Variation 3: Romance
Composed by Benjamin Britten
1.Theme/Adagio: Full Cast
2. March: Moore, Boggs, Graffin and Dokukin, Kalinin, Roberts, Selya
3. Romance: Herrera, Boggs, Graffin and Black, Brown, Mau, Tuttle, Brown, Chen, Snyder, Sundstrom
4. Aria Italiana: Herrera, Moore, Black, Brown, Mau, Tuttle, Brown, Chen, Snyder, Sundstrom
5. Bouree Classique: Boggs, Graffin, Dokukin, Kalinin, Roberts, Selya, Black, Brown, Mau, Tuttle
6. Wiener Walzer: Harvey, Askegard and Full Cast
7. Moto Perpetuo: Harvey, Herrera, Moore, Black, Brown, Mau, Tuttle, Brown, Chen, Snyder, Sundstrom
8. Funeral March: Harvey, Askegard, Herrera, Moore and Dokukin, Kalinin, Roberts, Selya
9. Chant: Herrera, Moore
10. Fugue and Finale: Full Cast
Paloma Herrera, Kathleen Moore, Cynthia Harvey
Shawn Black, Sandra Brown, Sara Mau, Ashley Tuttle, Gabrielle Brown, Yan Chen, Johanna Snyder, Lisa Sundstrom
Andrei Dokukin, Vladislav Kalinin, Keith Roberts, John Selya
Conductor: Jack Everly
Assistant to Miss Tharp: Shelley Washington Whitman
How Near Heaven was Tharp’s first commission for American Ballet Theatre under the leadership of artistic director Kevin McKenzie. The ballet featured three of the company’s principal ballerinas: Kathleen Moore, Paloma Herrera, in one of her first roles as principal, and Cynthia Harvey, who would retire the following year.
The two young ballerinas (Herrera was only 19 at the time) mirror each other through folk and social dance sequences. Quick steps and explosive jumps characterize their phrases. They are mythological twins – representations of duality and the constancy of change.
The third ballerina is measured and controlled. She is often partnered in high, sustained lifts, elevating her above the action onstage. Poised and mature, she personifies unification.
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Members of the ensemble in performance.
<p>©Richard Greenhouse</p> -
Harvey (lifted) with members of American Ballet Theatre.
<p>©Jack Vartoogian</p>
Dancers of American Ballet Theatre in a 1996 restaging.
Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge for String Orchestra, Op. 10
Composed by Benjamin Britten - 1937
Variation 1: Adagio
Variation 2: March
Variation 3: Romance
Variation 4: Aria Italiana
Variation 5: Bourrée classique
Variation 6: Wiener Waltzer
Variation 7: Moto perpetuo
Variation 8: Funeral March
Variation 9: Chant
Variation 10: Fugue and Finale
Variation 3: Romance
Composed by Benjamin Britten