Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 (ballet)

Ballet Imperial#

In 1941, impresario Lincoln Kirstein was invited by his friend Nelson Rockefeller to organize a dance tour across South America subsidized by the US government. Rockefeller, who had been appointed Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was given a budget to build cultural and financial relations in South America amid World War II. Kirstein brought in choreographer George Balanchine, and the two hurriedly formed the American Ballet Caravan, with dancers from their two previous troupes, American Ballet and Ballet Caravan. Most of the dancers had trained at the School of American Ballet under Balanchine. Ballet Imperial had subsequently been redesigned many times, by designers such as Eugene Berman, Carl Toms, Rouben Ter-Arutunian and Karinska, all inspired by Imperial Russia.

Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2#

In 1973, Balanchine stripped all allusions to Imperial Russia in the ballet and renamed it Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2, with the ballet standing only in relation to the music. Balanchine also removed the mime passage in the ballet. In his 1977 book Balanchine’s Complete Stories of the Great Ballets, he explained the changes, I made these changes because the times have changed since the ballet was first done. Our audiences these days don’t require elaborate costumes and decoration in a ballet, and rightly so. We see dancing better than we used to and prefer to see it directly, unencumbered. The music and the dancing themselves are enough here, I hope, to form illusions that scenery and costumes only made specific. Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 was first staged at the New York City Ballet, and was danced before a plain cyclorama. Karinska redesigned the costumes, with the women in mid-calf chiffon dresses rather than tutus. The costumes were redesigned several times throughout the years.

Choreography#

Ballet Imperial pays tribute to Petipa, Tchaikovsky and imperial Saint Petersburg, where Balanchine received his ballet training. Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2, with no allusions to Imperial Russia, is “a work that alludes only to its Romantic, evocative score through powerful kinetic expressiveness,” as described in the International Encyclopedia of Dance by Reba Ann Adler. Balanchine described, “It is a dance ballet and has no story.” The choreography features academic steps inspired by Petipa. The ballet is danced by two principal ballerinas, a partner for the first ballerina, two men supporting the second ballerina, two female demi-soloists and a corps de ballet. The first ballerina role, originated by Marie-Jeanne, is considered one of the most difficult roles among Balanchine’s works. The role of her partner, however, is more subdued, serving mostly as a supporter for the lead ballerina. In Ballet Imperial, he performs a mime passage. The second ballerina role was created because it would be impossible for one ballerina to dance to all the cadenza. Though corps de ballet in Petipa’s days were merely background to the soloists, the corps in Ballet Imperial are active participants that dances challenging choreography like the principal dancers.

Original cast#

The dancers who originated the five lead roles in Ballet Imperial are: *Marie-Jeanne *Gisella Caccialanza *William Dollar *Fred Danieli *Nicholas Magallanes

Performances#

Ballet Imperial had a preview performance on May 29, 1941, at the Little Theater of Hunter College, New York. The ballet then officially premiered on June 25, 1941, at Teatro Municipal, Rio de Janeiro, during the first performance of the tour. American Ballet Caravan performed in nine countries, and the tour ended in October, after which the troupe disbanded. In 1942, Ballet Imperial was performed at the New Opera, with a cast led by Mary Ellen Moylan, Dollar and Caccialanza. In 1950, the Sadler’s Wells Ballet (now the Royal Ballet) debuted the ballet with Margot Fonteyn, Michael Somes and Beryl Grey in the lead roles. The premiere of Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 in 1973, also by the New York City Ballet featured a cast led by Patricia McBride, Peter Martins, Colleen Neary, Tracy Bennett and Victor Castelli. Other ballet companies that had danced Ballet Imperial or Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 include the Paris Opera Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Australian Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Houston Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Finnish National Ballet, Los Angeles Ballet, and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre.

External links#

• Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 on the New York City Ballet
• Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 on the George Balanchine Trust website
• Ballet Imperial on the George Balanchine Trust website