Boston Ballet Unveils 2026-2027 Season Featuring CINDERELLA and COPPÉLIA

Boston Ballet Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen has announced programming for the 2026–2027 season, featuring a signature curation of timeless classics like Frederick Ashton's Cinderella and George Balanchine's Coppélia, as well as bold contemporary works like Crystal Pite's Emergence, Akram Khan's Vertical Road (Reimagined) 2023, and Alexander Ekman's Cacti. This season also marks Nissinen's 25th season as Boston Ballet's artistic director. Boston Ballet's 63rd season runs September 10, 2026 through May 23, 2027 at the Citizens Opera House.

“This season is a celebration of the joy and vitality of live performance. In a world that often pulls us apart, we invite audiences to come together—to experience the exhilaration, beauty, and shared humanity that only live dance can offer,” said Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen. “From visionary contemporary works by today's most sought-after choreographers to breathtaking classical masterworks, this season showcases the extraordinary range, depth, and artistry of Boston Ballet at its finest.”

This season marks Mikko Nissinen's 25th season as Boston Ballet's Artistic Director. Through his leadership, he has defined the Company's image, cultivating a compelling and dynamic collection of classical, neoclassical, and contemporary repertoire. Firmly committed to developing the art form and the future of dance, Nissinen actively promotes progressive new works and creations. Under his leadership, Boston Ballet resumed touring after a 16-year hiatus, traveling to Paris, London, New York City, Spain, Korea, Canada, Finland, Washington D.C, and Los Angeles.

The season opens with Fall Experience (September 10–20, 2026) featuring two striking contemporary works: Akram Khan's Vertical Road (Reimagined) 2023, and Alexander Ekman's Cacti. Vertical Road (Reimagined) 2023 explores humanity's earthly nature, rituals, and the consequences of our actions. This mesmerizing work becomes a meditation on the journey from gravity to grace. With a specially commissioned score by long-term collaborator composer Nitin Sawhney, Khan draws inspiration from the Sufi tradition and the Persian poet and philosopher Rumi. Boston Ballet performed the world premiere of Vertical Road (Reimagined) 2023, and it was the first time the work was restaged on a professional company since 2017. The piece changes each time it is performed by a different company, as it is built into the life and history of the dancers and the emotional and spiritual state of the choreographer today. Alexander Ekman's Cacti is a playful and rhythmically charged contemporary work created in 2010. Known for its wit, physicality, and clever commentary on the culture of dance and artistic interpretation, Cacti was nominated for “Best New Modern Choreography” by the UK Dance Critics Foundation. Cacti is set to a complex score performed by the Boston Ballet Orchestra and the Anduin String Quartet, playing on-stage. A cast of 16 dancers perform on raised platforms, which become instruments with the dancers slapping, stomping, and drumming on them to generate percussive rhythms. The choreography is athletic and powerful, and the work ends with each dancer acquiring a cactus, which is meant to be intentionally ambiguous, but not symbolic, rather a satirical way to comment on how audiences, critics, and artists often feel compelled to assign deep meaning to objects in contemporary dance. Surprising and inventive, audiences will be captivated by this engaging ballet that utilizes rhythm, space, and humor to challenge pre-conceived notions of contemporary dance.

Boston Ballet will perform Vertical Road (Reimagined) 2023 and Cacti in Paris October 8–11, 2026 as the Company returns to the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées for the third time, following historic tours there in 2019 and 2024. Both tours were met with sold out houses and rave reviews, with critics writing “the company is truly brilliant!” (Bachtrack) and Boston Ballet is “an exceptional troupe overflowing with energy and capable of expressing themselves with excellence in different styles.” (Danses avec la plume).

