Roman Rykine and Rie Ichikawa in Jiří Kylián’s Petite Mort, photo by Gene Schiavone, courtesy of Boston Ballet
Boston Ballet Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen announces programming for the 2024–2025 season, featuring a collection of ballets that celebrate elegant contrasts, a variety of works, and stunning live music. The Company’s 61st season runs October 24, 2024 through June 8, 2025 at the Citizens Opera House.
“Our upcoming season is a bold collection of ballets that curate the best of the past and pave the way for the artists of the future. This programming is a glowing example of Boston Ballet’s versatility and expertise in performing diverse and challenging repertoire” said Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen. “Audiences will experience dance like never before with works by world-renowned choreographers, stunning classical ballets, and groundbreaking neoclassical and contemporary works.”
The season opens with the 2024 Fall Experience (October 24–November 3), featuring Crystal Pite’s The Seasons’ Canon, Sabrina Matthews’ Ein von Viel, Resident Choreographer Jorma Elo’s Plan to B, and a world premiere by Boston Ballet Principal Dancer Lia Cirio. Crystal Pite, one of the greatest choreographers on the world stage today, brings her must-see powerhouse The Seasons’ Canon to Boston for the first time. Set to Max Richter’s rendition of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, her choreography draws on human emotion from her own life experiences.
Set to Bach’s beloved Goldberg Variations, Sabrina Matthews’ Ein von Viel is an intimate dance between two artists and a solo pianist. The piece was originally commissioned by Mikko Nissinen for Alberta Ballet in 2001 for two male dancers.
Jorma Elo’s Plan to B is one of the most dynamic and thrilling ballets ever created. Six dancers captivate the stage in a flurry of solos, duets, and trios that move with passion and velocity to the vivacious music of Von Biber. The ballet reflects on the inevitable unpredictability of life and the hesitation and nervous energy we experience when we take leaps into the unknown.
Celebrating her 20th year with Boston Ballet, Principal Dancer Lia Cirio will create her second world premiere for the main stage. Her ballet will feature neoclassical pointe work and showcases a brilliant pairing of her own personal style and technique with her ability to highlight the unique talent of her fellow dancers.
Mikko Nissinen’s critically-acclaimed The Nutcracker (November 29–December 29) returns after record-breaking attendance in 2023 to enchant audiences. The beloved production features costumes and sets by award-winning designer Robert Perdziola, the renowned score
by Tchaikovsky, and technically challenging choreography by Nissinen. Named as the “gold standard” (The Boston Globe), The Nutcracker remains a beloved holiday tradition for audiences of all ages.
The spring season opens with Mikko Nissinen’s Swan Lake (Feb 27–Mar 16, 2025). One of the most celebrated ballets in classical repertoire, Swan Lake is a timeless story of love, betrayal, and sacrifice. The classical masterpiece follows the Swan Queen Odette and Prince Siegfried in
a tale of romance, sorcery, and deceit. The second act, originally choreographed by Lev Ivanov, is historically considered the finest piece of classical choreography for the corps de ballet. The production showcases the technical precision and emotional tonality of dozens of dancers,
brilliantly transformed by Robert Perdziola’s impeccable costume design and set to the timeless score by P.I. Tchaikovsky.
The 2025 Winter Experience (March 20–30, 2025) features George Balanchine’s Mozartiana and Symphony in Three Movements, Claudia Schreier’s Slipstream, and Leonid Yakobson’s Vestris. Mozartiana is a wonderful example of neoclassical ballet with an enchanting romantic
feel. The musical choreography is set to Tchaikovsky’s Suite No. 4, Mozartiana, and Op.61. Opening at the 1981 Tchaikovsky Festival, it was Balanchine’s third ballet set to the composer’s homage to Mozart and is one of the last ballets the choreographer created before his death in
April 1983. Balanchine’s Symphony in Three Movements is a large ensemble work that premiered on opening night of the 1972 Stravinsky Festival. Set for 32 dancers, the work is considered one of Balanchine’s most celebrated leotard ballets.
Claudia Schreier’s Slipstream is an innovative, unusual, and captivating ballet commissioned in 2022 for Boston Ballet’s ChoreograpHER
program. Schreier brings her distinctive choreographic voice to Boston audiences, fusing together neoclassical technique with contemporary vocabulary.
Leonid Yakobson’s Vestris is a solo originally created for Mikhail Baryshnikov in 1969 and performed by the best male dancers in history. Vestris is about embodying the flamboyant flavor of Auguste Vestris, a renowned Parisian dancer in the 1700’s. Boston Ballet is the only American company trusted to present this work today.
Spring Experience 2025 (May 15–25, 2025) features three ballets that showcase the breadth and beauty of ballet today: Jiří Kylián 27’52” and Petite Mort and Mikko Nissinen’s Raymonda. 27’52” is made for six dancers, who form three duets. When the ballet was created, four dancers from the original cast were inspired by various poems in the creation process. Quotes from these poems are also included in the work. The ballet was developed through a unique collaboration between choreographer and composer, as German composer Dirk Haubrich created the music specifically for this piece.
One of Kylián’s most beloved ballets, Petite Mort is a sensuous exploration of what it means to be human. Known for its molded skirts and sword play, it is truly one of the most provocative and beautiful works in ballet today. Nissinen’s reimagined Raymonda returns after a successful world premiere in 2024. Featuring rechoreographed sections by Florence Clerc, Alla Nikitina, and Nissinen, the world premiere was praised for its lavish costumes, brilliant dancing, and sumptuous score. The ballet stays true to Boston Ballet’s values by removing outdated and offensive stereotypes and characters and focusing solely on preserving the classical choreography.
The season concludes with the Company’s premiere of Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette (May 29–June 8, 2025). The ballet is a beautifully fresh take on the timeless Shakespearean tale set to the radiant Prokofiev score performed to new heights by the Boston
Ballet Orchestra. There are many versions of the ballet performed by companies from around the world; the first production was by the Kirov in 1940 (Galina Ulanova & Konstantin Sergeyev). Other versions have been created by Cranko, Lavrovsky, MacMillan, Ek, Nureyev, Ratmansky, and Vinogradov. Boston Ballet most recently performed Cranko’s version in 2018. Maillot’s version features contemporary choreography with elements of cinematography that flows freely to allow the dancers to embody the full emotion of the characters. The movements, even
in moments of tragedy, are full of graceful elongation and musicality.
Subscriptions for the 2024–2025 season are on sale now. Tickets for The Nutcracker are also available as an add-on to your subscription or for groups 10+. Single tickets will go on sale on September 4, 2024. For more information, visit bostonballet.org or call 617.695.6955.
