Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme (ballet)

This article is about Balanchine's ballet. For Molière's 1670 comédie-ballet, see Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme.

Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme
ChoreographerGeorge Balanchine
MusicRichard Strauss
Librettoafter Molière
Based onMolière's Le Bourgeois gentilhomme
Premiere1932
Opéra de Monte-Carlo
Original ballet companyBallet Russe de Monte Carlo
CharactersMr. Jourdain
Lucille
Cléonte
DesignAlexandre Benois
Setting17th-century France
Created forDavid Lichine and Tamara Toumanova
Genreneoclassical ballet

Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme refers to two different ballets by George Balanchine set to Richard Strauss's Concert Suite (1917),[1] with a libretto after Molière's 17th-century comédie-ballet of the same name.

The first Balanchine Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme ballet was produced in 1932 by the Ballets Russes de Monte-Carlo. In 1979, Balanchine (with the assistance of Jerome Robbins) created all-new choreography[2] for Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, which premiered on 8 April 1979, with the New York City Opera at the New York State Theater, Lincoln Center, in New York City. This production was notable for being the first ballet Balanchine ever choreographed for Rudolf Nureyev[2] (who at the time was 41 years old).

  1. ^ Kisselgoff, Anna. "Balanchine-Robbins Work for Nureyev From Moliere," New York Times (Apr. 9, 1979).
  2. ^ a b Hodgson, Moira. "A Balanchine Ballet for Nureyev," New York Times (April 9, 1979).