Swarovski will celebrate the revival of George Balanchine’s Symphony in C when the ballet is performed at the New York City Ballet 2012 Spring Gala on Thursday, May 10th in newly designed costumes sparking with Swarovski crystal.
Symphony in C was originally known as Le Palais de Cristal or Crystal Palace, making it a perfect partnership for Swarovski. New York City Ballet’s (NYCB) Director of Costumes, Marc Happel, worked in collaboration with Swarovski to re-design the costumes for Symphony in C. The revitalized ballet will debut as the final ballet on the program at the 2012 Spring Gala. George Balanchine created the piece in Paris in 1947 to a score by the French composer Georges Bizet. It was last performed by NYCB in 2008.
The finale of the iconic Balanchine work features the ballet’s complete cast of 46 dancers, including four principal couples, and 38 Soloists and Corps de Ballet members. To accommodate the multiple casts of dancers that will perform the ballet this spring, NYCB and Swarovski created at total of 62 costumes, all embellished with SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS, including eight tutus for the principal women, 38 tutus for
the Soloists and women of the Corps de Ballet and 17 costumes for the men.
Over 105,000 hotfix crystals, sew-on stones and fancy stones in crystal, midnight blue, black diamond and jet, were used on the women’s tutus and men’s costumes. The variety of stones and crystals create a dramatic and intricate design on each costume, which glitter beautifully as ballerinas jete and pirouette across the stage.The design also features all new crystal tiaras and headpieces created by jewelry designer Robert Sorrell using SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS. The striking tiaras formalize each look as they rest upon the ballerinas’ heads. Former NYCB corps de ballet member Jamie Wolf, now a well-known jewelry designer, created original earrings, also incorporating SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS, which will be worn in the production. The earrings will be available for sale on Jamie Wolf’s website, with a portion of proceeds benefiting NYCB’s “Turn Out” fundraising program.
“Swarovski is dedicated to supporting the arts and we are delighted to be a part of New York City Ballet’s revival of Symphony in C. Marc Happel has created elegant and alluring new costumes using Swarovski crystal for this major revival,” said Nadja Swarovski, Member of the Executive Board, Swarovski Crystal Business.
“My vision for the costumes was to create an exquisite and memorable design while keeping them timeless and classic. It was a thrill to collaborate with Swarovski on this project. The crystals added a unique element to a traditional tutu,” said Marc Happel, Director of Costumes, New York City Ballet.
The 2012 Spring Gala, sponsored by Swarovski and Christian Dior, will take place at Lincoln Center with a salute to France with the theme À La Française. Adding further brilliance and touches of spring to the event, gorgeous green and pink Blossom chandeliers by Tord Boontje for the Swarovski Crystal Palace Collection, will be on display at the event. The honorary chairman of the evening is Natalie Portman. Nadja Swarovski serves as a vice-chairman of the event. Joined on the program by world premiere ballets by NYCB Ballet Master in Chief Peter Martins and former NYCB Principal Dancer Benjamin Millepied, Symphony in C will be performed to a crowd of tastemakers at the gala event. Additional performances of Symphony in C will take place on Friday, May 11 at 8 p.m.; Sunday, May 13 at 3 p.m.; Saturday, May 19 at 8 p.m.; Friday, June 1 at 8 p.m.; and Saturday, June 2 at 2 p.m. Benefit-priced tickets for the gala evening, which include the a pre-performance cocktail reception, the performance, and black tie supper ball, are available through the NYCB Special Events Office at 212-870-5585. Tickets to the performance are available online at www.nycballet.com or by calling 212-496-0600. New York City Ballet’s 2012 Spring Season will take place from May 1 through June 10 at the David. H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center.
