Three twentieth-century classics, three iconic titles for an evening that brings together and celebrates two unrivalled masters of ever-vibrant modernity. George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations returns to the stage with wholly new scenes and costumes by Luisa Spinatelli. A concentrated development of the lexicon of classical ballet, this masterpiece of the purest Balanchine style grew out of the intent—as the choreographer himself stated—to evoke the grand period of classical ballet, which flourished in Russia with the help of the music of Tchaikovsky. On the other hand, this will be the first time at La Scala for two of the best-known ballets by Jerome Robbins, both set to piano pieces by Chopin: Dances at a Gathering, a jewel of pure dance, inspired by musical texture and nuances, and The Concert, a wholly unique piece providing a brilliant and witty cross-section of the human fantasy and extravagance of a series of characters at a piano recital.