Ballet Imperial

One-act ballet to the music of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 2

The ballet was first staged in 1941. This version was first performed in Perm in 2002. Running time: 40 minutes

George Balanchine planned Ballet Imperial as a model of Russian ballet in the best traditions of Marius Petipa. He wanted to express in it his memories of Russia, which he had left in 1924, and of the theatres in St. Petersburg in particular. It was natural that the French title made reference to the ballets staged at the Imperial theatres, to society traditions of the nineteenth century, and to the international ballet lexicon.

Ballet Imperial was first performed at an open rehearsal of students at the School of American Ballet on 29 May1941. A month later, it had already become part of the programme for a tour of Latin America by the American Ballet Caravan, along with other Balanchine ballets. The Perm Theatre was the first to stage the ballet in Russia and was awarded a Golden Mask for its production (2003).

The ballet is staged in collaboration with the George Balanchine Foundation in accordance with Balanchine’s style and technique. 

The project is staged with financial support from the Pearl of the Urals Foundation