George Balanchine's 'Jewels' Returns to La Scala After Eight Years

George Balanchine's plotless ballet 'Jewels' returned to Teatro alla Scala in Milan after an eight-year absence, marking its third staging at the theater since its 1967 premiere at New York City Ballet. The three-act work, inspired by gemstones and Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry, features distinct music and choreography for each act: 'Emeralds' (Gabriel Fauré), 'Rubies' (Igor Stravinsky), and 'Diamonds' (Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky). Sets are by Peter Harvey, costumes by Karinska. The production, directed by Paul Connelly, stars principal dancers Martina Arduino, Nicola Del Freo, Virna Toppi, Claudio Coviello, Nicoletta Manni, and Timofej Andrijashenko, with soloists Alice Mariani, Marco Agostino, Alessandra Vassallo, Agnese Di Clemente, Mattia Semperboni, and Maria Celeste Losa. Pianist Roberto Cominati performs Stravinsky's Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra. The ballet, which celebrates pure dance without narrative, has sold out more than half of its dates. The performance also carries political resonance, as the article contrasts cultural exchange with the war in Ukraine, citing Roberto Bolle and Friends' initiative that paired Russian and Ukrainian dancers in Dubai on March 2, 2022.