Celebrated for its extraordinary dancers and unique repertoire, the New York City Ballet is one of the world’s most prestigious dance companies. After a 8-year absence from French stages, in July 2016 at the Théâtre du Châtelet they presented an exceptional evening dedicated to the French composers who inspired their founder George Balanchine: Charles Gounod, Maurice Ravel, and Georges Bizet.
Premiered between 1925 and 1980, the choreographies performed are typical of the Russian choreographer’s signature neoclassical style, and demonstrate the incredible extent of his genius. They begin with the ballet from Gounod’s opera Faust, a work Balanchine would choreograph multiple times over the course of 50 years, eventually resulting in the stand-alone ballet Walpurgisnacht. Two ballets choreographed to music by Ravel—Sonatine, and La Valse—follow, both works with strong ties to Balanchine’s time in Paris. The performance culminates with Le Palais de Cristal (“The Crystal Palace”), choreographed to Georges Bizet’s Symphony in C. Don’t miss this spectacular homage to Balanchine, performed with breathtaking technique and marvelous energy by some of the world’s greatest dancers!
