Ballet West Performs Rodeo

The program opens with Concerto Barocco, set to Bach’s Concerto for two violins. It is a soaring example of George Balanchine’s clean, elegant, and musical aesthetic. It is followed by Return to a Strange Land, a soulful ode to loss and longing. Using his signature style, both powerfully acrobatic and poetic, renowned Czech choreographer Jiří Kylián created this heartstopping gem after the sudden loss of his friend and mentor, choreographer John Cranko. The finale is Agnes de Mille’s iconic American ballet, Rodeo, celebrating its 80th anniversary. Agnes de Mille, the niece of cinematic legend Cecil B. DeMille, choreographed great stage productions such as Oklahoma!, Carousel, and Brigadoon. Her charming 1942 one-act story, Rodeo—set to Aaron Copland’s buoyant, well-known score—represents the very pinnacle of Americana in classical ballet.