Allegro Brillante
'Allegro Brillante' by George Balanchine.
Dancers Tempe Ostergren and Anthony Krutzkamp.
Photographer Steve Wilson/ KCBalletMedia 2013.
QUICK F A C T S
- ✦ Allegro Brillante premiered on March 1, 1956, with New York City Ballet.
✦ Choreography by George Balanchine.
✦ Music: Piano Concerto No. 3 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
✦ The ballet is known for its short running time, energetic choreography, and flexibility in mixed repertory performances.
✦ The original principal dancers were Maria Tallchief and Nicholas Magallanes.
Dancers Tempe Ostergren & Anthony Krutzkamp. Photograph courtesy of Kansas City Ballet. 2013
S U M M A R Y
Allegro Brillante is a fast and energetic ballet created by George Balanchine to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 3. The ballet features a principal couple supported by an ensemble of dancers and is celebrated for its speed, musicality, and classical style. Balanchine once famously described the work as containing “everything I know about classical ballet in thirteen minutes.”
Portrait of composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, whose Piano Concerto No. 3 inspired George Balanchine’s ballet Allegro Brillante.
'Allegro Brillante' by George Balanchine
KCB Dancers. Photographer Steve Wilson
, KCBalletMedia 2013
Although the ballet has no traditional story, its choreography reflects the sweeping romantic feeling of Tchaikovsky’s music. Maria Tallchief, who originated the leading role, said the ballet felt grand, noble, and deeply connected to the traditions of Russian classical ballet. The choreography is filled with quick footwork, flowing movement, turns, and soaring leaps that closely follow the structure and energy of the score.
Allegro Brillante premiered in 1956 with New York City Ballet and quickly became one of Balanchine’s most admired short ballets. Because of its compact length and demanding choreography, it is frequently performed by companies around the world. Audiences continue to enjoy the ballet for its excitement, elegance, and brilliant connection between music and movement.
KCBalletMedia 2013
E N C O R E
✦ On Today’s Stage — Allegro Brillante remains one of George Balanchine’s most frequently performed short ballets and is often featured in mixed repertory programs around the world.
✦ Iconic Interpreters — Maria Tallchief and Nicholas Magallanes originated the leading roles, helping establish the ballet’s bold speed, precision, and musical brilliance.
✦ Legacy — Balanchine famously described Allegro Brillante as containing “everything I know about classical ballet in thirteen minutes.” The ballet became one of the clearest examples of his music-driven choreography, where movement and score feel inseparable.