Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Theme and Variations (ballet)

Theme and Variations is a ballet choreographed by George Balanchine to the final movement of Tchaikovsky's Orchestral Suite No. 3. The ballet was made for Ballet Theatre (now American Ballet

Production#

Balanchine’s Theme and Variations is set to the final movement of Tchaikovsky’s Orchestral Suite No. 3. The sets and costumes of the original production were designed by Woodman Thompson. The ballet features a lead couple, created on Alicia Alonso and Igor Youskevitch, plus four soloists and a corps de ballet. Mary Ellen Moylan, who had trained under Balanchine, was offered the female principal role and was asked to join Ballet Theatre, though she opted to rejoin Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. While making the ballet, Youskevitch and Balanchine disagreed as the former wanted to dance like a prince from Swan Lake or Giselle, but Balanchine wanted him to focus on the steps only. Alonso nevertheless noted she “learned a lot” through Theme and Variations, especially “to listen to each instrument individually,” which became helpful when her eyesight got worse.

Premiere#

Theme and Variations premiered on November 26, 1947, at the City Center 55 Street Theater.

Original cast#

Alicia Alonso
Melissa Hayden
Paula Lloyd
Cynthia Riseley
Anna Cheselka
Igor Youskevitch
Fernando Alonso
Fernand Nault
Zachary Solov
Eric Braun Source:

Revivals#

Balanchine debut as an orchestral conductor during a Ballet Theatre performance of Theme and Variations in December 1947. Months after the world premiere of Theme and Variations, the ballet was performed in Cuba, Alicia Alonso’s home country, with her and original cast members Igor Youskevitch, Melissa Hayden and Fernando Alonso, alongside members of Ballet Alicia Alonso (now Cuban National Ballet). In 1970, when Balanchine made Suite No. 3, (now titled Tschaikovsky Suite No. 3), a ballet to the whole suite, he incorporated the choreography of Theme and Variations. At the premiere, the Theme and Variations portion was danced by Edward Villella and Gelsey Kirkland. Kirov Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Boston Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Houston Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens.

Composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky