About the work
„Who Cares?" is a plotless ballet by George Balanchine to songs by George Gershwin, premiered in 1970 by the New York City Ballet. In the orchestration by Hershy Kay, Balanchine transforms Gershwin's Broadway and jazz melodies into pure dance and celebrates the glamour and spirit of New York.
Plot
The ballet tells no story but strings together a sequence of dances to famous Gershwin songs. In the first part a larger ensemble moves in the elegant, buoyant atmosphere of the metropolis; the Manhattan skyline forms the emblematic backdrop. In the second part a soloist and three ballerinas take centre stage: in changing solos, pas de deux and ensembles, moods of longing, high spirits and infatuation unfold to numbers such as „The Man I Love", „Fascinating Rhythm", „Embraceable You", „I Got Rhythm" and the title song „Who Cares?". Classical ballet technique and the esprit of the American musical merge into a light-footed homage.
Cultural significance
„Who Cares?" is among Balanchine's most beloved works and a prime example of his „American" style, which unites the rigour of classical ballet with the energy of jazz and Broadway. The ballet belongs to the core repertoire of the New York City Ballet and is danced worldwide; it is regarded as one of the most beautiful choreographic homages to George Gershwin.