New York City Ballet’s 2025-26 Season: A New Chapter
As the 2025-26 season approaches, the New York City Ballet is set to welcome a new talent, Ryan Tomash, while also bidding a heartfelt farewell to the esteemed Megan Fairchild, who will be departing after an illustrious 25 years with the company.
Wendy Whelan, the associate artistic director of City Ballet, expressed her deep admiration for Fairchild, stating, “Megan is absolutely beloved by every single person here within our institution. She’ll be a huge loss for us, just in every way — as an artist, as a mentor, as just a kind, humane presence. She’s a gem; that’s all I can say.”
Jonathan Stafford, the company’s artistic director, echoed these sentiments, noting Fairchild’s remarkable tenure as one of the few dancers to hold the title of principal for over two decades. “She’s just had this longevity in her career at the highest level,” he remarked.
The upcoming season promises to be an exciting one, featuring a total of four world premieres, along with the much-anticipated return of George Balanchine’s “Symphonie Concertante”, which has not been seen since 1952. Additionally, the season will showcase two beloved story ballets: “The Sleeping Beauty” and “Coppélia”.
The new works will be choreographed by notable artists, including:
- Jamar Roberts (October 8)
- Justin Peck (January 29), City Ballet’s resident choreographer
- Alexei Ratmansky (February 5), the company’s artist in residence
- Tiler Peck (May 7), a principal dancer
The season will officially commence on September 16 with two all-Balanchine programs. The first program features his one-act “Swan Lake,” complemented by “Donizetti Variations” and “Ballade.” The second program includes “Square Dance,” “Episodes,” and “Western Symphony.” Additionally, in the fall, Tomash, who is currently a principal dancer with the Royal Danish Ballet, will make his debut with the company as a soloist.
The winter season will not only include two world premieres but also showcase Jerome Robbins’s “Antique Epigraphs,” alongside a remarkable 14-performance run of Peter Martins’s “The Sleeping Beauty.” This grand production will feature over 100 dancers, incorporating students from the School of American Ballet.
Stafford highlighted the significance of story ballets, noting, “They are really important access points to an audience that maybe isn’t aware of what New York City Ballet is, or even what classical ballet is.” He added that familiar tales, like those depicted in story ballets, may encourage audiences to engage with the performances.
Additional highlights of the season include:
- The company premieres of Justin Peck’s “Heatscape” (September 25), originally created for Miami City Ballet in 2015
- Christopher Wheeldon’s “Continuum” (May 1), set to Ligeti and initially created for San Francisco Ballet in 2002
The season will culminate with “Coppélia,” featuring Fairchild’s farewell performance on May 24. “We do a lot of ballets every year,” Stafford stated, “but this season feels especially bountiful in terms of new opportunities that will be offered to our current roster dancers.”
For a complete lineup and more details, visit nycballet.com.
