This performance features a double bill paying homage to choreographer George Balanchine, including his abstract work 'Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet' and the joyous neoclassical ballet 'Who Cares?'. Both pieces are celebrated for their dynamic energy and connection to influential 20th-century music.
The production honors George Balanchine, a pivotal figure in 20th-century neoclassical ballet. The first piece, 'Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet' (1966), is Balanchine's initial abstract ballet, choreographed to Arnold Schoenberg's orchestration of Johannes Brahms's Piano Quartet No. 1. This dynamic, one-act ballet is structured into four parts, each reflecting a distinct mood and style, showcasing 55 dancers.
The second ballet, 'Who Cares?' (choreographed to George Gershwin's music), is a vibrant 40-minute neoclassical work and one of Balanchine's most joyful creations. Its title is borrowed from a song by George and Ira Gershwin. Described as evoking the spirit of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, this ballet is characterized by its fast-paced, cheeky style, exuberant American energy, and pure, unmitigated joy.