Philadelphia Ballet is pleased to announce the details of its forthcoming 2023/2024 performance season. Opening in October with the world premiere of Angel Corella’s Carmen, this season marks the beginning of a two-year celebration of the 60th anniversary of the company’s founding by Barbara Weisberger, as well as the tenth anniversary of Corella’s appointment as Artistic Director the following year.

With ballets that range from treasured classics to bold contemporary works, the 2023/2024 season honors the past while boldly affirming Philadelphia Ballet’s mission to explore diverse and innovative voices that push the artform forward.

Philadelphia Ballet’s 2023/2024 season will include the world premiere of Angel Corella’s Carmen; the beloved holiday classic, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®; Angel Corella’s Giselle; a production of three modern masterpieces by Alvin Ailey, William Forsythe, and Twyla Tharp; and finally The Dream, Frederick Ashton’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with George Balanchine’s Prodigal Son.

“Sixty years since our founding by Barbara Weisberger in 1963, Philadelphia Ballet’s artistry continues to delight and capture the imagination of ballet lovers here in Philadelphia and around the globe,” said Shelly Power, The Dr. Carolyn Newsom Executive Director. “On this milestone, we celebrate our rich history while looking ahead to a vibrant future, including the forthcoming opening of our company’s expanded home on North Broad Street and the continued artistic leadership of Angel Corella, who will mark a decade of transformative impact in 2024.”

All performances in Philadelphia Ballet’s 2023/2024 season will take place at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia. Music Director and Conductor Beatrice Jona Affron, The Louise and Alan Reed Music Director, leads the Philadelphia Ballet Orchestra, which will perform live music for all productions, with the exception of the Dance Masterpieces program.

“This milestone season is a celebration of ballet in all its many forms, from time-honored treasures of the repertoire to brilliant modern works by true innovators,” said Angel Corella, The Ruth & A. Morris Williams, Jr. Artistic Director. “It is a special thrill to announce an all-new production of Carmen, which will demonstrate our company’s full range of skill, athleticism, and passion. We cannot wait to share each of these performances with our audiences.”

—

Carmen (World premiere choreography by Artistic Director Angel Corella)
October 5 – 15, 2023
Carmen brings us bullfights, bandits, and lovers, whose passion burns as bright as the sun in southern Spain. Artistic Director Angel Corella’s captivating and innovative choreography combines traditional Spanish dance and classical ballet to tell this tragic story set to Bizet’s indelible music. (Composer: Georges Bizet)

George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®
December 8 – 30, 2023
Toast the season with George Balanchine’s treasured classic—a whimsical remembrance of good tidings gone by. The Nutcracker leaps from the stage with prize-fighting mice, gallant toy soldiers, dancing candy canes, and waltzing flowers. Tchaikovsky’s glorious score guides young Marie and her Prince through a fantastical dreamworld in this beloved holiday tradition. (Composer: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky)

Giselle (Choreography by Artistic Director Angel Corella)
February 29 – March 10, 2024
Perhaps the most beloved early Romantic ballet, Giselle returns to Philadelphia Ballet. Set in the forests of the Rhineland, it is the story of true love, real heartbreak, and the awesome power of forgiveness. Artistic Director Angel Corella’s elegant choreography breathes new life into a timeless tale told on both sides of the grave. (Composer: Adolphe Adam)

Dance Masterpieces: Works by Alvin Ailey, William Forsythe, and Twyla Tharp
March 14 – 16, 2024
Experience the work of three of the most inspiring and influential choreographers of the 20th century. Featuring iconic works—Alvin Ailey’s The River, William Forsythe’s In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated, and Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room—it is a portrait of modern dance genius. (Composers: Duke Ellington, Thom Willems, and Philip Glass)

The Dream (Choreography by Frederick Ashton)
with George Balanchine’s Prodigal Son
May 9 – 12, 2024
Frederick Ashton’s glorious take on Shakespeare’s timeless and hilarious comedy will dazzle Philadelphia audiences. The quarrelsome lovers Oberon and Titania, dancing fairies, a braying donkey, and Mendelssohn’s incandescent music make for a magical evening. This dream world is paired with the powerful realism of Balanchine’s Prodigal Son, which showcases some of Balanchine’s most daring choreography, set to equally daring music by Prokofiev and astonishing sets by the great painter, Georges Rouault. (Composer: Felix Mendelssohn, Sergei Prokofiev)