Western Symphony and Serenade by Saint Louis Ballet
Saint Louis Ballet opens the 2024-2025 season October 12-13 with three ballets that offer tremendous variety and demonstrate the artistry of the great George Balanchine and Tony Award-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon. Individual tickets are now available to this mainstage performance that takes place at the Touhill Performing Arts Center, under the direction of director Gen Horiuchi.
George Balanchine’s iconic ballet Serenade is a signature work of New York City Ballet and was the first ballet created by the choreographer in America. A romantic work, set to a lush Tchaikovsky score, Serenade was created in 1934 and although plotless, does nod to classical ballets such as Giselle and Swan Lake. Balanchine incorporated some of the rehearsal moves (entrances, exits, falls) from the dancers of the new School of American Ballet into the final choreography. Serenade, with its dancers costumed in soft blue tutus, is one of the most enduring and beloved Balanchine ballets.
In sharp contrast to the emotional energy of Serenade is the equally impressive Western Symphony. Set on a street in the “old west”, dancers don cowboy hats and dance hall costumes. Demonstrating Balanchine’s fascination with American themes, the ballet incorporates formations and gestures of American folk dancing into the classical ballet steps. Western Symphony accompaniment is an arrangement of American folk tunes by Hershy Kay.
After the Rain Pas de Deux honored the anniversary of Balanchine’s birth with the presentation of world premieres in 2005. Debuted by New York City Ballet, it is a haunting ballet set to Arvo Pärt’s Spiegel im Spiegel. Christopher Wheeldon is an internationally renowned choreographer and artistic associate of the Royal Ballet. He was the first resident choreographer for NYCB. Among his many accolades are Tony Awards for MJ The Musical and An American in Paris on Broadway.
