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Jewels

A Balanchine masterpiece

Adelaide / Tarndanya
July 2024

A man and woman entwined dancing in green emerald costume. — Imogen Chapman and Maxim Zenin
Photo Rainee Lantry

A man and woman dancing closely on stage in red ruby costume. — Ako Kondo and Brett Chynoweth
Photo Rainee Lantry

A ballerina in a white tutu dancing, stood on one leg en pointe, reaching for the sky. — Benedicte Bemet
Photo Rainee Lantry

George Balanchine’s Jewels is a three-part ballet celebrating his vision of three jewels. Visually and thematically structured around the motifs of Emeralds, Rubies and Diamonds, the piece explores the idea of movement radiating from the body through each specific jewel.

Making its world premiere at New York City Ballet in 1967, Jewels showcases Balanchine’s atmospheric musicality. These contrasting works explore his time in Paris, New York and St Petersburg through the harmony of music and the defining visual elements of colour, shape and silhouette. Each of the three acts is distinct in style and mood, set to music by three different composers: Fauré for Emeralds, Stravinsky for Rubies, Tchaikovsky for Diamonds. Opulent costumes and sets unify each of the three sections to achieve one regal whole, which will showcase the breathtaking classical precision of The Australian Ballet’s artists.

A mesmerising spectacle that is both soft and sharp, racy and refined, flashy and majestic, Jewels is a lavish work capturing the company’s celebratory spirit in its milestone 60th anniversary year.

Jewels has been entirely funded by the generous donors of The David Hallberg Fund.

“ "Full marks to The Australian Ballet dancers for imbuing such technically challenging choreography with far more humour and sensuality than is normally found in this act. Their ability to derive such obvious pleasure in their performances is testament to their superior technique, and this carries over the footlights to a very appreciative audience." ”
Limelight | ★★★★★

“ It’s the sort of bedizened fantasy that will no doubt leave the dreamers of Melbourne all agog and wanting more. ”
The Age

Diamonds Rehearsal

Two ballerinas dance during rehearsal in a ballet studio.

David Hallberg's insight

"Each jewel in this ballet has equal beauty and power. Emeralds, soft and mysterious. Rubies, sharp and stylised. Diamonds, brilliant and sparkling. It is a visual feast for the balletic eye and an enormous opportunity for the dancers to tackle one of Balanchine’s greatest masterpieces."

Synopsis and cast sheets

Select a location to view synopsis and cast sheets

Adelaide

A dancer in gold outfit and white tutu leans back, her knee and shin flat against the stage, opposite foot in turnout, other dancers in the same costume are in the background. — Jasmin Durham and Grace Carroll
Photo Rainee Lantry

Australian Ballet artists Imogen Chapman and Maxim Zenin dancing while holding hands on stage in emerald green costumes. — Imogen Chapman and Maxim Zenin
Photo Rainee Lantry

Brett Chynoweth holds Ako Kondo's hands behind her body as she leans towards the stage, one leg pointing to the sky, both in ruby red costume. — Ako Kondo and Brett Chynoweth
Photo Rainee Lantry

Australian Ballet artists Benedicte Bemet and Joseph Caley dancing on a stage in white tutu and costume. — Benedicte Bemet and Joseph Caley
Photo Rainee Lantry

Callum Linnane holds Sharni Spencer's hand extended to the sky, leg extended behind her en pointe, both dressed in emerald green costume. — Sharni Spencer and Callum Linnane
Photo Rainee Lantry

Ako Kondo and Brett Chynoweth stand entwined dressed in red ruby costume. — Ako Kondo and Brett Chynoweth
Photo Rainee Lantry

Mio Bayly and other artists of The Australian Ballet dressed in gold costumes with white tutus dance on stage. — Mio Bayly and Artists of The Australian Ballet
Photo Rainee Lantry

Callum Linnane holds up Sharni Spencer by the waist as she leans back against the floor, in emerald green costume. — Principal Artists Sharni Spencer and Callum Linnane, *Jewels* (Balanchine) 2023
Photo Rainee Lantry

Discover more

Male ballet dancer wearing green vest and white tights walking towards the camera — Drew Hedditch
Photo Rainee Lantry

7 things you need to know about Jewels

George Balanchine’s Jewels can be understood as a series of love letters: to music, to dance, to his star dancers, to the cities and cultures that shaped him.

Learn more

Amy Harris, Benedicte Bemet and Dimity Azoury stands next to each other in red ruby, gold and emerald green costume. — Amy Harris, Benedicte Bemet and Dimity Azoury
Photo Simon Eeles

It's a rhinestone world

Behind the scenes with the volunteers helping to create the costumes for Jewels.

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Production credits

Choreography George Balanchine© The George Balanchine Trust
Music Gabriel Fauré, Igor Stravinsky, Piotr Ilyich Tschaikovsky
Costume design Karinska
Set design Peter Harvey
Staging Sandra Jennings
Original lighting design Ronald Bates, reproduced in 2023 by Perry Silvey

The performance of Jewels, a Balanchine^® Ballet, is presented by arrangement with The George Balanchine Trust and has been produced in accordance with the Balanchine Style^® and Balanchine Technique^® Service standards established and provided by the Trust.

Jewels has been funded by the generous donors of The David Hallberg Fund.

The Australian Ballet is fortunate to have the support and talent of the Embroiderers Guild and the Country Women’s Association who so generously offered their time to help create the costumes for this production.