ABOUT THE CHOREOGRAPHER
Ratmansky reworked The Bright Stream with his own choreography while he was the Artistic Director of the Bolshoi. This revised version premiered in 2003. In it, Ratmansky maintained the libretto, or the original story of the ballet, and the farm setting.
WHAT DID YOU FIND FUNNY? The Bright Stream is one of a few eveninglength comic ballets in history. Did you laugh during the performance? Identify a character you found funny. How did his or her movement help to create a sense of character? How did they use costumes and props to comic effect?
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AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE WOR KI NG R E H EARSAL
The Presidency of John F. Kennedy: A 50th Anniversary Celebration is the 2011 Rubenstein Program and is made possible through the generosity of David and Alice Rubenstein.
PHOTO BY FABRIZIO FERRI
Alexei Ratmansky (ah-LEX-ee rat-MAN-skee), is a dancer and choreographer who was born in St. Petersburg, Russia. He began his training at the age of 10 at the famed Bolshoi Ballet and has performed with many companies around the world. He is currently ABT Artist in Residence.
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Additional support is provided by The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, Altria Group, Constance Milstein de La Haye St. Hilaire and Jehan-Christophe de La Haye St. Hilaire, Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley Bagley, and David Gregory and Beth Wilkinson. American Ballet Theatre at the Kennedy Center is supported through the generosity of The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund. American Ballet Theatre acknowledges The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund for its generously endowed support of The Bright Stream. This production has been made possible with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support for the Kennedy Center Ballet Season is provided by Elizabeth and Michael Kojaian. Additional support is provided by the U.S. Department of Education, Verizon Foundation, Mr. Martin K. Alloy and Ms. Daris M. Clifton, the Carter and Melissa Cafritz Charitable Trust, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, The Clark Charitable Foundation, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Fight for Children, The President's Advisory Committee on the Arts, National Committee for the Performing Arts, and Dr. Deborah Rose and Dr. Jan A. J. Stolwijk.
www.artsedge.kennedy-center.org Cuesheets are produced by ARTSEDGE, a program of the Kennedy Center Education Department. ARTSEDGE is a part of Verizon Thinkfinity, a consortium of free educational Web sites for K-12 teaching and learning. For more about the performing arts and arts education, visit the Kennedy Center’s Education Department online at www.kennedy-center.org/education The U.S. Department of Education supports approximately one-third of the budget for the Kennedy Center Education Department. The contents of this Cuesheet do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
Š 2011 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
The Bright Stream Choreography by Alexei Ratmansky Music by Dmitri Shostakovich