Duo Concertant (ballet)

Choreography#

Duo Concertant is danced by a man and a woman, alongside a pianist and a violinist, both onstage. In the first of five movements, Cantilena, the dancers simply stand and listen to the music. According to Mazzo, Balanchine told her, “Now we’re going to have them listen.” Mazzo was stunned by the emotional ending, “It was quite unusual for Balanchine in his Stravinsky ballets.”

Production#

Stravinsky and Balanchine collaborated for many years until the former’s death in 1971. The latter then decided to have the New York City Ballet hold the week-long Stravinsky Festival to honor the composer. There were at least 20 premieres, Duo Concertant was made on Kay Mazzo and Peter Martins.

Performances#

Duo Concertant premiered on June 22, 1972, at the New York State Theater. Other ballet companies that have performed the ballet include The Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet and the Suzanne Farrell Ballet.

Videography#

In 1975, Mazzo and Martins reprised their roles in Duo Concertant for the PBS Great Performances program “Three by Balanchine with the New York City Ballet.” In 2004, Duo Concertant was filmed for a PBS Live from Lincoln Center broadcast performance, this time for Balanchine’s centenary celebration, with dancers Yvonne Borree and Peter Boal, violinist Cho-liang Lin and pianist Cameron Grant. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the New York City Ballet released a 2019 archival recording of Duo Concertant online, featuring dancers Megan Fairchild and Anthony Huxley, violinist Arturo Delmoni and pianist Elaine Chelton. In 2021, for New York City Ballet’s first virtual gala, an excerpt of Duo Concertant, danced by Ashley Bouder and Russell Janzen, was featured in a film made by Sofia Coppola.

External links#

• Duo Concertant on New York City Ballet’s website
• Duo Concertant on the George Balanchine Trust’s website