Three Virgins and a Devil

Date of premiere: February 11, 1941. American Ballet Theatre.

Original cast: Agnes de Mille (Priggish Virgin), Lucia Chase (Greedy Virgin), Annabelle Lyon (Lustful Virgin), Eugene Loring (Devil), Jerome Robbins (Youth).

Music: Ottorino Respighi's Antiche danze ed arie

Running Time: 15 minutes

Cast: 3 female leads, 2 male leads. Priggish Virgin, Greedy Virgin, Lustful Virgin, Devil, Youth

Three Virgins and a Devil was first performed in the revue "Why Not Tonight?" at the Palace Theatre, London on April 24, 1934. It was later created as a ballet for American Ballet Theatre (1941). With a libretto by Ramon Reed based on a story of Boccaccio, the ballet is the comic tale of three young virgins (Priggish Virgin, Greedy Virgin, and Lustful Virgin) on their way to join a nunnery when they are confronted by a devil who uses each of their weakness to entice them into Hell. Precious jewels become the downfall of the Greedy Virgin. An attractive young man (Youth) seduces the Lustful Virgin. And finally, the Priggish Virgin, pious and determined, decides she will reform the Devil and take him with her to the convent. The Devil, however, leads her on a merry chase, and in her fervor to convert him, she chases him straight into the cave. His mission is complete.

Three Virgins and a Devil. New York Theatre Ballet. Steven Melendez (Devil), Elena Zahlmann (Lustful Virgin), Danielle Genest (Greedy Virgin), and Melissa Sadler (Priggish Virgin). Cover page photo: Three Virgins and a Devil. New York Theatre Ballet. Melissa Sadler (Priggish Virgin), Elena Zahlmann (Lustful Virgin) and Carmella Duncan (Greedy Virgin). Photos credit: Richard Termine/Courtesy of NYTB.