Bachtrack.
  21. Glentzer, Molly (January 29, 2016). "Everything's new at Houston Ballet". Houston Chronicle.
  22. "Theme and Variations – Oxford Reference". Oxford Reference. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
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