The Bolshoi Ballet's JEWELS to Return to The Ridgefield Playhouse

Jewels is an opulent triptych performed by the Bolshoi Ballet, inspired by Balanchine's visit to the famous jeweller Van Cleef & Arpels on New York's Fifth Avenue. Emeralds for the elegance and sophistication of Paris, rubies for the speed and modernity of New York, and diamonds for an imperial St. Petersburg. Three sparkling scenes, accompanied by the music of three essential composers (Fauré, Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky), featuring the styles of the three dance schools that have contributed to making George Balanchine a legend of modern ballet. Jewels is an opportunity to cherish the choreographer's spellbinding work, performed by some of the world's most accomplished dancers, simulcast on the big screen in HD at The Ridgefield Playhouse on Sunday, January 23 at 12:55pm.

Jewels was created by George Balanchine for his troupe of the New York City Ballet in 1967, and is widely considered the first full-length abstract ballet in history. It quickly found success and acclaim as it traveled the world and thrilled audiences. The origin story of this masterpiece has its own mythology: according to one version, choreographer Balanchine and jeweler Claude Arpels first met through a mutual friend, the violinist Nathan Milstein. Later, they found out that they had some interests in common when Balanchine was viewing a window-display of the famous jewelry boutique Van Cleef & Arpels on Fifth Avenue. Balanchine, captivated by the shine of the precious stones, came up with the idea of a ballet where dance would glow and glitter like the light on the edges of a gem.

The three gemstones that provided the inspiration for the ballet are often interpreted to represent three phases in Balanchine's personal and professional life. Emeralds, set to the music of Gabriel Fauré, reflects the sophistication and elegance of France that flourished in the French ballet school; Rubies, to the music of Stravinsky, is in homage to the angular off-beat rhythms of America with its Broadway tradition; Diamonds, set to music by Tchaikovsky, becomes a nostalgic recollection of the crystalline purity of St. Petersburg's imperial ballet school.

The Bolshoi Ballet ("Great Ballet" in Russian) is the leading ballet company of Russia, famous for elaborately staged productions of the classics and children's ballets that preserve the traditions of 19th-century classical dance. The Ridgefield Playhouse offers free tickets to The Bolshoi Ballet in HD series to students 18 and younger as a way for parents to introduce their children to the arts. Free tickets are also available to students 18 and younger for LIVE and Encore HD screenings of The Metropolitan Opera and National Theatre of London. Ridgefield Library card holders and AAA members are also eligible for discounted tickets.

For tickets ($25 | Members & Seniors $20 | Students $15 | FREE for students 18 and under with ID), call or visit the box office, 203-438-5795 or go online at ridgefieldplayhouse.org. The Ridgefield Playhouse is a non-profit performing arts center located at 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main Street, Ridgefield, CT.

To post a comment, you must register and login.