Concerto (ballet)

Concerto is a one-act ballet in three movements created by Kenneth MacMillan in 1966 for the Deutsche Oper Ballet. The music is Dmitri Shostakovich‘s Second Piano Concerto (1957). The ballet premiered on 30 November 1966.

. . . Concerto (ballet) . . .

External video
Concerto – First Movement (Anna Rose O’Sullivan, James Hay; The Royal Ballet), YouTube video
*Concerto – Second movement pas de deux (Marianela Nuñez , Rupert Pennefather, The Royal Ballet), YouTube video
Concerto – Final movement (Kenneth MacMillan; The Royal Ballet) , YouTube video

The ballet is plotless and consists of three movements. The first was originated by Didi Carli and Falco Kapuste. The second movement is a pas de deux originated by Lynn Seymour and Rudolf Holz, and was inspired by Seymour’s warm up. MacMillan had said that he “decided to incorporate the idea of the barre work into the choreography.” The man acts as a “barre” for the female dancer. The third and final movement was intended for a “playful” lead couple, but the male dancer broke his foot prior to the premiere, so MacMillan turned the pas de deux to a female solo, danced by Silvia Kesselheim.[1][2] The ballet also includes a corps de ballet, that dances in unison, originally 16 women and 8 men.[1][2] The original design by Jürgen Rose uses a yellow backdrop, and the costumes are in orange, russet and yellow.[3]

. . . Concerto (ballet) . . .

. . . Concerto (ballet) . . .