The Houston Ballet 2023-2024 season features eight unique programs including a one-night only celebration of Stanton Welch’s 20th year as Artistic Director of the company.
Four full-length ballet evenings are complemented by three repertory programs which showcase neoclassical Balanchine favorites as well as several World Premieres.
Houston Ballet 2023-2024 Season Trailer
Houston Ballet 2023-2024 Season Schedule
A Midsummer Night’s Dream | September 8-17, 2023
Wortham Theater Center
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream by John Neumeier
Based on Shakespeare’s joyous romantic comedy, John Neumeier’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream follows the hijinks and hilarity that occur when a well-intentioned plan with a love potion goes awry. Following the thread of interwoven romances, the ballet travels from the Court of Athens to the Fairy Realm, where mayhem ensues.
By cleverly combining the music of Mendelssohn, Ligeti and traditional organ music, the score transports the audience into a fantasy world through choreography that demonstrates the narrative power of ballet.
TuTu | September 21 – October 1, 2023
Wortham Theater Center
- Tu Tu by Stanton Welch AM
- World Premiere by Annabelle Lopez-Ochoa
- Stars and Stripes by George Balanchine
Welch’s Tu Tu is full of agility and speed, with tongue-in-cheek choreography that showcases superb classical technique. Set to Ravel’s Concerto for Piano in G major, the dancers are outfitted in brilliantly colored costumes inspired by Gustav Klimt’s gold-hued paintings.
The company adds a new Balanchine work to its repertoire with the Houston Ballet premiere of the iconic Stars and Stripes. In all-American costumes with exuberant patriotic touches, this classic Balanchine work is set to five rousing marches from composer John Phillip Sousa.
Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s first commission for Houston Ballet is inspired by the life of the famous 20th century Uruguayan poet Delmira Agustini, known as one of the first female poets of the modernist era.
The Nutcracker | November 24 – December 27, 2023
Wortham Theater Center
- The Nutcracker by Stanton Welch AM
Houston’s holiday tradition continues with the magic and wonder of Stanton Welch’s The Nutcracker. Following the annual Stahlbaum Christmas party, journey through the glittering Land of Snow to the bright and joyful Kingdom of Sweets with Clara, Drosselmeyer and the Prince as he reunites with the Sugar Plum Fairy amongst the clouds, where the real magic happens.
Welch’s The Nutcracker features hundreds of characters, elaborate sets and stunning details that will captivate audiences and leave you finding something new with every performance.
Jubilee of Dance | December 1, 2023
Wortham Theater Center
- World Premiere by Jacquelyn Long
- World Premiere by Jack Wolff
- World Premiere by Jindallae Bernard
- World Premiere by Stanton Welch AM
This year’s Margaret Alkek Williams Jubilee of Dance will celebrate the 20th anniversary of Stanton Welch as Artistic Director. The evening will begin with highlights of Welch’s work created in Houston over the past 20 seasons.
Cinderella | February 22 – March 3, 2024
Wortham Theater Center
- Cinderella by Stanton Welch AM
More tomboy than princess, Stanton Welch’s Cinderella is a striking woman of substance, determination and spunk. Not waiting on a prince to rescue her, Cinderella is in control, fighting the will of her evil stepmother with wit and vigor. And when she finds true love she grabs it – and holds on with both hands.
Set to Prokofiev’s classic score with spectacular set and costume design by Kristian Frederickson, Welch’s unique spin on the storied classic brings the work into modern times, with a twist to suit the 21st century.
Bespoke | March 7-17, 2024
Wortham Theater Center
- Bespoke by Stanton Welch AM
- Overgrown Path by Jiří Kylián
- Filigree and Shadow by Tim Harbour
Bespoke brings a fresh mixed repertory program with three ballets never-before-seen on the Wortham Theater stage.
Continuing the long-standing commitment to bringing Jiří Kylián’s work to Houston, the program adds another of his works to the company repertoire with the premiere of Overgrown Path. Set to the deeply moving score from composer Leoš Janáček, the work was created in 1980 for Nederlands Dance Theater in dedication to the legendary choreographer, Antony Tudor.
Making its Houston Ballet debut, Stanton Welch’s Bespoke was created on San Francisco Ballet in 2018. Set to a series of Johann Sebastian Bach’s violin concertos, the ballet explores dancers’ love for their artform and the fleeting cycle of being a performer, with motifs of time present throughout the piece.
Joining the two Houston premieres is Australian choreographer Tim Harbour’s rhythmic, fast-paced Filigree and Shadow. It takes the stage at the company’s home theater for the first time, after its debut during the Hometown Tour following Hurricane Harvey in 2018.
Mayerling | May 23 – June 2, 2024
Wortham Theater Center
- Mayerling by Sir Kenneth MacMillan
The psychological thriller of Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Mayerling comes to the Wortham Theater stage for the first time after its Houston Ballet debut in 2017 as part of our Hometown Tour.
An epic triumph in classical story-telling, this titillating three-act ballet tells the dark tale of Crown Prince Rudolf, the sole heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the 1880s. The work weaves a masterful story of scandal and political intrigue through an unhappy marriage, sensuous dalliances and morbid obsessions – all leading to the tragic murder-suicide of the Prince and his young mistress, Baroness Mary Vetsera.
Accompanied by glamorous costumes and exquisite scenery, Houston Ballet dancers’ acting, and dancing strengths are on full display in this theatrical production.
Four Seasons | June 6 – 16, 2024
Wortham Theater Center
- Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux by George Balanchine
- Elapse by Disha Zhang
- World Premiere by Dwight Rhoden
- The Four Seasons by Stanton Welch AM
Four Seasons features four choreographers, each with their own distinct style. After a critically-acclaimed debut in 2019, Disha Zhang’s Elapse returns to the stage, exploring the idea of aging and the passage of time and set to a captivating original score by Zeng Xiaogang.
George Balanchine’s Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux is described by New York City Ballet as “an eight-minute display of ballet bravura and technique.”
Welch’s The Four Seasons dramatizes the stages of a woman’s life from the vigor of youth in spring to the introspection of old age in winter. Set to Antonio Vivaldi’s beloved score of the same name, the large ensemble work returns for the first time since its premiere in 2007.
Rounding out the program is a world premiere by Dwight Rhoden, Founding Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer of Complexions Contemporary Ballet.
Featured Photo for the Houston Ballet 2023-2024 season from Houston Ballet.
