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Balanchine:

Jewels

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Iconic ballet by George Balanchine

Get ready for a journey in a brilliant ballet set to powerful music when Jewels is danced in Norway for the very first time!

‘Unique’ and ‘iconic’ are words that are often used to describe George Balanchine’s full-length ballet Jewels. Each of the three acts is inspired by a different jewel and audiences get to experience three different worlds with music by Fauré, Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky.  

Norwegian National Ballet + Opera Orchestra = perfection 

The Norwegian National Ballet has been dancing Balanchine’s choreographies for years, but this is the first time that the dancers and musicians of the Opera Orchestra are undertaking the endurance test that is Jewels. When the company danced the last part of the ballet, Diamonds, in 2024, many in the audience were entranced by the virtuosic choreography. 

... so delightfully pompous and furiously beautiful that it puts a lump in your throat

Inger Marie Kjølstadmyr, Dagsavisen 

Three ballets in one 

Jewels is considered the first full-production abstract ballet, but has three distinct and different acts: Emeralds, Rubies and Diamonds. 

Balanchine was inspired by the work of jewellery designer Claude Arpel. He wanted to conjure up the essence of three different jewels and create three different moods through dance, colours and music. It starts with the elegant music of Fauré, continues with the fresh tones of Stravinsky and concludes with the grandeur of Tchaikovsky. 

Only dance and music 

Balanchine is famous for cultivating the classic movements of ballet. In his ballets, the steps and music shine in their own right, without any action or unnecessary frills. See the music, hear the dance is one of Balanchine’s many famous quotes. 

 

  • Free introduction one hour before the performance (in Norwegian)
  • Leieproduksjon from Royal Opera House

Artistic team and cast

  • Choreographer
    George Balanchine
  • Music
    Gabriel Fauré, Igor Stravinsky, Pjotr Tsjajkovskij
  • Set designer
    Jean-Marc Puissant
  • Costume design
    Karinska
  • Lighting design
    Jennifer Tipton
  • Realisation lighting design
    Kevin Briard
  • Conductor
    Gavriel Heine
  • Participants
    The National Ballet, The Opera orchestra