What does it look like when three of the world's top companies all share the stage in one ballet? We'll soon find out.
New York City Ballet, Paris Opéra Ballet and the Bolshoi Ballet held a press conference from New York, Paris and Moscow through Facebook Live this morning to announce one of the most exciting collaborations we've heard about in years: a joint performance of George Balanchine's Jewels.
The three companies will come together during the Lincoln Center Festival, July 20 to 23, to share the same stage where the ballet had its 1967 premiere. To celebrate the ballet's 50th anniversary, each company will take on one act. POB will perform "Emeralds," and NYCB and the Bolshoi will alternate performing "Rubies" and "Diamonds" throughout the five shows. A complete casting schedule will be announced later on.
Lincoln Center Festival director hinted at the possibility of a live stream for ballet lovers who can't snag a ticket.
In this morning's press conference, the three artistic directors (Aurélie Dupont of POB, Makhar Vaziev of the Bolshoi and Peter Martins from NYCB) pointed out how the refined grace of "Emeralds" reflects Balanchine's years in France, while "Rubies" showcases the jazzy American style and "Diamonds" channels the pristine classicism he learned in St. Petersburg.
The NYCB orchestra will accompany all three companies, with the sets and lighting from NYCB's current production. But each company will bring its own costumes. NYCB will wear the original Karinska designs. POB will wear its Christian Lacroix designs for "Emeralds." And the Bolshoi will perform in its costumes by Elena Zaitseva.
This isn't the first time three companies have teamed up to share a program of Jewels. Four years ago, Pacific Northwest Ballet and Ballet West flew to Las Vegas to join Nevada Ballet Theatre for a performance of the iconic plotless three-act ballet.
But these three world-class companies bring the idea of a Jewels collaboration to entirely new heights. POB has had the ballet in its rep since 2000 and the Bolshoi since 2012. (And of course, NYCB has been dancing it since 1967.) These performances will offer an unparalleled opportunity to compare and contrast each company's approach to Balanchine's steps. Dupont points out that this collaboration will show audiences how dancers from the French school, the Russian school and the American school all tackle the same work differently. Vaziev added that the dancers themselves will be able to enrich their own performances by comparing their approaches. "I can only imagine the wings will be packed with dancers watching the other companies," said Martins.
We have a feeling that Mr. B would approve.
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