Composer

:

Leonard Bernstein

Genre

:

Ballet

Style

:

Ballet

Compose Date

:

1944

First Performance

:

1944

Average_duration

:

26:51

Movement_count

:

10

Movement ....

Fancy Free is a ballet composed by Leonard Bernstein in 1944. The plot of the ballet revolves around three sailors on shore leave in New York City during World War II. The ballet begins with the sailors entering a bar and trying to impress a group of women. The women are initially uninterested, but eventually, they all pair off and dance together. The sailors then compete for the attention of a single woman, leading to a series of comical and competitive dance sequences. The ballet ends with the sailors returning to their ship, leaving the women behind. Fancy Free premiered on April 18, 1944, at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. The ballet was choreographed by Jerome Robbins, who also danced one of the sailor roles. The other two sailors were danced by John Kriza and Harold Lang. The ballet was an instant success and helped to launch the careers of both Bernstein and Robbins. The music of Fancy Free is characterized by its jazzy rhythms and catchy melodies. The score includes a variety of musical styles, including swing, blues, and Latin rhythms. The music is also notable for its use of percussion, which adds to the energetic and lively feel of the ballet. Fancy Free is divided into several movements, each of which corresponds to a different scene in the ballet. The first movement, titled "Opening Dance," sets the scene in the bar and introduces the sailors and the women. The second movement, "Scene at the Bar," features a series of solos and duets as the sailors try to impress the women. The third movement, "Pas de Deux," is a romantic duet between one of the sailors and a woman. The fourth movement, "Competition Scene," features a series of dance-offs between the sailors. The final movement, "Three Dance Variations," includes solos for each of the sailors before the ballet ends with the sailors returning to their ship. Overall, Fancy Free is a lively and entertaining ballet that captures the spirit of New York City during World War II. The combination of Bernstein's music and Robbins' choreography creates a fun and energetic atmosphere that has made the ballet a classic of American dance.

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