Sandra Brown, Irina Dvorovenko, Paloma Herrera, Julie Kent, Ashley Tuttle
Maxim Belotserkovsky, Jose Manuel Carreño, Angel Corella, Herman Cornejo, Marcelo Gomes
Oksana Konobeyeva, Ekaterina Shelkanova
Gennadi Saveliev, Carlos Molina
Stella Abrera, Carmen Corella, Erica Cornejo, Erica Fischbach, Cheryl Madeux, Eleena Melamed, Anne Milewski, Maria Riccetto
Giray Atalay, Michael Cusumano, Eric Otto, Alejandro Piris-Niño, Sascha Radetsky, Brian Reeder, Andrew Robertson, Sean Stewart
Conductor: Ermanno Florio
The Brahms-Haydn Variations is a culmination of Tharp’s work in large-cast classical ballets.
Johannes Brahms’ symphony opens with a theme composed by Joseph Haydn and follows it with eight variations and a finale, each with a distinct mood, tempo, meter and use of counterpoint. Tharp incorporated this form into the choreography, which transitions from full-company march to a gentle pas de deux until the finale synthesizes the preceding sections in a passacaglia.
The ballet is an achievement not only in the dance phrases, but also in the organization and management of the large cast. Tharp’s development of counterpoint in the movement throughout the ballet provides a structure through which dancing in the foreground, middleground and background is coordinated.
A brief excerpt featuring members of American Ballet Theatre.
Variations on a Theme by Haydn for Orchestra, Op. 56a
By Johannes Brahms
1. Thema. Chorale St. Antoni. Andante
2. Variation I. Poco più animato (Andante con moto)
3. Variation II. Più vivace (Vivace)
4. Variation III. Con moto
5. Variation IV. Andante con moto (Andante)
6. Variation V. Vivace (Poco presto)
7. Variation VI. Vivace
8. Variation VII. Grazioso
9. Variation VIII. Presto non troppo (Poco presto)
10. Finale. Andante