Stars and Stripes (ballet)

Stars and Stripes is a ballet in five "campaigns," choreographed by George Balanchine in 1958 to original music by John Philip Sousa, arranged by Hershy Kay. It lasts an average of 28 minutes.

The ballet, which evokes Fourth of July parades, is one of several of Balanchine salutes to his adoptive country. It is a full-company ballet complete with baton twirling, military marching and a regiment of rifle-bearing ballerinas. The fourth campaign is a challenging pas de deux with a coda set to the Liberty Bell and El Capitan marches which shows the virtuosity of the dancers.

The original cast included four New York City Ballet stars of their time: Canadian ballerina Melissa Hayden and Americans Jacques d'Amboise, Allegra Kent and Diana Adams. It premiered January 17, 1958 at City Center of Music and Drama, New York, with costumes by Barbara Karinska and lighting by Mark Stanley. When Balanchine was asked for his reason to choreograph a ballet to Sousa's marches, he famously replied: "Because I like his music."

This ballet was performed for many memorable occasions, including Nelson Rockefeller's inauguration as governor of New York, tributes to Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, and the opening ceremonies for the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center. The ballet is dedicated to the memory of Fiorello H. LaGuardia, mayor of New York City and founder of the City Center of Music and Drama, City Ballet's first home. It is still traditionally performed by NYCB on or around the 4th of July during their residency at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Music

• Stars and Stripes: First Campaign, 1st Regiment ('Corcoran Cadets')
• Stars and Stripes: Second Campaign, 2nd Regiment ('Rifle Regiment')
• Stars and Stripes: Third Campaign, 3rd Regiment ('Thunder and Gladiator')
• Stars and Stripes: Fourth Campaign ('Liberty Bell' and 'El Capitan')

• Stars and Stripes: Fifth Campaign, All Regiments ('Stars and Stripes')
  • Variation I
  • Variation II
  • Coda: Allegro molto
  • Finale: The Stars and Stripes Forever

Casts

NYCB revivals

2009 Saratoga Springs

First Campaign

• Erica Pereira

Second Campaign

• Savannah Lowery

Third Campaign

• Adam Hendrickson

Fourth Campaign

• Ashley Bouder

• Andrew Veyette

2010 Fall

first cast

First Campaign

• Erica Pereira

Second Campaign

• Savannah Lowery

Third Campaign

• Daniel Ulbricht

Fourth Campaign

• Sara Mearns

• Charles Askegard

second cast

First Campaign

• Erica Pereira

Second Campaign

• Gwyneth Muller

Third Campaign

• Daniel Ulbricht

Fourth Campaign

• Ashley Bouder

• Andrew Veyette

third cast

First Campaign

• Erica Pereira

Second Campaign

• Gwyneth Muller

Third Campaign

• Adam Hendrickson

Fourth Campaign

• Teresa Reichlen

• Charles Askegard

fourth cast

First Campaign

• Erica Pereira

Second Campaign

• Gwyneth Muller

Third Campaign

• Adam Hendrickson

Fourth Campaign

• Ashley Bouder

• Charles Askegard

2011 Winter

First Campaign

• Erica Pereira

Second Campaign

• Megan LeCrone

Third Campaign

• Adam Hendrickson

Fourth Campaign

• Sara Mearns

• Charles Askegard

References

• Playbill, New York City Ballet, Friday, June 27, 2008
• Center Stage, film, 2000.

Reviews

• NY Times by Alastair Macaulay, February 9, 2008

• NY Times by Alastair Macaulay, June 30, 2008

• NY Times by Roslyn Sulcas, October 2, 2010

External links

• Balanchine Foundation website

• Balanchine Trust website

• NYCB website