Jewels Tickets

George Balanchine’s Jewels is considered to be the first full-length ballet without a plot. Inspired by a visit to the Van Cleef & Arpels jewellery store in New York, the choreographer decided to create a work based on the properties of various precious stones for his New York City Ballet in 1967. 

In three parts, a different “jewel” – emerald, ruby, diamond – is at the centre of the choreography, in which George Balanchine – a true visionary of the art of dance – combines the tradition of romantic ballet with a modern approach to dance. In unique costumes by designer Karinska, Jewels combines delicate poetry, noble beauty and humorous coolness and is regarded as the “perfect introduction to ballet”.

Although gemstones give this ballet its name and adorn the costumes, Jewels can also be seen above all as Balanchine’s examination of the history of classical ballet and his own artistic journey through life: We experience the ephemeral beauty of early 19^th century French Romanticism in Emeralds, which almost echoes ballets such as La Sylphide or Giselle. American, 20^th century metropolitan vigour with virtuosic dance and contemporary, jazzy dynamics in Rubies and a homage to late 19^th century Russian classicism and the great ballet master Marius Petipa in Diamonds.

With works by Gabriel Fauré, Igor Stravinsky and Pyotr I. Tchaikovsky, Balanchine’s choice of music for his Jewels is anything but arbitrary: “They composed music that the body can dance to. They invented the ground on which the dancers can walk”, is how he describes Stravinsky, with whom Balanchine had an intensive artistic relationship, and Tchaikovsky as the most important ballet composers.

First performed on 13 April 1967 in New York, Jewels represents the first full-length “abstract ballet” by George Balanchine. The three parts of the ballet, „Emeralds“ (to music by Gabriel Fauré), „Rubies“ (to music by Igor Stravinsky) and „Diamonds“ (to music by Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky) are loosely connected by the idea of gems or jewels; a meeting with the jeweller Claude Arpels was a significant stimulus to Balanchine to create the work. Through the choice of the different composers, the ballet also forms a kind of geographical retrospective of the life of George Balanchine, who spent periods of time in France, the United States and Russia. Manuel Legris’ time as director is also closely connected with the work: after „Rubies“ (2010/2011) and „Diamonds“ (Pas de deux, 2017/2018), the complete work now appears on the programme as his period of office in Vienna draws to a close.

Jewels is a three-act ballet created for the New York City Ballet by co-founder and founding choreographer George Balanchine. It premièred on Thursday, 13 April 1967 at the New York State Theater, with sets designed by Peter Harvey and lighting by Ronald Bates.

Jewels has been called the first full-length abstract ballet. It has three related movements: Emeralds, Rubies, and Diamonds (usually separated by intermissions). It can also be seen as three separate ballets, linked by their jewel-colored costumes. Balanchine commented: "The ballet had nothing to do with jewels. The dancers are just dressed like jewels." Each of the three acts features the music of a different composer: Emeralds is set to the music of Gabriel Fauré, Rubies to the music of Igor Stravinsky and Diamonds to music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Costumes

The costumes were created by Balanchine's long-time collaborator Barbara Karinska, who created a distinct look for each different act: romantic, calf-length tulle skirts for Emeralds, fabric that flared at the hips of both men and women in Rubies, and the flat, classical tutu of the Imperial Russian Ballet for Diamonds. The costumes were such finely crafted pieces of art in their own right that some of them have been exhibited in museums and in theatre lobbies. Even Claude Arpels of Van Cleef & Arpels, who suggested the idea of a ballet based on gems to the choreographer, was impressed with her attention to finding the finest trim that would accurately represent the true glitter of genuine gemstones. Additionally, Karinska's painstaking work is credited with making the costumes last despite the sweat and strain of dancing in them. Her designs, needlework and choice in fabrics made them both durable and danceable, illustrating that the bodies inside the costumes were deserving of her utmost respect. When questioned about her attention to her almost extravagant detail she replied, "I sew for girls and boys who make my costumes dance; their bodies deserve my clothes."