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Four works, four visions, from Balanchine’s neoclassical mythology to Kylián’s intimate pas de deux, Ashton’s breathtaking bravura, and Tharp’s iconic power.
A landmark ballet by choreographer George Balanchine to the music of his close friend and colleague Igor Stravinsky, Apollo follows the young god as he is guided by the muses of poetry, mime, and dance into maturity and artistic clarity. With its sculptural simplicity, clean lines, and serene musicality, Apollo unfolds as a study in balance, order, and transformation.
One of Frederick Ashton’s final and most challenging works, Rhapsody pas de deux was created in 1980 for The Royal Ballet. Choreographed for Mikhail Baryshnikov and Lesley Collier, this pas de deux is dazzling in its expansive lyricism and emotional sweep. Set to Sergei Rachmaninoff’s beloved soaring score, “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini,” this ballet shows Ashton at his most masterful.
One of Jiří Kylián’s earliest works, and one of his few danced in pointe shoes, Nuages is a seamless, daring pas de deux, unique in its humanity and intricate partnering. The challenging nature of the choreography is matched only by the demand of Debussy’s atmospheric score. This ballet is an invitation to enter the intimate world of this partnership.
One of the iconic ballets of the 20th century, Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room demands both raw power and extreme grace from its dancers. Bold kinetic movements blend with Philip Glass’s propelling score, and the marriage of choreography, music, costumes, and lighting creates a transcendent experience for both dancers and audience.