Written by Anna Kisselgoff, New York Times , 1984: "What could any choreographer nowadays do with imagery of Ancient Greece that would not look like a cliché? Jerome Robbins supplied the answer at the State Theater with beauty and subtlety Thursday night in the world premiere of his "Antique Epigraphs" for the New York City Ballet. "Rarefied in tone but immediate in resonance, ‘Antique Epigraphs’ is, above all, a work rich in associations. Some of these pertaining to the musi

Stephanie Saland, Simon Schumacher, Helene Alexopolous, Jerri Kumery, Kyra Nichols, Maria Calegari, Victoria Hall, Florence Ftizgerald. Photo by Martha Swioe, 1984. Anna Kisselgoff, New York Times , 1984 “The curtain rises on eight women, standing in profile in single file to the right of the audience. The azure blue surface of a bright Aegean Sea or its dazzling southern sky  dominates the opening moment, introducing this Hellenic world of the imagination. “The all-female ca

Maria Tallchief in her autobiography Maria Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina: George Balanchine (left) Maria Tallchief & Jerome Robbins. Photo by Walter E.Owen, 1950. "Balanchine believed New York City Ballet needed a story ballet in its repertory and hoped Prodigal Son would serve the purpose. The ballet was a success at its premiere in 1929 and had never been seen in America. The Original Ballet Russe had presented David Lichine's version of the Prokofiev score, but it w

In 1950, Balanchine felt that NYCB needed a story ballet in its repertoire, so he revived his 1929 ballet Prodigal Son . He was not especially fond of the ballet because he was obliged to create it on Serge Lifar, who was Diaghilev's favored dancer in the Ballet Russe at the time. Balanchine didn't care for his dancing, but he also felt more personally inspired to create ballets that showcased women rather than men. Prodigal Son was the antithesis of his normal inclination: f

Robert Lyon. Photo by Costas, Arlene Croce: "In his latest work for New York City Ballet, Jerome Robbins uses a Glass score; he even uses...

Photo by Paul Kolnik Robbins: “Misha Baryshnikov asked me for a new work for himself and I said very tentatively—well, I can try, but I...

Bart Cook and Maria Calegari. Photo by Martha Swope, 1983 "Bart Cook and Maria Calegari were stunning as always as he central couple,...

Merrill Ashley, Sean Lavery and Mel Tomlinson. Photo by Martha Swope, 1982. Robbins’ “Concertino” was originally the third part of a...

[37/50] Counting down 50 NYCB Nutcrackers this year with stories from NYCB dancers past and present! Today we hear a Jerome Robbins'...

Balanchine’s Divertimento from “Le Baiser de la Fée” Nancy Reynolds: “Balanchine’s gift for choreographing to the strength of his dancers...

Today NYCB’s 2024-5 season opens and we are all glad to be back at the theater! Returning to the stage for opening night is Jerome...

This week at NYCB, the dancers had the honor of performing Jerome Robbins' Glass Pieces for the composer himself! He sat discreetly in...

“The lights dimmed and dancers inched across the back of the stage while Bart Cook lifted Maria Calegari from side to side. Whereas the...

Cast of Glass Pieces Photo by Martha Swope, 1988 New York Public Library “Glass Pieces is stunning, When it opens with 36 dancers in...

"It seemed as if it would be a relatively ordinary night of repertory on Thursday evening when the New York City Ballet performed at the...

On Robbins’ Other Dances: “The ballet needs a kind of innate eloquence to make its understated, folk-accented solos and partnering shine....

Edwin Denby wrote:“Robbins’ Interplay, once in Billy Rose's"Concert Varieties" and now a success in Ballet Theater's  repertory, is of...

(L-R) Harold Lang, Tommy Rall, Janet Reed, Melissa Hayden [lifted], John Kriza [lifting], Muriel Bentley, Fernando Alonso, Roszika Sabo....

Jerome Robbins choreographed Interplay in 1945, not for ABT, but for Billy Rose's 'Concert Varieties.' "Stirred by dim memories of the...

In an interview with Edwin Denby on Dances at a Gathering, Robbins said, “The second dance, for John Prinz and Allegra Kent, I call it...