''Études'' is a one-act

ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...

choreographed by Danish dancer and choreographer

Harald Lander Harald Alfred Bernhardt Stevnsborg Lander (25 February 1905 – 14 September 1971) was a Danish dancer, choreographer and artistic director of the Royal Danish Ballet. Lander was born in Copenhagen. He started as a dancer, studying under ballet ...

to piano studies by

Carl Czerny Carl Czerny (; 21 February 1791 – 15 July 1857) was an Austrian composer, teacher, and pianist of Czech origin whose music spanned the late Classical and early Romantic eras. His vast musical production amounted to over a thousand works and ...

arranged for orchestra by

Knudåge Riisager Knudåge Riisager (6 March 1897 in Kunda, Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia follow ...

. It is considered Lander's most famous choreographic work and brought him international fame. The work premiered on 15 January 1948 at the

Royal Danish Theatre The Royal Danish Theatre (RDT, Danish: ') is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first ser ...

in Copenhagen with the

Royal Danish Ballet The Royal Danish Ballet is an internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Danish Theatre in Kongens Nytorv, Copenhagen, Denmark. It is one of the oldest ballet companies in the world and originates from 1748, when the Ro ...

, with scenery and costumes by Rolf Gerard and lighting by Nananne Porcher. ''Études'' is considered an homage to

classical ballet Classical ballet is any of the traditional, formal styles of ballet that exclusively employ classical ballet technique. It is known for its aesthetics and rigorous technique (such as pointe work, turnout of the legs, and high extensions), its ...

training. It begins with traditional ballet exercises at the ''

barre Barre or Barré may refer to: * Barre (name) or Barré, a surname and given name Places United States * Barre, Massachusetts, a New England town ** Barre (CDP), Massachusetts, the central village in the town * Barre, New York, a town * Barre (c ...

'' and ends with spectacular bravura displays.Matthew Naughtin, ''Ballet Music,'' 2014, p. 219 The original cast included:

Margot Lander Margot Ella Florentz Lander (23 August 1910 – 18 July 1961), a prima ballerina with the Royal Danish Ballet, was the most important Danish ballerina of the first half of the twentieth century. Born in Oslo to Ella Florentz (1891-?), an opera sin ...

, Hans Brenaa, Svend Erik Jensen, Inge Sand and Inge Goth. Its ABT premiere at the

54th Street Theatre The Adelphi Theatre (1934–1940 and 1944–1958), originally named the Craig Theatre, opened on December 24, 1928. The Adelphi was located at 152 West 54th Street in Manhattan, with 1,434 seats. Internet Broadway Database''Adelphi Theatre''(Ret ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

took place on 5 October 1961 and featured dancers

Toni Lander Toni Lander née Pihl Petersen (1931–1985) was a Danish ballerina who specialized in the ballets of August Bournonville. After becoming a solo dancer with the Royal Danish Ballet in 1950, she was a guest dancer with the Original Ballet Russe in ...

, Royes Fernandez, Bruce Marks, Eleanor D'Antuono and Elisabeth Carroll.

Sections

The order of the various sections of the ballet, as recorded by the Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra and conducted by

Gennady Rozhdestvensky Gennady Nikolayevich Rozhdestvensky, CBE (russian: Генна́дий Никола́евич Рожде́ственский; 4 May 1931 – 16 June 2018) was a Soviet and Russian conductor. Biography Gennady Rozhdestvensky was born in Moscow. H ...

in 1997, include: ''Overture (exercises at the barre)''
''Tendus, Grands battements, fondus and frappes''
''Ronds de jambe''
''Silhouetter-au milieu''
''Adagio''
''Port de Bras et pas de badin''
''Mirror Dance''
''Ensemble''
''Romantic Pas de deux''
''Sortie''
''Conclusion''
''Pirouettes''
''Releves''
''Piques et grands pirouettes''
''Solo for the Prima Ballerina''
''Coda''
''Small Leaps''
''Mazurka''
''Tarantella''
''Broad Leaps (Finale)''

References

Notes Sources * Terry, Walter (1976). ''Ballet Guide''. New York: Dodd, Mead & Co. Ballets by Harald Lander Ballets by Carl Czerny 1948 ballet premieres {{Ballet-stub