Fancy Free (ballet)

Fancy Free is a ballet by Jerome Robbins, subsequently balletmaster of New York City Ballet, made on Ballet Theatre, predecessor of American Ballet Theatre, to a score by Leonard Bernstein, with scenery by Oliver Smith, costumes by Kermit Love and lighting by Ronald Bates. The premiere took place on Tuesday, April 18th, 1944, at the old Metropolitan Opera House, New York. The NYCB premiere took place Thursday, January 31st, 1980. A portion of the score was also used in the opening scenes of Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window.

Scenario

The scene is a bar and the outside sidewalk in New York City, in wartime. Three Sailors on shore leave boisterously arrive, have a drink (two of their number conning the third into paying), and head outside looking for female companionship. A beautiful girl passes by and the three sailors vie for her attention. She demurs and escapes, pursued by two of the sailors. The Third, having been left in the dust, encounters another beautiful passer-by, and invites her to have a drink with him. He impresses her with a pantomime of his military exploits, and they dance a passionate pas-de-deux.

The other two sailors arrive with the first girl, who recognizes the second girl as a friend. The sailors realize their predicament: Three men, but only two girls. The couples dance and change partners, with one always left dancing alone. Finally, it is decided that the three sailors will hold a contest, and the loser will go dateless. Each sailor performs a solo variation (a galop, a waltz, and a danzon), but they're so equally matched that the girls can't decide, and the boys come to blows. In the mist of the fistfight, the girls flee in terror. Seeing their dates vanish, the sailors pick themselves up, have another drink (again, the first two conning the third into paying) and head outside again. Another beautiful girl passes by, and the three sailors take off in hot pursuit.

Cast

original

NYCB revivals

2008 Spring – Jerome Robbins celebration

References

• Playbill, New York City Ballet, Thursday, May 1, 2008

• Repertory Week, New York City Ballet, Spring season, 2008 repertory, week 1

Articles

Reviews

External links

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