The New York City Ballet 2023 spring season will take place from April 18 – May 28 at the David H. Koch Theater. Featured are George Balanchine favorites such as Concerto Barocco, Kammermusik No. 2, Raymonda Variations, and Swan Lake as well as soon-to-be New York City Ballet’s new Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky’s Pictures at an Exhibition and Namouna, A Grand Divertissement.
The Spring Gala boasts world premieres by Canadian Alysa Pires – the choreographer’s first work for the company – and NYCB’s first-ever Resident Choreographer, Christopher Wheeldon.
Also to note is Principal Dancer Harrison Ball’s final stage appearance with New York City Ballet. On Sunday, April 30 he performs in Balanchine’s Haieff Divertimento and Jerome Robbins’ Afternoon of a Faun.
New York City Ballet will also present several events open to the public to complement the performances.
- May 8: Inside NYCB, exploring the Balanchine pas de deux
- May 20: Family Saturdays, “Life of a Dancer,” hosted by NYCB Principal Dancer Megan Fairchild
In-person movement workshops include:
- May 21 & 27: Children’s Workshops, for ages 5 to 7
- May 21: In Motion Workshop, for ages 8-12
- April 17 & May 27: Ballet Essentials Live, for teens and adults
- April 29 & May 21: Children’s Access Workshops, for ages 4-12 with disabilities
- April 22 & May 22: Access Workshops, for teens and adults with disabilities
- April 22 & May 27: Autism-Friendly Access Workshops
NYCB will also continue to present its virtual Ballet Essentials Online workshop for teens and adults on Monday, May 15 from 6:30-7:15pm.
New York City Ballet 2023 Spring Season Schedule
Masters at Work: Balanchine & Robbins I | April 18, 19, 20, 22, 26 & May 5, 2023
David H. Koch Theater
- Concerto Barocco by George Balanchine
- Kammermusik No. 2 by George Balanchine
- Brandenburg by Jerome Robbins
Masters at Work: Balanchine & Robbins II | April 21, 23, 27, 28, 30, 2023
David H. Koch Theater
- Square Dance by George Balanchine
- Afternoon of a Faun by Jerome Robbins
- Haieff Divertimento by George Balanchine
- Donizetti Variations by George Balanchine
Balanchine + Ratmansky I | April 25, 29 & May 3, 6, 7, 2023
David H. Koch Theater
- La Source by George Balanchine
- Namouna, A Grand Divertissement by Alexei Ratmansky
21st Century Choreography I | May 2, 11, 13, 17, 18, 2023
David H. Koch Theater
- Partita by Justin Peck
- Play Time by Gianna Reisen
- Love Letter (On Shuffle) by Kyle Abraham
21st Century Choreography II | May 4, 6, 9, 13, 16, 2023
David H. Koch Theater
- World Premiere by Alysa Pires
- World Premiere by Christopher Wheeldon
- The Times Are Racing by Justin Peck
The development of the Pires premiere began during a Working Session of the New York Choreographic Institute, an affiliate of New York City Ballet, in the spring of 2019. During that session Pires collaborated with composer Jack Frerer from the Juilliard School of Music, who wrote an original score for Pires’ creation.
Since then Pires and Frerer have continued to work together, and for the Spring Gala they have created a new piece that expands on some of the ideas from the Institute session. Pires’ Spring Gala World Premiere is set to a new score by Frerer, commissioned by NYCB, for full orchestra and saxophone. The costume design for the Pires premiere will be by Dana Osborne, with lighting design by Mark Stanley.
Born in Victoria, Canada, Pires has created numerous works for Canadian dance companies, and was a Choreographic Associate at The National Ballet of Canada from 2019 to 2022.
Wheeldon, a New York City-based director and choreographer, danced with NYCB from 1993 through 2000, and then became NYCB’s first-ever Resident Choreographer, a position he held until 2008.
In addition to his work with NYCB, Wheeldon has created ballets for The Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, and the Joffrey Ballet, among others. In addition, Wheeldon’s work on Broadway includes directing and choreographing the Tony Award-winning productions of An American in Paris (2016) and MJ the Musical, which is currently running.
The work will be set to Arnold Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht. The visual designs for the new Wheeldon ballet are being created by the acclaimed American artist Kylie Manning, and will feature both costumes and large-scale backdrops, which the artist describes as sister paintings to those in her current solo exhibition at Pace Gallery in Geneva, Switzerland. The lighting for the ballet will be designed by Mary Louise Geiger.
Masters at Work: Balanchine & Robbins I | May 10, 23, 27, 2023
David H. Koch Theater
- Raymonda Variations by George Balanchine
- Agon by George Balanchine
- Fancy Free by Jerome Robbins
Copland Dance Episodes | May 12, 14, 20, 24, 25, 2023
David H. Koch Theater
- Copland Dance Episodes by Justin Peck
Balanchine + Ratmansky II | May 19, 20, 21, 26, 28, 2023
David H. Koch Theater
- Swan Lake by George Balanchine
- Pictures at an Exhibition by Alexei Ratmansky
Featured Photo for the New York City Ballet 2023 Spring Season of Mira Nadon and New York City Ballet in Justin Peck’s Copland Dance Episodes. Photo by Erin Baiano.
