Boston Ballet announces 2025-2026 season
Rosalie O'Connor, courtesy of Boston Ballet
Boston Ballet artistic director Mikko Nissinen describes the company's 62nd-anniversary season as combining 'some really long-term dreams coming true' and 'some visits to friends from the past.'
'Jewels' (Nov. 6-16), which premiered at New York City Ballet in 1967, is an evening-length triptych: 'Emeralds,' to music by Gabriel Fauré; 'Rubies,' to Igor Stravinsky's Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra; and 'Diamonds,' to the last four movements of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Third Symphony. Boston Ballet last did the piece in 2014. Nissinen considers it one of the great dance works of the 20th century, 'a jewel in the classical ballet repertory and also an absolute masterpiece from Balanchine. It's like one of your closest friends. We're just very happy to revisit.'
Crystal Pite's 'The Seasons' Canon" will return for Boston Ballet's 'Winter Experience' in March 2026.
Rosalie O'Connor, courtesy of Boston Ballet
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The company's annual production of 'The Nutcracker' follows (Nov. 28-Dec. 28). Nissinen, citing this season's 46 sold-out performances of the holiday classic, isn't looking to change it. 'Winter Experience' (March 5-15) will couple Elo's 'Sacre' with Pite's 'The Seasons' Canon.' Nissinen likens the evening to an 'old-fashioned movie double bill, two amazing, contrasting works.' Set to the title Stravinsky score, 'Sacre' premiered in 2009, the final work Boston Ballet danced at the Wang Center. At the Opera House, Nissinen says, they'll have to reconfigure the line of tiny propane fires set along the rear of the stage. He adds, 'As you know, Jorma always tweaks it,' so audiences may be seeing something a bit different from the original.
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Set to Max Richter's recomposition of Vivaldi's 'The Four Seasons' and calling for 54 dancers, 'The Seasons' Canon' was part of this season's 'Fall Experience' in October. Nissinen makes no apology for bringing the piece back so soon. 'It's a massive work that just about everybody related to last year. I have been in love with her work for such a long time, and now I just want to keep Crystal Pite coming in our rep year after year.'
National Ballet of Canada's former principal dancer Jillian Vanstone and former second soloist Joe Chapman in Sir Frederick Ashton's "The Dream"; the ballet will be part of the Boston Ballet's 2025-26 season in March 2026.
Aleksandar Antonijevic, courtesy of National Ballet of Canada
'The Dream' (March 19-29) pairs Ashton's one-act 'The Dream' with the Stromile world premiere. 'I love Ashton's 'Dream.' I was a 20-year-old young buck in Dutch National Ballet when I danced Puck, and then when I was at San Francisco I did the pas de deux. I also know that many people who come to Boston Ballet come year after year, and I want to show them a different 'Romeo,' I want to show them a different 'Dream.''
Stromile's premiere will be a different piece altogether. He retired from performing after this season's 'Nutcracker' to focus on choreographing. 'This is the 250th anniversary of America,' Nissinen reminds us, 'and I wanted to do a world premiere commissioned score.' Boston Ballet music director Mischa Santora will compose that score; for the choreography, Nissinen says he told Stromile, 'I want to give optimism, hope, for the future of this great nation.'
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Jerome Robbins's "Dances at a Gathering" will appear as part of the Boston Ballet's 'Spring Experience' (May 7-17) also featuring Cirio's 'After" and Forsythe's 'Herman Schmerman." Pictured: Pacific Northwest Ballet in a previous production of "Dances."
Angela Sterling, courtesy of Pacific Northwest Ballet
'Spring Experience' (May 7-17) will comprise Cirio's 'After,' Forsythe's 'Herman Schmerman,' and Robbins's 'Dances at a Gathering.' 'After' premiered at 'Fall Experience' 2024, with a score that Cirio assembled from Lera Auerbach's Preludes for Violin and Piano. 'I can't get enough of Lera Auerbach,' says Nissinen. 'I heard so many people loved it, and Lia did a very nice job with the choreography.'
Forsythe created 'Herman Schmerman' for New York City Ballet's 1992 'Diamond Project,' and Nissinen recalls that's when he first saw the piece — 'Another pearl on the necklace of William Forsythe,' he calls it. Thom Willems's score is titled 'Just Ducky.' As for 'Dances at a Gathering,' Nissinen says, 'There hasn't been a day in my life that I haven't loved this ballet.' Robbins made the piece for New York City Ballet in 1969, setting it to an hour's worth of music by Frédéric Chopin, mostly mazurkas and waltzes. Nissinen was hoping to do 'Dances' for Boston Ballet's 50th anniversary, but the scheduling didn't work.
And finally, 'The Sleeping Beauty' (May 28-June 7), which Boston Ballet last presented in 2023. Nissinen observes that even though
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