Philadelphia Ballet Announces Details of 2022/2023 Season

PHILADELPHIA, March 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Philadelphia Ballet is delighted to announce the details of its 2022/2023 season with 65 performances across six productions. Beginning in October 2022 and running through spring 2023, the season features a diverse and varied program of classic ballets, iconic modern works, and world premieres from major international voices in contemporary ballet. The season begins this fall with all-time favorites Cinderella and George Balanchine's The Nutcracker®, followed by the next installment in the New Works series. Rounding out the program are Sleeping Beauty, a trio of modern masterworks by George Balanchine, and finally the classic comedic story ballet Coppélia, with new choreography by Artistic Director Angel Corella.

"The inimitable joy of live and in-person performance is something we do not take for granted," said Angel Corella, The Ruth & A. Morris Williams, Jr. Artistic Director. "Joy is the right word to describe our 2022/2023 season. We hope that audiences will join us to experience moments of surprise, delight, and awe that will linger long after the final bow."

Philadelphia Ballet's 2022/2023 season will again take place at the Academy of Music and the Perelman Theater on the Kimmel Cultural Campus. The season will feature the Philadelphia Ballet Orchestra, under the direction of Music Director and Conductor Beatrice Jona Affron, The Louise and Alan Reed Music Director, for all the Ballet's performances in the Academy of Music during the season.

"As we look ahead to a new season, we are continually challenging ourselves to present work that is accessible, welcoming, and inspiring," said Shelly Power, The Dr. Carolyn Newsom Executive Director. "With a wide array of classics and engaging new ballets, this is a season where audiences of all ages will find something to love."

The 2022/2023 season also marks the company's second with Juliano Nunes as Resident Choreographer. Nunes will create his second world premiere work with Philadelphia Ballet (his fourth for the company overall), alongside new works by internationally-acclaimed choreographers Hope Boykin and Andonis Foniadakis. The New Works program continues Philadelphia Ballet's mission to foster important and diverse voices in contemporary dance, supporting the ongoing vitality of the artform. "Through the works of these important, brilliant choreographers," added Corella, "audiences have the opportunity to witness the very highest level of technique, passion, and artistry that the company has to offer."

"There is such a wide variety of moving, engaging music in our 2022/2023 program," said Beatrice Jona Affron, The Louise and Alan Reed Music Director. "We will perform so many great musical works in 2022-2023, the Philadelphia Ballet Orchestra's first full season since the pandemic.  I am confident that audiences will connect deeply with the music of Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, and Gershwin, to name just a few."

October 13-23, 2022 (10 performances)
Cinderella
Academy of Music
Set to Sergei Prokofiev's passionate and expansive score, Ben Stevenson's version of Cinderella has captivated audiences with its emotionally compelling portrayal of this cherished ballet. Cinderella follows its heroine's journey as she falls in love with a handsome prince, overcomes the influences of her wicked stepfamily, and makes her own dreams come true. Beloved by generations, this is a story where wishes come true, courage triumphs over cruelty, and a lost slipper leads to a happily ever after.

December 9-28, 2022 (26 performances)
George Balanchine's The Nutcracker®
Academy of Music
The holiday magic returns to Philadelphia with George Balanchine's beloved ballet, The Nutcracker. This enduring classic follows Marie on a night of adventure as she is transported from her bedroom to The Land of Sweets, a magical wonderland where flowers waltz, snowflakes twirl, and enchanted toys transform into handsome princes. A holiday treasure for the whole family to enjoy, this production comes to life with resplendent costumes, opulent sets, and captivating choreography—all to the backdrop of Tchaikovsky's mesmerizing score.

February 3-11, 2023 (8 performances)
New Works by Hope Boykin, Andonis Foniadakis, and Juliano Nunes
Perelman Theater
In the continuation of the popular New Works series, three renowned choreographers have been commissioned to conceptualize new works for the stage. This program features world premieres from the recipient of the Danza Award for Best Choreography Andonis Foniadakis, acclaimed Bessie Award Winner and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater member Hope Boykin, and Philadelphia Ballet Resident Choreographer Juliano Nunes.

March 2-12, 2023 (10 performances)
Sleeping Beauty
Academy of Music
A dreadful curse befalls a beautiful princess in one of the most celebrated works in the ballet repertory, Sleeping Beauty. Set to a grand score by Tchaikovsky with choreography by Artistic Director Angel Corella, this production is a testament to the enduring brilliance of classical ballet. Sleeping Beauty transports audiences to a magical kingdom through a spellbinding tale filled with fantastical fairies and ravishing romance, ornate costumes and exquisite sets.

March 16-19, 2023 (5 performances)
Ballet Imperial / Agon / Who Cares?: Three works by George Balanchine
Academy of Music
The groundbreaking genius of George Balanchine is brought to the forefront in this trio of virtuosic ballets. Set to Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 2, Ballet Imperial evokes images of Russia's bygone era with a technically demanding display of classical technique. In striking comparison, Agon strips away elaborate costumes and scenery in exchange for a minimalist masterpiece complete with friend and collaborator Igor Stravinsky's avant-garde score. Ira Gershwin's jazzy and playful tunes serve as the backdrop for Who Cares?, a high-spirited celebration of the hustle and bustle of city life.

May 10-14, 2023 (6 performances)
Coppélia
Academy of Music
Mystery, intrigue, and a dancing life-sized doll contribute to the comic charm of this ballet favorite. Based on a celebrated story by E.T.A. Hoffmann, Coppélia follows a nefarious doctor whose comedic quest to transform a doll into the perfect woman creates a rift between two young lovers. With ebullient new choreography by Artistic Director Angel Corella and a lively and romantic score by Léo Delibes, the fantastic, laugh-out-loud antics of Coppélia make it a delight for audiences of all ages.

Subscriptions
Subscriptions for the 2022/2023 season are now available. Subscribers enjoy advantages such as priority seating in the same seats each year, ticket exchanges, prepaid parking, early access to single tickets for The Nutcracker, and the option to pay in installments. Subscription packages are available online at philadelphiaballet.org or by calling (215) 893-1955.

About Philadelphia Ballet
Founded in 1963 by Barbara Weisberger, a protégé of George Balanchine, Philadelphia Ballet is one of the nation's premier ballet companies and a true cultural treasure of Philadelphia. Furthering a nearly sixty-year artistic lineage in Philadelphia, The Ruth & A. Morris Williams, Jr. Artistic Director Angel Corella leads an ensemble of 45 dancers from around the world and an ever-evolving repertoire of classic and contemporary works. The Dr. Carolyn Newsom Executive Director Shelly Power spearheads development and strategic plans to strengthen and expand the company's presence and impact locally, nationally, and internationally. Recognized as one of the top ten ballet companies in the United States, Philadelphia Ballet's 30-member Board of Trustees is led by local business leader and philanthropist David F. Hoffman. In addition to its performances on the Kimmel Center Cultural Campus, Philadelphia Ballet serves more than 30,000 individuals across the region every year with hands-on arts education and engagement activities brought to children and adults alike regardless of ability or socioeconomic background. The School of Philadelphia Ballet, led by its Director James Payne, offers the highest caliber dance education of any program in the Greater Philadelphia area. For more, visit philadelphiaballet.org or connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Philadelphia Ballet is supported in part by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community & Economic Development and receives support from The Philadelphia Cultural Fund and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

SOURCE Philadelphia Ballet