SNYO and Singapore Ballet in First-Ever Live Music Ballet Performance Featuring Works of Tchaikovsky and Ravel

SNYO and Singapore Ballet in First-Ever Live Music Ballet Performance Featuring Works of Tchaikovsky and Ravel

SNYO and Singapore Ballet in First-Ever Live Music Ballet Performance Featuring Works of Tchaikovsky and Ravel

Published On

Tue, 25 Apr 2023

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Singapore National Youth Orchestra
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Performance will include the world premiere of 'Emerald Blue'

Singapore, 25 April 2023 — In a first-ever collaboration, the Singapore National Youth Orchestra (SNYO) will present “SNYO in Concert: Symphony of Dance” in two shows on 10 June, with live performances by the Singapore Ballet.

Held at the Esplanade Concert Hall, it will feature live orchestra with dancers on- stage instead of a pit orchestra. The programme will feature:

  1. Tchaikovsky’s Serenade, with choreography from the late George Balanchine, co-founder of the New York City Ballet and widely considered one of the most important choreographers of the 20th century. Serenade consists of four movements — “Sonatina,” “Waltz,” “Russian Dance,” and “Elegy.”
  2. Ravel’s Valse nobles et sentiméntales and its inspired ballet Emerald Blue, a world premiere with choreography by Singapore Ballet’s Artistic Director, Janek Schergen.
  3. Three excerpts — “Snow Waltz,” ”Grand Pas de deux,” and “Waltz of the Flowers” — from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, with choreography and staging by Janek Schergen. The beguiling “Waltz of the Snowflakes” will also feature the magical voices of the Singapore Lyric Opera Youth and Children’s Chorus.

Ninety musicians of the SNYO, from the ages of 13 to 19, will be led by SNYO Principal Conductor Joshua Tan. Tan is a versatile conductor with extensive experience in ballet and opera in addition to symphonic performances. This production will bring together the major arts institutions with which he has a close working relationship.

“The SNYO is all about nurturing our young talents and widening their artistic experiences. With the orchestra and choristers onstage with dancers, both the youth musicians and audience will be able to experience the excitement and energy of the music’s synchronicity with the movements of the dancers,” said Joshua Tan, Principal Conductor, SNYO.

Janek Schergen, Artistic Director of the Singapore Ballet, described the collaboration, “While this is the first time we’re partnering the national youth orchestra, with Joshua’s guidance I can see the young musicians developing great artistic synergy with our dancers. It is also a wonderful opportunity for the players to understand that much of the music they perform were first conceived of as ballet. The same goes for the concertgoer who loves listening to Tchaikovsky, for instance — who will get to listen and watch it in its full splendour.”

This is the second full orchestra concert of the SNYO in 2023. Comprising a main orchestra and a junior orchestra, the SNYO is the leading youth orchestra in Singapore with a performing season that includes concerts in the major performing arts venues in Singapore as well as performances in schools.

SNYO in Concert: Symphony of Dance
Season 2022/23 • Singapore National Youth Orchestra

SNYO in Concert: Symphony of Dance

Singapore National Youth Orchestra / Singapore Ballet / Singapore Lyric Opera Youth and Children's Chorus

Sat / 10 Jun 23 / 3.00pm

Sat / 10 Jun 23 / 7.30pm

Esplanade Concert Hall

Due to road closures for National Day Parade rehearsals, please cater for additional travelling time. Ticket holders are advised to refer to official sources for details on road closures.

Be captivated by the beauty of ballet with live music in this not-to-be-missed performance with the Singapore National Youth Orchestra and Singapore Ballet. This first-ever exciting collaboration will see the magic of movement and music being staged in the Esplanade Concert Hall.

Witness the brilliance of ballet performances to Tchaikovsky’s Serenade in C Major, Op. 48, followed by Ravel’s Valses nobles et sentimentales. Prepare to be mesmerised by intricate choreography and dancers from the Singapore Ballet as they perform excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker; the sweet voices of the Singapore Lyric Opera Youth and Children’s Chorus will join in the performance for the Waltz of the Snowflakes.

