New York City Ballet: Early Music Masters January 30, 2009

Early masters of music have long served as inspiration to choreographers. In 'Divertimento No. 15,' Balanchine creates a regal court of dancers to compliment Mozart's sparkling score. Originally composed for a brotherhood of monks, Pergolesi's 'Stabat Mater' pulls at its listeners' innermost heartstrings, proving the perfect match for Martins' meditative choreography. Robbins and Tharp took a different approach to Rubbra's orchestration of a score by Brahms, choosing to use his classical melodies as the basis for a frolicking work of mischief and quirkiness.