Jewels

Why it is worth going

Jewels is George Balanchine's evening-length ballet in three parts, by the choreographer who co-founded the New York City Ballet.¹ Its idea came from the windows of Van Cleef & Arpels on Fifth Avenue, where Balanchine paused before displays of diamonds, emeralds and rubies.¹ Emeralds, set to Gabriel Fauré, looks back to the French Romantic ballet of the 19th century; Rubies, to Igor Stravinsky, is sharp-edged and jazz-inflected; Diamonds, to Pyotr Tchaikovsky, closes the evening in the grand Russian Imperial manner.¹ The Royal Danish Ballet dances all three on the Old Stage, conducted by Damian Iorio, with Kelly Lenahan as piano soloist.¹