Pillar of Fire

Synopsis:

Hagar, whose elder sister is a spinster, foresees the same fate for herself. When the man she unrequitedly loves seems to show preference for her younger sister, Hagar in distraction gives herself to one she does not love. The resulting crisis, however, unites her with the man she really loves. The ballet is set in the period around 1900 because it was then that Schoenberg composed the music.

Ballet Synopsis excerpted with permission from the Ballets of Antony Tudor by Judith Chazin-Bennahum.

Choreography: Antony Tudor.

Music / Composer: Verklarte Nacht by Arnold Schoenberg.

First Performance: New York. Metropolitan Opera House. April 8th, 1942. Ballet Theatre.

First Performance Cast: Nora Kaye, Hugh Laing, Annabelle Lyon, Antony Tudor, Lucia Chase, Maria Karnilova, Charles Dickson, Jan Davidson, Jogn Kriza, Virginia Wilcox, Wallace Seibert, Jean Hunt, Barbara Fallis, Sono Osato, Rosella Hightwoer, Muriel Bentley, Jerome Robbins, Donald Saddler, Frank Hobi, Balina Razoumova, Roszika Sabo.

Costumes / Set / Lighting: Jo Mielziner.

First Swedish Performance: Stockholm. Royal Opera House. December 30th, 1962. Royal Swedish Ballet.

Notated: Elphine Allen (Benesh Notation) 1969. Agneta Stjernlof (Benesh Notation) 1971. Airi Hynninen (Labanotation) 1982.

Number of Dancers: 13 Women, 8 Men.

Average Length: 31 minutes.

Costumes: ABT, Royal Swedish Ballet, Star Dancers (Japan).

Scenery: ABT, Royal Swedish Ballet, Star Dancers (Japan).

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