Balanchine paired the fiery beauty of precious gems with the incredible music of three very different composers to create a ballet in three unforgettable acts. Each is distinct in both music and mood.
Emeralds, with music by Gabriel Urbain Fauré, evokes the elegance, comfort, couture and perfume of the French Romantics’ 19th-century dances. Rubies, with music by Igor Stravinsky, is crisp and witty, epitomizing the collaboration of Stravinsky and Balanchine. Diamonds, with music by Peter I. Tchaikovsky, recalls the essence of Imperial Russia, where Balanchine was trained.