The Grass is Not Always Greener: The Story of the Prodigal Son

The story of the ballet is taken from the Biblical parable and transplanted to Russian soil. Boris Kochno, Diaghilev’s secretary and librettist, took certain liberties to heighten the themes of sin and forgiveness: two attentive sisters were substituted for the obedient son of the original story; how the Prodigal Son “wasted his substance with riotous living” was brought to the forefront by placing it in the present tense; and the story ends with the Son’s return to a grave patriarch (not the celebratory father in the original). Read More

The Creation of an Enthralling Monument of 20th Century Art

Celebrating Balanchine is a spine-tingling program for me because I’m elated that OBT is adding Prodigal Son to our repertoire. Even though I’ve known the basic story all my life, and studied the ballet for years on video, the night I first saw it live in the theater will always be a highlight for this… Read More

The Music Man

George Balanchine was an accomplished musician. In addition to his ballet training he studied piano, music theory, composition and harmony. He loved and respected music. Therefore, it stands to reason that Balanchine’s relationship to his music and especially the composers he worked with is so often written about. Read More

Getting to Know Mr. B.

Though ballet was his life, George Balanchine was a person of complexity and depth. OBT’s “Celebrating Balanchine” program offers a glorious spectrum of his art. Here, we have an opportunity to get a beyond-the-ballet picture of this genius, known to those who worked with him as Mr. B. Read More