George Balanchine

Alive with color, excitement, and spectacular effects, Firebird is a fantastical and thrilling fairy tale about magic, love, danger and liberation. Prince Ivan, a young hunter, strays into a mystical forest where he encounters the exotic, immortal Firebird who gives him an enchanted feather that will summon her when he is in dire need. When Ivan falls in love with a beautiful Princess who is under the spell of the evil sorcerer Kastchei, he calls the Firebird, and the battle between good and evil is joined...

The New York City Ballet performs in Paris after an eight year absence. The production revolves around three great French composers who inspired NYCB founder George Balanchine: Charles Gounod, Maurice Ravel and Georges Bizet. The four ballets performed encapsulate Balanchine’s genius and his very own neo-classical style, they also provide a particular insight on the bonds that tied Balanchine to France. What is known today as Walpurgisnacht Ballet was a ballet choreographed for the opera Faust at the Paris Opera in 1975, it premiered as an independent piece in New York in 1980. Sonatine set to a music by Maurice Ravel, was created by two New York City Ballet's French principals, the recently departed Violette Verdy and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux. La Valse was originally composed by Ravel for the Ballets Russes and Serge Diaghilev, then exiled in France, shortly before Balanchine entered the company. Symphony in C better known as Le Palais de Cristal, premiered at the Paris Opera.

STRAVINSKY IN HOLLYWOOD explores the short-lived film career of this legendary composer, it is the story of his trials and tribulations with the Hollywood Studios, the story of an old school European artist knocking heads with the brash New World. Igor Stravinsky lived in the heart of Hollywood from 1939 until shortly before his death in 1971 - longer than in any other single place. He came expecting to find lucrative work composing for the movies. The film uses a combination of existing archival footage (some of it never before seen), interviews with Stravinsky and his assistant Robert Craft. The documentary includes scenes from several big studio films of the 40s brought together for the first time with the music which Stravinsky wrote for them.

Two of Balanchine’s most beloved ballets, Serenade and Orpheus, in this first release in VAI’s historic series featuring the New York City Ballet in Montreal. Beginning in 1954, NYCB’s Artistic Director and co-founder George Balanchine presented the company in performances produced for Radio-Canada, the Montreal division of Canadian Television. These live telecasts capture legendary dancers in core works of NYCB’s repertoire. Serenade stars Jacques d’Amboise, Diana Adams, and Patricia Wilde. Balanchine himself appears on screen to discuss Orpheus, which stars Nicholas Magallanes and Francisco Moncion dancing the roles they created in the 1948 premiere, and Violette Verdy as Eurydice.

George Balanchine's jewel-themed triptych, strikingly choreographed to the music of Faure, Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky. This three act masterpiece is renowned as the world's first full-length abstract ballet. The Russian-born co-founder of the New York City Ballet, Balanchine was inspired by the artistry of jewellery designer Claude Arpels to create a trio of distinct movements revealing the essence of each precious stone. Each part also evokes three different cities: Paris, New York and St. Petersburg. 'Emeralds' was conceived as a tribute to the French romantic school, with music by Gabriel Faure. The fiery and energetic 'Rubies' taps into the rich tradition of Broadway musicals, with music by Stravinsky. 'Diamonds' honours the grandeur of Imperial Russia and the Maryinsky Theater, choreographed to the music of Tchaikovsky. With its jewel-like costumes, this is a celebration of the influences on the choreographer who was described as the father of American ballet.

Jewels, ballet in three parts choreographed by George Balanchine for the New York City Ballet, recorded in October / November 2005 at the Opéra National de Paris.

Choreographed by an artistic genius, Shakespeare's comedy of magic and love's delusions set to the music of Felix Mendelssohn is a guaranteed audience pleaser. Pacific Northwest Ballet displays all the vitality, brilliance and versatility of its wonderful dancers in this award-winning production of Balanchine's first original full-length ballet.

This enchanting, evening-length ode to Shakespeare’s comedy features Maria Calegari (Titania), Ib Andersen (Oberon), and Jean-Pierre Frohlich (Puck). Set to music by Felix Mendelssohn, this ballet weaves a tale of love and magic in delightful fashion. Robert Irving conducts the New York City Ballet Orchestra.

As young dancers, they were best friends and fierce rivals. Deedee left the stage for marriage and motherhood, while Emma would become an international ballet icon. But when Deedee's teenage daughter is invited to join Emma's dance company and begins an affair with a young Russian star, the two women are forced to confront the choices they've made, the resentments they've hidden and the emotional truths they must face at the turning point.

Posing as the fabulously glamorous Countess Tanya Vronsky, a poor young ballet dancer and her two accomplices are really a team of skilled con artists! They mingle with Europe's high society, always looking for the next wealthy victim to fleece with their fake jewellery scam... Then Tanya meets the dashing young Paul Vernay. At first she wants to rob him. Then she decides she wants to marry him and to leave her criminal past behind her. Her accomplices agree but only if she'll join them in one last, big swindle...

When a handsome young cellist ingratiates himself on the wealthy Cardew family, Mrs Laura Cardew (Frances Doble) appears to become infatuated with him, much to the frustration of her artist husband David (Stuart Rome). Convinced that his wife is having an affair he seizes the opportunity for hideous revenge when Laura suggests that he makes a cast of the musician’s priceless hands.

A ballet version of Shakespeare's play, featuring the New York City Ballet.