Trivia Thursday Quiz
Jewels
Test your ballet knowledge!
1. What was Balanchine aiming to represent with the Emeralds movement of Jewels?
a) The color green
b) France
c) Nature
d) Spring
2. What year did Jewels premiere at the New York State Theater? (source- theballetspot.com)
a) 1955
b) 1961
c) 1967
d) 1972
3. Who composed the music for the Diamonds movement of Jewels?
a) Tchaikovsky
b) Delibes
c) Mozart
d) Schumann
4. Which section of Jewels has a solo nicknamed the “bracelet” variation because of a unique, stylized arm movement used in the variation? (source- sfballet.wordpress.com)
a) Emeralds
b) Rubies
c) Diamonds
d) None of the above
5. How many dancers are there in Diamonds? (source- pnb.org)
a) 8
b) 16
c) 24
d) 34
Who originally designed the costumes for Jewels, along with designing costumes for numerous other Balanchine Ballets?
a) Chanel
b) Valentino
c) Karinska
d) Saint Laurent
ANSWERS
1. Answer- B.
Ballet Fun Fact! Balanchine called Emeralds “an evocation of France – a France of elegance, comfort, dress, perfume” (source- The George Balanchine Trust). Rubies was inspired by Balanchine’s collaborations with Stravinsky, and Diamonds “recalls the order and grandeur of Imperial Russia and the Maryinsky Theater, where Balanchine was trained” as stated by the George Balanchine Trust.
2. Answer- C
3. Answer- A.
Ballet Fun Fact! Balanchine used a different composer for the music of each Jewel, giving them a distinctly different musical style and mood. Emeralds, composed by Fauré, is contemplative and elegant; Rubies, composed by Stravinsky, is modern and syncopated; and Diamonds, composed by Tchaikovsky, is a regal and exuberant finale to the ballet.
4. Answer- A
5. Answer- D
6. Answer- C
Ballet Fun Fact! Barbara Karinska was a renowned costume designer and innovator whose work lives on onstage in many ballets to this day. She even won an oscar for her work on the movie Joan of Arc. As stated on the New York Public Library’s website, “Among her many innovations in costuming, Karinska was the creator of the powder puff tutu, a skirt that replaced the metal structure of the traditional pancake tutu with a softer, more fluid line that created greater range of motion for the dancer.” Balanchine said, “"I attribute to her 50 percent of the success of my ballets to those that she has dressed.” (source- nypl.org)