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George Balanchine

Shows · George Balanchine

ChoreographerDirector 1904–1983

George Balanchine (; born Georgiy Melitonovich Balanchivadze; January 22, 1904 [O.S. January 9] – April 30, 1983) was a Georgian-American ballet choreographer, recognized as one of the most influential choreographers of the 20th century. Styled as the father of American ballet, he co-founded the New York City Ballet and remained its artistic director for more than 35 years. His choreography is characterized by plotless ballets with minimal costume and décor, performed to classical and neoclassical music. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Balanchine took the standards and technique from his time at the Imperial Ballet School and fused it with other schools of movement that he had adopted during…

Also credited on12 works

Babes in Arms
Cabin In The Sky
Courtin’ Time
Gypsy Lady
I Married an Angel
Louisiana Purchase
On Your Toes
Song of Norway
The Boys from Syracuse
The Merry Widow
What’s Up?
Where’s Charley?

These come off the person record, which names a work and not a production. So we can say this name is attached to the work and we cannot say which staging, or in what capacity. For a composer or a writer that is the whole career we hold; there is no cast list to find them in.

In the literature8 passages

  • Vernon Duke (1903-69) was born Vladimir Dukelsky, in Parfianovka, Russia where he went to school with George Balanchine . After arriving in New York, he worked on Garrick Gaieties for the Theatre Guild. He also wrote serious works under his birth name, although according to Alan Jay Lerner , “Duke proved to be more successful than Dukelsk…ebooks/Atkey, Mel/Million Miles from Broadway_ Musical Theatre Beyond New York and London, A - Mel Atkey.txt
  • 57 Vera Zorina (1917–2003) was the stage name of Brigitta Lieberson, wife of Goddard Lieberson. From 1938 to 1946 she had been married to George Balanchine. Zorina was a dancer and actress who specialized in playing the title role in Honegger's Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher .ebooks/Bernstein, Leonard/Leonard Bernstein Letters, The - Leonard Bernstein.txt
  • Direction : Alfred Drake; Producers : James Russo and Michael Ellis in association with Alexander H. Cohen; Choreography : George Balanchine; Scenery and Lighting : Ralph Alswang; Costumes : Saul Bolasni; Musical Direction : Bill Jonsonebooks/Dietz, Dan/Complete Book of 1950s Broadway Musicals, The - Dan Dietz.txt
  • Direction : George Abbott; Producer : George Abbott; Choreography : George Balanchine; Scenery : Oliver Smith; Costumes : Irene Sharaff; Lighting : Peggy Clark; Musical Direction : Salvatore Dell’Isolaebooks/Dietz, Dan/Complete Book of 1950s Broadway Musicals, The - Dan Dietz.txt
  • During the tryout, George Balanchine was the choreographer and was later replaced by Herbert Ross (who apparently also took over the direction, although Peter Brooks received official credit); Josephine Premice played the role of Tulip, and was replaced by Dolores Harper; and Jacques Aubuchon was Captain Jones, who was replaced by Ray Wal…ebooks/Dietz, Dan/Complete Book of 1950s Broadway Musicals, The - Dan Dietz.txt
  • There was one last member of our staff who arrived at the theater every day with a copy of The New York Times crossword puzzle, which he filled in with the speed of someone writing a letter. He was our choreographer, George Balanchine. I didn’t realize he was GEORGE BALANCHINE, who had recently founded the New York City Ballet. I just tho…ebooks/Feuer, Cy/B003L77WUK EBOK - Cy Feuer & Ken Gross.txt

Passages naming this person, found by keyword across 178 books. A keyword match is not a biography, and a common name will pull in the wrong one.

What this page does not know

  • What this person played. No cast list we hold records a character against a performer.
  • Any staging. This name appears in no production cast list we hold — 1,877 of 7,139 people are in that position, most of them writers, composers and designers rather than performers.
  • Which of the credits above the roles on this record — choreographer, director — apply to. The roles sit on the person and never on a credit, so a director who also acted looks the same here as one who did not.

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