NAQT You Gotta Know - Ballets

Stravinsky. Opens with bassoon solo, has frequent changes of meter. A girl dances to death.

Opening and closing scenes at a Shrovetide fair. Puppets brought to life by the Magician.

Paul Dukas. Alexander the Great searches Iran for the Flower of Immortality.

Aaron Copland. Cowgirl falls in love with Head Wrangler, who prefers the Rancher's Daughter.

A. Adam. A peasant girl falls in love with a duke. She goes mad knowing he cannot marry her.

Copland. A woman is accidentally killed in a gunfight. 1 part depicts settlers moving westward.

Bela Bartok. Based on story by Lengyel. Robbers use girl as decoy to lure in victims.

The heroine lives on a cooperative farm in Armenia. Includes the frenetic "Sabre Dance."

Bernstein. Inspired by a painting. Three sailors on shore leave in NY meet 2 beautiful women.

Ravel. Based on work by Longus (Greek). Youths give offerings to statues of the Nymphs.

Beethoven. Performed for an Austrian empress. 2 statues come to life, learn of human existence.

Stravinsky. Prince Ivan marries 1 of the 13 princesses who perform "Dance of the Golden Apples"

Prokofiev. Composed for the Bolshoi Ballet. Composer wanted a happier ending than the original.

Stravinsky. The story of the title character, his lover, plus two other girls, their suitors.

Tchaikovsky. Opens as Prince Siegfried's turns 21. Odette's curse can be broken by love.

A magistrate seduces the miller's wife. Costumes designed by Picasso. From a Spanish novella.

Aaron Copland. A group of pioneers building a farmhouse. Uses Shaker hymn "Simple Gifts."

Tchaikovsky. At a Christmas party, Clara gets a gift that her brother breaks. Sugar plum fairy.

Milhaud. Influenced by jazz, blues, African rhythms. Alto saxophone replaces violas.

About Princess Aurora, whose christening was attended by fairies. Cursed to die at age 16.