Press & News
July 10, 2007
The Balanchine Trust gives permission to ARE to perform the famous Duo Concertant
ARE has been awarded the opportunity to present Duo Concertant! This ballet is highly coveted and only select companies are allowed to perform it under tight scrutiny of the George Balanchine Trust and Kay Mazzo, Balanchine’s muse on whom this piece was created. We are thrilled to have been chosen for this unique opportunity. Even better, veteran ARE dancers Kathi Martuza and Artur Sultanov are returning to Austin to perform Duo.
Why is the Balanchine Trust so strict about this?
The Balanchine Trust is strict about maintaining choreographic integrity, so they require specific dancers (who have been coached in Balanchine technique specifically for the piece), specific rehearsal masters, and they check things such as the technical capability of the theater and crew, stage size and performance venue ethos. They often require someone who knows the ballet to travel to do final viewings/rehearsals and to see the show. They have the right to pull the ballet for any reason at any time. Fees are paid to the person who owns the ballet. Often Balanchine gave the rights of his ballets to the ballerinas on whom they were made, which is why Kay Mazzo also has a say in when and where it is performed and who performs Duo.
The Balanchine Trust has taken a leap of faith in allowing ARE to perform this ballet, as they do not know the company. They do, however, know Kathi and Artur, which is a bonus for ARE, and Christopher Stowell rehearsed Kathi and Artur on this piece specifically at Oregon Ballet Theatre, which also helps. Typically the only companies that perform Duo are major companies or those with strong connections to New York City Ballet and the Balanchine dynasty. That means that very few small companies, if any other than ARE, are allowed to perform it. ARE is very lucky that we have been allowed to include Duo Concertant in its program.
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