The Most Important Ballets

[tangerinetwist]

for your list, Hans. Though there are many truly great ballets, if one were to study any other art form, most would touch on at least one genre and artist of each period in the history of that art form. If one is limited to only ballets of the "Classical Era", the composers are few and set design and costuming would also be limited; choreography would also only show certain characteristics. Also the movement vocabulary of the ballets changes as one begins back with Renaissance dances, to the Romantic Era, through the Classical phase and into Twentieth Century neoclassicism and beyond.

 

In such a way that if I were teaching a music appreciation class, I would be sure the include the big names of Bach and Handel(Baroque), Mozart and Hayden(Classical), Beethoven and Tchiakovsky(Romantic), Stravinsky and Prokofiev(neoclassical). In order to see the differences in structure and composition, there has to be a comparison between categories lest one only think of ballet through tunnel vision glasses.

[Guest coupe66]

Hans, thank you for the list of ballets as well as suggesting Ballet 101. I just checked Amazon, and they have it for under $15.00 new, I believe.

[no1g8r]

As you plan your schedule of live performances and dvd's, be sure to check out the middle alternative, Ballet in Cinema, that is offered through many Carmike theaters. During the course of the school year, they'll simulcast live the following ballets:

 

LIVE: Oct. 9, 2011 Esmeralda (Bolshoi): Oct 9: 11:00 am, 12: 7:00 pm

LIVE: Nov. 20, 2011 The Sleeping Beauty (Bolshoi): Nov 20: 10:00 am, 23: 7:00 pm

LIVE: Dec. 15, 2011 The Sleeping Beauty (Royal Ballet): Dec 15: 2:30 pm, 21: 7:00 pm

LIVE: Mar. 11, 2012 Le Corsaire (Bolshoi): Mar 11: 11:00 am, 14

LIVE: Mar. 22, 2012 Romeo and Juliet (Royal Ballet): Mar 22

LIVE: Apr. 29, 2012 The Bright Stream (Bolshoi): Apr 29

 

It's just another option for seeing some great ballets for folks who live in areas that may be lacking live, top-line professional performances.

 

You can see if there are theaters near you at this link: http://www.balletincinema.com/