About the Ballets

Serenade in C Major, Op. 48

Choreography: George Balanchine® The George Balanchine® Trust
Staging: Elyse Borne
Music: Peter Il’yich Tchaikovsky
Costume design: Barbara Karinska

Serenade is a milestone in the history of dance. It is the first original ballet Balanchine created in America and is one of the signature works of New York City Ballet’s repertory. The ballet is performed by dancers in blue costumes in front of a blue background. Originating it as a lesson in stage technique, Balanchine worked unexpected rehearsal events into the choreography. When one student fell, he incorporated it. Another day, a student arrived late, and this too became part of the ballet. After its initial presentation, Serenade was reworked several times. In its present form there are four movements – “Sonatina,” “Waltz,” “Russian Dance,” and “Elegy.”

Emerald Blue - World Premiere

Choreography: Janek Schergen
Music: Maurice Ravel - Valses nobles et sentimentales (1911)

The magic of music and movement combined is the inspiration of Emerald Blue. Maurice Ravel’s composition of Valses nobles et sentimentales is the catalyst of the piece with the aim to create a swirling group of dancers in rapturous movement inspired by the lush sounds of the orchestra. The dancers represent a romantic era in their overall look and mood. It is a ballet that should transport you to a place of fantasy.

The Nutcracker

Excerpts from Snow Waltz, Grand Pas de deux, Waltz of the Flowers

Choreography & Staging: Janek Schergen
Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Costume Design: Aaron Yap

Clara is taken on a magical journey to the Land of Snow where she meets the Snow King and Queen and all her snowflake subjects. She continues her journey further until she arrives at the magical Kingdom of Sweets. Clara’s sister, Marie and Kristian, greet her as the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince Consort. The kingdom’s flowers entertain Clara with wondrous dancing.

Featuring

Singapore National Youth Orchestra / Singapore Ballet / Singapore Lyric Opera Youth and Children's Chorus

Programme

Serenade in C major, Op. 48

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Tchaikovsky)

Valses nobles et sentimentales

Maurice Ravel (Ravel)

Excerpts from The Nutcracker, Op. 71

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Tchaikovsky)
Price

$30, $20

ABOUT THE SINGAPORE NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA
Formally established in 1980, the Singapore National Youth Orchestra (SNYO) has welcomed generations of youths to the life-changing experience of playing orchestra music, performing locally as well as representing Singapore at prestigious concert halls and music festivals overseas. Over the years, the SNYO has performed in concert venues and music festivals across Australia, Austria, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia and the United Kingdom. Today, the orchestra consists of 180 youths aged 10 to 21, from more than 60 schools across Singapore. The SNYO family consists of a main orchestra and a junior orchestra, where they are guided by professional musicians in rehearsals, sectionals and masterclasses. Their programme is accessible to talented youth musicians with selected individual lesson subsidy and travel grants for tours as well as participation in exchange programmes. The SNYO is recognised by the Ministry of Education as a National Project of Excellence, and part of the Singapore Symphony Group.

Find out more about Singapore National Youth Orchestra.

ABOUT THE SINGAPORE BALLET

Singapore Ballet (formerly known as Singapore Dance Theatre) was founded in 1988 by Goh Soo Khim and Anthony Then. Singapore Ballet is a homegrown premier dance company comprising 38 professional dancers, and trainees. The company produces six seasons annually, highlights of which include the widely popular outdoor dance event Ballet Under the Stars at Fort Canning Park, a selection of two full-length classics, Masterpiece in Motion, which brings together three works by international choreographers, as well as Passages, a contemporary dance showcase.

The company’s repertoire ranges from classical to contemporary ballet, with pieces created by renowned choreographers including Choo-San Goh, George Balanchine, Kinsun Chan, Val Caniparoli, Ma Cong, Edmund Stripe, Natalie Weir, Edwaard Liang, Nils Christe, Toru Shimazaki, Christina Chan, Timothy Harbour, François Klaus, Tim Rushton, Pam Tanowitz and Loughlan Prior.

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Janek Schergen, the company has made new strides in the international and Singapore dance arena, adding 41 world premieres, 20 company premieres and new productions to the repertoire.

For more information, please visit www.singaporeballet.org

For media enquiries, please contact:

Pang Siu Yuin
Head, Singapore National Youth Orchestra
E: siuyuin@sso.org.sg
M: +65 9137 5727

Larissa D’cruz
Marketing Manager, Singapore Ballet
E: larissa@singaporeballet.org
O: 6338 0611

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