The Music Center Presents The Mariinsky Ballet And Orchestra's Performances Of George Balanchine's JEWELS

The opening of the 17th season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center (Dance at The Music Center), programmed by TMC Arts, will sparkle as two of the world's preeminent arts organizations, Mariinsky Ballet and Mariinsky Orchestra, return to Los Angeles with five performances of George Balanchine's Jewels at The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion from October 24-27, 2019. Jewels, a fan favorite, was choreographed by Balanchine in 1967 and is considered the first great three-act abstract ballet. The jewel motif, sustained by costumes and décor, is actually a device to unify sections that would otherwise be disparate; each act is distinct in its style and choreographed to music by a different composer. Since receiving its first performance at the Mariinsky in 1999, Jewels has become a core part of the company's repertoire.

"Mr. Balanchine revolutionized the look of classical ballet by taking the standards and technique from the Imperial Ballet School and fused it with other schools of movement, creating his signature 'neoclassical style,'" said Rachel S. Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center. "With Jewels, rather than create a detailed narrative, he used a simple, highly accessible theme to unify the ballet, one that puts the focus on dance and empowers audiences to appreciate the beauty of the movement before them. That accessibility, combined with the legendary performances of the Mariinsky Ballet and the Mariinsky Orchestra, make this engagement the perfect combination for the opening of our dance season; it's a prime example of our commitment to offering Southern California audiences the chance to experience some of the world's top performers and works they won't see anywhere else in Los Angeles."

Balanchine is considered one of the most influential 20th century choreographers. He premiered Jewels for the New York City Ballet in 1967, where he was its founder and director for 35 years. Each of Jewels' three acts is styled and composed in stark contrast to each other, united only by the dancers' dazzling costumes inlaid with colored gems that correspond to the title. The triptych pays homage to the three countries Balanchine called home at various points in his life: France, the United States and Russia.

The first act, "Emeralds," is set to music from Gabriel Fauré's Pelléas et Mélisande and Shylock within a setting featuring a medieval French forest with dancers wearing long Romantic tutus. The high-powered cast includes soloists Daria Ionova and Maxim Zyuzin (October 24; October 26 matinee; and October 27 matinee) and Maria Shirinkina and Konstantin Zverev (October 25 and October 26).

In an energetic counterpart to "Emeralds," "Rubies" features a swordplay of music and choreography between Igor Stravinsky's Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra and Balanchine's suggestion of a jazzy, sporty and life-loving America. The principals for this second act include Renata Shakirova and Kimin Kim and Ekaterina Chebykina (October 24; October 26 matinee; and October 27 matinee) and Nadezhda Batoeva and Philipp Stepin, and Maria Bulanova (October 25 and October 26).

As the final act, "Diamonds" represents Russian Grand Imperial Classicism and the tenets of St. Petersburg ballet. Featuring music from Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 3 in D Major, "Diamonds" features the soloists Alina Somova and Vladimir Shklyarov (October 24); Ekaterina Kondaurova and Andrei Ermakov (October 25 and October 26); and Maria Khoreva and Timur Askerov (October 26 and October 27 matinees).

Alexei Repnikov conducts the Mariinsky Orchestra for these performances. The original creative team for George Balanchine's Jewels featured staging by Karin von Aroldingen, Sarah Leland, Elyse Borne and Sean Lavery; scenery by Peter Harvey (1967); and costumes by Karinska (1967). The ballet's running time is approximately two hours and includes two 20-minute intermissions. Tickets start at $34.

The Ballet of George Balanchine Jewels is presented by arrangement with The George Balanchine Trust and has been produced in accordance with the Balanchine Style and Balanchine Technique service standards established and provided by the Trust.

Programs and artists subject to change.

Tickets for Jewels performances at The Music Center start at $34 and are available online at https://www.musiccenter.org/mariinsky; at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Box Office, 135 N. Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012; or by calling (213) 972-0711. For groups of 10 or more, call (213) 972-8555 or email mcgroupsales@musiccenter.org.

One hour prior to each performance of Jewels, The Music Center will host DANCETALKS led by dance historian and author Elizabeth Kaye. Ticketed guests can join this fascinating behind-the-scenes pre-performance discussion.

As part of its commitment to deepening the cultural lives of Angelenos, The Music Center will host middle and high school students from throughout Los Angeles County at a free performance by the Mariinsky Ballet and Orchestra on Friday, October 25, 2019. Prior to the performance, teachers from the attending schools will participate in an orientation session and receive study guides designed to prepare their students for the experience.

The 2019-2020 season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center continues with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (March 18-22, 2020); Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch with its Palermo Palermo (April 17-19, 2020); and Malpaso Dance Company (May 15-17, 2020), and concludes with The Music Center debut performances of Teatro alla Scala Ballet Company with Giselle (July 24-26, 2020). For tickets and information, call (213) 972-0711 or visit musiccenter.org.