“I like the colour of gems, the beauty of stones.” So said George Balanchine of the inspiration for his 1967 ballet triptych Jewels, a plotless work evoking the radiance and architecture of precious stones. The ballet’s three acts – Emeralds, Rubies and Diamonds – are each set to the music of a different composer and often appear as standalone pieces. This season, The National Ballet of Canada will present Jewels in its entirety, giving full expression to this celebrated work.