NYCB Vol. 19 No. 9 - The Concert & Mr. B

Balanchine (standing front, holding chair) and Tanaquil LeClercq (behind with arms lifted). Photo by Martha Swope, 1956.

"George Balanchine, artistic director of the New York City Ballet and choreographer de luxe, made an unprogrammed appearance in the cast of Jerome Robbins’ new ballet, ‘The Concert,’ at the City Center last night. Because of the illness of Todd Blender, MR. Balanchine took over the mid portions of his role, and Robert Barnett stepped into the dance portions. The audience apparently was none the wiser."

— John Martin, New York Times, 1956

"Balanchine was very fond of The Concert. Not only did he often watch it from the wings, but at one performance, he went on for Bolender on rather short notice. Sam Lurie, whom Robbins had hired as a publicist in 1954, sent Jerry a letter on March 9, 1956, enclosing reviews. Todd had contracted the flu, and Lurie had heard about the resultant backstage scurrying around from lighting designer Jean Rosenthal after the performance. Cuts had had to be made and lighting adjusted. It had been "quite a job getting George into the costume," but he had been brilliant in the opening section"

--Jerome Robbins: His Life, His Theater, His Dance by Deborah Jowitt