Polyphonia

Music

György Ligeti

Choreography

Christopher Wheeldon

Regarded as one of Wheeldon’s breakthrough contemporary works, Polyphonia’s four couples wind their way through ten eerily melodious Ligeti selections, including music made famous by Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut.

Polyphonia was the fourth work Christopher Wheeldon created for New York City Ballet, and his first after retiring from dancing with the Company and being named NYCB’s first-ever Artist in Residence in 2000. A work for eight dancers, Polyphonia is set to ten piano pieces by the composer György Ligeti, who developed micropolyphony, a type of musical texture involving the use of sustained dissonant chords that shift slowly over time.

27 minutes

Credits

Music

Désordre from Études pour piano, premier livre (1985), Arc-en-ciel from Études pour piano, premier livre (1985), No. 4 Tempo di Valse from Musica Ricercata (1951-53), Invention (1948), No. 8 Vivace energico from Musica Ricercata (1951-53), No. 2 Hopp ide tisztán from Three Wedding Dances (1950), No. 7 Cantabile molto legato, No. 3 Allegro con spirito from Musica Ricercata (1951-53), No. 2 Mesto, rigido e cerimoniale from Musica Ricercata (1951-53), Capriccio No. 2 – Allegro robusto (1947)

Premiere

January 4, 2001, New York City Ballet, New York State Theater

Original Cast

Wendy Whelan, Jennie Somogyi, Jennifer Tinsley, Alexandra Ansanelli, Jock Soto, Edwaard Liang, Jason Fowler, Craig Hall

Costumes by

Holly Hynes

Lighting by

Mark Stanley

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