The Brahms-Haydn Variations

The Brahms-Haydn Variations
World premiere date
Premiere location place
Washington, D.C.
Principals

Sandra Brown, Irina Dvorovenko, Paloma Herrera, Julie Kent, Ashley Tuttle

Maxim Belotserkovsky, Jose Manuel Carreño, Angel Corella, Herman Cornejo, Marcelo Gomes

Soloists

Oksana Konobeyeva, Ekaterina Shelkanova

Gennadi Saveliev, Carlos Molina

Ensemble

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

Total number of dancers
30
Runtime
00:19:25
Other program information

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. 

  • Gomes and Herrera in performance.

    <p>© Rosalie O'Connor</p>
  • Dancers of American Ballet Theater perform.

    <p>© Gene Schiavone</p>
  • Tharp observes a rehearsal with Jaffe and Carreño.

    <p>© Twyla Tharp</p>
Videos
Video URL
Video Description

A brief excerpt featuring members of American Ballet Theatre.

Full music program

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

The Brahms-Haydn Variations | American Ballet Theater
David H. Koch Theater
New York, NY
The Brahms-Haydn Variations | American Ballet Theater
David H. Koch Theater
New York, NY
The Brahms-Haydn Variations | American Ballet Theater
David H. Koch Theater
New York, NY
The Brahms-Haydn Variations | American Ballet Theater
David H. Koch Theater
New York, NY
The Brahms-Haydn Variations | American Ballet Theatre
David H. Koch Theater
New York, NY
The Brahms-Haydn Variations | Houston Ballet
Wortham Theater Center
Houston, TX
The Brahms-Haydn Variations | Houston Ballet
Brown Theater - Wortham Center
Houston, TX
The Brahms-Haydn Variations | Weiner Staatsballett
Wiener Staatsoper
Vienna, Austria
The Brahms-Haydn Variations | Weiner Staatsballett
Wiener Staatsoper
Vienna, Austria
The Brahms-Haydn Variations | Weiner Staatsballett
Weiner Staatsoper
Vienna, Austria
The Brahms-Haydn Variations | American Ballet Theatre
The Metropolitan Opera House
New York, New York
The Brahms-Haydn Variations | American Ballet Theatre
Civic Opera House
Chicago, IL
The Brahms-Haydn Variations | Staatsoper Unter der Linden
Staatsoper Unter der Linden
Berlin, Germany
The Brahms-Haydn Variations | American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
New York, NY
The Brahms-Haydn Variations | American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
New York, NY
The Brahms-Haydn Variations (premiere) | American Ballet Theatre
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, DC