Evening of ballet firsts

I n 1934's Serenade, the first ballet George Balanchine created after arriving in the United States, he wanted to make a statement against Hitler's fascism. Even with 20 or more lovely creatures in blue tulle, their pink tights peeking through, these beauties, gently raising their arms to the right in unison salute, recalled the Nazi era Thursday evening at the Academy of Music. Serenade fit artistic director Angel Corella's brilliantly planned bill, A Program of Firsts.