''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 an ...
arranged for orchestra by
Knudåge Riisager. 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 s ...
in Copenhagen with the
Royal Danish Ballet
The Royal Danish Ballet ( Danish: ''Den Kongelige 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 a ...
, 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 en pointe, pointe work, turnout (ballet), turnout of the legs, ...
training. It begins with traditional ballet exercises at the ''
barre'' and ends with spectacular bravura displays.
[Matthew Naughtin, ''Ballet Music,'' 2014, p. 219]
The original cast included:
Margot Lander, Hans Brenaa, Svend Erik Jensen, Inge Sand and Inge Goth. Its
ABT premiere at the
54th Street Theatre in
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
New York may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* ...
took place on 5 October 1961 and featured dancers
Toni Lander, 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 (; 4 May 1931 – 16 June 2018) was a Soviet and Russian conductor, pianist, composer, and pedagogue.
Biography
Gennady Rozhdestvensky was born in Moscow. His parents were the noted conductor and pedagog ...
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 ballets
{{Ballet-stub