Saigon Classical
supported by Paper & I

introduce

Special ballet screening: JEWELS, choreographed by George Balanchine, with music by Fauré, Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky

In the project: From Alpha to Opera – introducing famous operas with Vietnamese and English subtitles.

LOCATION: The Lighthouse, 1st floor, Paper & I, 152 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa Street, Sài Gòn Ward, HCMC
TIME: 7:00PM - 9:30PM – Friday, 20 March 2026 (Door open from 6:00PM)
FREE ENTRY (We encourage audience purchase consumptions on-site)

ALL proceeds from donations will be used to cover preparation expenses, relevant materials and equipment for the programme, working fee for the speaker AND support of VĨNH-LẠC Podcast series. Additionally, the proceeds from donation will help the project upgrade curation quality with unique contents in the upcoming operating schedule.

Your generous donation is the best support for us at From Alpha to Opera and Saigon Classical Music Group to keep our activities bigger and better. Once again, your support is highly appreciated.

Jewels uses three gemstones as starting points to explore an array of musical and dance styles, each intimately connected to Balanchine’s own life and career.

George Balanchine’s glittering ballet Jewels was inspired by the beauty of the gemstones he saw in the New York store of jewellers Van Cleef & Arpels. He went on to make history with this, the first abstract three-act ballet, first performed in 1967 by New York City Ballet. Jewels was performed in full by The Royal Ballet for the first time in 2007, using costume designs from the original NYCB production and new set designs by Jean-Marc Puissant.

Each of the three movements draws on a different stone for its inspiration and a different composer for its sound. The French Romantic music of Fauré provides the impetus for the lyricism of ‘Emeralds’. The fire of ‘Rubies’ comes from Stravinsky and the jazz-age energy of New York. Grandeur and elegance complete the ballet in ‘Diamonds’, with the splendour of Imperial Russia and Tchaikovsky’s opulent Third Symphony. Each section salutes a different era in classical ballet’s history as well as a distinct period in Balanchine’s own life. Through it all, Balanchine displays his genius for combining music with visionary choreography.

Trailer: https://youtu.be/uHLOzubAVyU

We own no copyright to footage of this performance and subsequent materials. All copyrights belong to the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. The translation and localisation of materials (including programme notes, printed handouts and subtitles) into Vietnamese are performed by volunteers with the sole purpose of promoting classical music and increasing awareness of high standard quality worldwide operatic performances. We endeavour to credit appropriate creators of these materials and organisations involved. The screening is non-commercial and non-profit. If copyright holders wish to withhold, kindly contact us with valid reasons.