Step into a night of classical brilliance reimagined — join us for Balanchine + Ratmansky, a breathtaking triptych of three masterpieces that bridge neoclassical purity with contemporary innovation. Witness the luminous architecture of George Balanchine’s timeless works paired with the creative daring of Alexei Ratmansky, one of today’s most celebrated choreographers.

Serenade (Balanchine)
A moonlit homage to beauty and stillness, this ballet weaves quiet mystery and symphonic force. With its stately lines and transcendent harmony, Serenade remains one of Balanchine’s most beloved gems.

Prodigal Son (Balanchine)
Powerful, dramatic, and lyrical — this bold allegory of betrayal, redemption, and homecoming is a touchstone of 20th-century ballet. Balanchine’s dramatic instincts echo through every shift of mood and gesture.

Paquita (Ratmansky after Petipa / Balanchine)
In his inventive reinterpretation, Ratmansky draws from 19th-century brilliance and Balanchine’s own miniatures to craft a dazzling, high-velocity trip through classical vocabulary. The New York Times praised it as “a wonder of buoyancy and speed.”

Serenade is a romantic work of immense sweep, set to a transcendent Tschaikovsky score.

Serenade is a milestone in the history of dance. It is the first original ballet George Balanchine created in America and is one of the signature works of New York City Ballet’s repertory. Balanchine began the ballet as a lesson in stage technique and worked unexpected rehearsal events into the choreography. A student’s fall or late arrival to rehearsal became part of the ballet.

After its initial presentation, Serenade was reworked several times. In its present form there are four movements: “Sonatina”, “Waltz”, “Russian Dance”, and “Elegy.” The last two movements reverse the order of Tschaikovsky’s score, ending the ballet on a note of sadness.

“In everything that I did to Tschaikovsky’s music, I sensed his help. It wasn’t real conversation. But when I was working and saw that something was coming of it, I felt that it was Tschaikovsky who had helped me.”

George Balanchine