George Balanchine Catalogue

View Record

Search the Catalogue
Introduction to the Database

Preface by Lincoln Kirstein
Background

Chronology: Life and Works
Roles Performed By Balanchine

Chronological Title List
Titles By Category

Festivals Directed By Balanchine
Bibliography
Filmography
Videography

Itineraries Undertaken by
Balanchine's American
Companies

Research Resources
Credits
Acknowledgments

Contact Us: information@balanchine.org

194. BALLET IMPERIAL (from 1973 called TSCHAIKOVSKY PIANO CONCERTO NO. 2)

Music: By Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky (Piano Concerto No. 2 in G major, Op. 44, I879, abridged, rewritten, and rearranged by Alexander Siloti).

Choreography: By George Balanchine.

Production: Scenery and costumes by Mstislav Doboujinsky.

Premiere: June 25, 1941, American Ballet Caravan, Teatro Municipal, Rio de Janeiro. Conductor: Emanuel Balaban. Pianist: Simon Sadoff. (Open dress rehearsal: May 29, Little Theatre of Hunter College, New York. Conductor: Fritz Mahler.)

Cast: Marie-Jeanne, William Dollar; Gisella Caccialanza; Fred Danieli, Nicholas Magallanes; 2 female demi-soloists; 16 women, 6 men.
ALLEGRO BRILLANTE--ANDANTE; ANDANTE NON TROPPO; ALLEGRO CON FUOCO.

Note: A tribute to Imperial St. Petersburg, Petipa, and Tchaikovsky.

Revisions: 1942, Ballerina's first-movement cadenza rechoreographed; 1944, Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo: Corps reduced to 12 women and 4 men, or occasionally one or two more; 1950, Sadler's Wells [later Royal Ballet]: Pantomime deleted and new pas de deux, with extra music, added in second movement; somewhat different groupings in third movement; new scenery and costumes by Eugene Berman; 1964, New York City Ballet: 1944 version with several changes and corps de ballet of 12 women and 4 men; 1973, New York City Ballet: Mime removed, corps increased to 16 women and 6 men.

New Productions by Balanchine Companies: New York City Ballet: 1964, with new scenery by Rouben Ter-Arutunian (based on the 1941 production) and new costumes by Karinska; 1973 (titled Piano Concerto No. 2, then Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2), staged without scenery, with new costumes by Karinska (classical tutus replaced by chiffon skirts), and lighting by Ronald Bates.

Video/DVD: 2005, Zeitgeist Films, Ballets Russes (excerpt).

See also: 193 349 382

Source notes: show...

Stagings: hide...

1942 New Opera Company (New York City—1941-1944)

1944 Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo

1950 Royal Ballet

1952 Teatro alla Scala (Milan)

1964 New York City Ballet

1967 The Australian Ballet

1968 Ballett der Deutschen Oper (Berlin)

1973 Geneva Ballet (Grand Theatre de Geneve [Ballet])

1975 Teatro Nacional de San Carlo (Naples)

1976 Den Norske Opera [Ballet] (Norway)

1980 The Australian Ballet

1980 Compania Nacional de Danza (Mexico City)

1986 Teatro alla Scala (Milan)

1988 American Ballet Theatre

1989 PACT Ballet (Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal—Johannesburg, South Africa)

1991 American Ballet Theatre

1993 Royal Ballet

1993 Boston Ballet

1993 Finnish National Ballet

1993 Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre

1994 Matsuyama Ballet Company (Japan)

1996 American Ballet Theatre

1997 PACT Ballet (Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal—Johannesburg, South Africa)

1997 Tokyo Ballet/Japan Performing Arts Foundation

1997 Pacific Northwest Ballet

1998 Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre

1999 Royal Swedish Ballet

2000 Pacific Northwest Ballet

2002 Perm State Ballet (Russia)

2003 Ballett der Deutschen Staatsoper (Berlin)

2003 Royal Danish Ballet

2004 American Ballet Theatre

2004 Kirov Ballet

2004 Tokyo Ballet / Japan Performing Arts Foundation

2005 Miami City Ballet

2006 Royal Ballet

2007 Pacific Northwest Ballet

2007 The Australian Ballet

2010 Teatro alla Scala (Milan)

2010 Los Angeles Ballet

2011 Mariinsky Ballet (Kirov)

2013 Houston Ballet

2013 Norwegian National Ballet

2014 Australian Ballet

2015 Los Angeles Ballet

2015 Perm State Ballet

2018 Miami City Ballet

2019 Boston Ballet

2019 Het Nationale Ballet (Stitchting Nationale Opera and Ballet)

2020 Japan Performing Arts Foundation/Tokyo Ballet/NBS