Philadelphia Ballet’s 2024/2025 performance season was announced today by Angel Corella, The Ruth and A. Morris Williams, Jr. Artistic Director. The five-production season, which continues a two-year celebration of the 60th anniversary of the company’s founding by Barbara Weisberger and the tenth anniversary of Corella’s appointment as Artistic Director, brings together a collection of brilliant choreography from the past, present, and future.
The season runs October 18, 2024, through May 11, 2025, and offers world premieres and company firsts, along with the return of beloved works. Philadelphia Ballet will present a total of 60 performances at the Academy of Music throughout the 2024/2025 season.
Le Corsaire and Swan Lake follow impassioned pleas of love and loss, telling two of dance’s most distinguished tales with original choreography by Angel Corella, The Ruth and A. Morris Williams, Jr. Artistic Director. Boléro with Dance Card & a World Premiere by Stanton Welch is a rhythmic immersion that gradually builds at every turn, leading to a breathtaking finale. La Sylphide whisks audiences to the Scottish Highlands, where the worlds of romance, fantasy, and history dance a romantic pas de trois while Études showcases the building blocks of classical ballet. The 2024/2025 season would not be
complete without the cherished performance of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®, a family favorite that brings the holiday spirit to life.
“As we embark on the 2024/2025 season, commemorating my 10th anniversary with Philadelphia Ballet, I am filled with gratitude for the extraordinary journey we’ve shared,” said Angel Corella, The Ruth and A. Morris Williams, Jr. Artistic Director. “This milestone season represents a decade of passion, dedication, and artistic growth, and I am immensely proud of the artistic excellence and innovation that has defined our company. Together, we have pushed boundaries, challenged conventions, and captivated audiences with the transformative power of dance. As we continue to evolve and inspire, I am excited to embark on this upcoming season with our remarkable dancers, creative team, and devoted patrons, as we write the next chapter of Philadelphia Ballet’s legacy.”
Shelly Power, The Dr. Carolyn Newsom Executive Director, shared her excitement for the upcoming season, stating, “As we continue our two-year celebration that has encompassed both the 60th and 61st seasons of the now Philadelphia Ballet, I’m excited that in 2024/2025 we have the opportunity to celebrate Angel Corella’s tenth year as Artistic Director. Angel has created a season of diverse repertoire that showcases the brilliance of our artists. The 2024/2025 season is a testament to Angel’s profound impact on our company, as he continues to inspire audiences with his innovative choreography and artistic vision.”
2024 / 2025 Season Details
Le Corsaire | October 18 – 26, 2024 (eight performances)
Set sail for Le Corsaire, a richly decorated trip across the seven seas. Join Conrad whose love for glittering treasure is usurped when he encounters the dazzling Medora. Based on the poem by Lord Byron, Le Corsaire is full of mutinous shipmates, love, and the perils of the sea. Artistic Director Angel Corella’s choreography is a feast for the eyes whilst Adolphe Adam’s music fills your senses with joy.
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George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® | December 6 – 29, 2024 (31 performances, including a student matinee on December 19 at 11 a.m. and a sensory-friendly performance on December 26 at 12 p.m.)
The holiday season comes to the stage with Philadelphia Ballet’s annual production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®, a tradition unlike any other. Cross swords with the Mouse King and dine with the Sugar Plum Fairy in this quintessential celebration of the season, brightened by the eternal Tchaikovsky score.
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Swan Lake | March 6 – 16, 2025 (11 performances including a student matinee on March 14 at 11 a.m.)
Artistic Director Angel Corella reprises his magnum opus, telling the tale of Prince Siegfried, the shapeshifting Odette, and the spellbinding sorcerer that shackles their forbidden romance. Tchaikovsky’s tranquil score glides beneath a moonlit odyssey of longing, forgiveness, and true love.
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Boléro with Dance Card & World Premiere by Stanton Welch AM | March 20 – 23, 2025 (5 performances)
Step into the timeless allure of Dance Card, choreographed by Russell Ducker, which evokes the golden age of high society ballrooms. This timeless piece is joined by Stanton Welch’s world premiere ballet. Finishing out this dynamic dance triad is Boléro,
choreographed by Artistic Director Angel Corella. This ballet is a daring feat in athleticism that entrances audiences with deliberate, percussive movements that build in gradual succession to unleash a performance-long crescendo.
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La Sylphide featuring Études | May 8 – 11, 2025 (5 performances)
When a young farmer awakens to the call of a magical forest spirit, his growing infatuation puts his marriage, his happiness – even his own life at risk. A crowning piece of the Romantic tradition, La Sylphide parts the misty Scottish Highlands with new choreography from Artistic Director Angel Corella. Accompanied by Études, choreographed by Harald Lander, this journey into the forest celebrates the magnificence of dance.
All performances in Philadelphia Ballet’s 2024/2025 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, except for the March 2025 program featuring Boléro, Dance Card, and the new work by Stanton Welch. Tickets and subscription packages are now available for purchase at philadelphiaballet.org.
60th Anniversary Fall Gala
Audiences are invited to share the excitement of this milestone anniversary by attending Philadelphia Ballet’s 60th Anniversary Gala, chaired by Philadelphia Ballet Trustees Sarah Marshall and Lloyd Freeman. Held on Friday, October 25, the evening begins with a VIP reception in the Academy of Music Ballroom, before a performance of Le Corsaire. A post-performance celebration and dinner with the artists of Philadelphia
Ballet follows at The Union League of Philadelphia. All funds raised from the evening will support the Ballet’s work both on stage and throughout the community.
