Australia Dancing - Ballet Imperial

Ballet Imperial

Stringer, Walter: Gailene Stock and Paul Wright in George Balanchine's 'Ballet Imperial', the Australian Ballet, 1967?

Ballet Imperial has been performed in Australia solely by the Australian Ballet, its Australian premiere taking place at the Tivoli theatre, Sydney, on 26 October 1967. This work was created by George Balanchine for the American Ballet Caravan in 1941. Set to Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No 2 in G major, it is generally hailed as Balanchine's tribute to the environment of his early dance training in St Petersburg, paying homage to Marius Petipa and the Imperial Ballet School. While the choreography of Ballet Imperial is rooted in Russian classicism, it is overlaid with the clarity and speed associated with Balanchine’s emerging American style and is particularly notable for the formations and constant motion of the corps de ballet. While evoking the aura of nineteenth century classical story ballets, Ballet Imperial is essentially a pure dance work. The original choreography did, however, include elements of mime which Balanchine excluded and then reinstated over the years.

The inaugural Australian production of Ballet Imperial was staged for the Australian Ballet by Victoria Simon who had toured to Australia nine years earlier with the New York City Ballet. Design was by Kenneth Rowell, using azure and gold draperies to evoke the colours of the Maryinsky Theatre. Marilyn Jones, Warren de Maria and Janet Karin led the opening cast, with Henri Penn performing the piano solo. Wendy Pomroy, the company’s regular piano soloist, also played doing the premiere season. This production toured to the London Coliseum in 1973, featuring Lucette Aldous, Garth Welch and Gailene Stock. Two ballets created on the company were included in the program, Glen Tetley's Gemini and Robert Helpmann's Sun Music.

The Australian Ballet's 1980 revival used design created by Ben Benson for the New York City Ballet's 1979 season. This production opened at the Sydney Opera House on May 8, 1980, with Joanne Michelle, Martin Raistrick and Lois Strike in lead roles and with Garry Laycock the piano soloist.

Ballet Imperial is programmed in the 2008 'French Connections' season in Adelaide and the 'Ballet Imperial' divertissements season in Melbourne. This production features design by Hugh Colman.

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Articles - New York Public Library Dance Collection
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