Mikko Nissinen's The Nutcracker returns November 27–December 31, 2026. A treasured holiday tradition, this grand production transforms the stage into a glittering dreamscape—from the warmth of the Silberhaus party to the sparkling Kingdom of the Sweets. Boston Ballet's dancers bring extraordinary skill, precision, and artistry to every role, transforming this family favorite into a dazzling display of technical excellence. Tchaikovsky's iconic score is expertly performed live by the Boston Ballet Orchestra as it fills the theater with sweeping melodies and vibrant energy. The Nutcracker has become a staple in New England's holiday season, and it continues to enchant devoted patrons and first-time attendees alike, embodying the enduring power of live performance.

The 2027 Winter Experience (February 18–28, 2027) is a contemporary program that brings together three striking ballets that explore musicality, structure, and the exhilaration of movement in distinct and compelling ways. Making its Boston Ballet premiere, Crystal Pite's Emergence is a mesmerizing exploration of how individuals come together to form something greater than themselves. Inspired by patterns found in nature, the 30-minute ballet unfolds as a powerful ensemble work, with dancers moving in precise, rhythmic formations that ripple, swarm, and transform across the stage. Following the extraordinary response to Pite's The Seasons' Canon, Boston Ballet is thrilled to welcome Pite's Emergence to the Company's repertoire—deepening an artistic relationship with one of today's most compelling choreographic voices. Jorma Elo's Brake the Eyes is a thrilling, fast-paced ballet that showcases the razor-sharp musicality and daring athleticism of Boston Ballet's dancers. Set to a Mozart score infused with soundscapes, the choreography moves at exhilarating speed and returns for the first time since 2007. William Forsythe's Herman Schmerman is a bold and high-energy ballet that embodies his signature style—vivacious and technically difficult dancing paired with wit and playfulness. Set to “Just Ducky” by Thom Willems, the ballet is punctuated with dancers in vibrant yellow Versace costumes.

George Balanchine's Coppélia (March 11–21, 2027) returns for the first time since 2019. Coppélia is a full-length comedic story ballet about love, mistaken identity, and foolhardy fun. Set in a lively European village, the ballet follows the spirited Swanilda and her fiancé Franz as they cross paths with the eccentric inventor Dr. Coppélius and his mysterious, life-like doll, Coppélia. When Franz is fooled into believing the doll is real, Swanilda's clever plan to set things right leads to comic surprises, dazzling dances, and a joyful celebration of love. Delibes' enchanting score is performed live by the Boston Ballet Orchestra and brings the story vividly to life, shifting between playful, clockwork rhythms, lush lyrical melodies, and folk-inspired dances that animate the village scenes. More than 24 Boston Ballet School students will perform in each performance, offering them the unique opportunity to be immersed in a professional production and perform with the Company.

Frederick Ashton's Cinderella (April 29–May 9, 2027) returns after a successful run in 2024. The full-length fairytale ballet set to the soaring and romantic score by Sergei Prokofiev tells the beloved story of a young woman whose kindness and resilience transform her destiny. The 2024 performances introduced stunning new-to-Boston sets and costumes that enhanced the production's visual splendor and theatrical charm. Praised by The Boston Globe as “the best yet,” this luminous production returns to captivate audiences with its timeless tale and exquisite artistry.

The 63rd season concludes with the 2027 Spring Experience (May 13–23, 2027), an all-Balanchine program, featuring three of his masterworks—Gounod Symphony, Mozartiana, and The Four Temperaments. Spring Experience is curated by Suzanne Farrell, one of Balanchine's most celebrated muses. Through her deep personal connection to the choreography, audiences are invited to see these ballets with fresh clarity and insight, shaped by Farrell's understanding of Balanchine's musicality, style, and intention. One of George Balanchine's earliest and most groundbreaking abstract ballets, The Four Temperaments explores the expressive potential of classical dance stripped of narrative. Inspired by the medieval theory of the four humors—Melancholic, Sanguinic, Phlegmatic, and Choleric—the ballet does not tell a literal story but instead translates musical structure into movement with striking clarity and invention. Often described as Balanchine's vision of “dancing in heaven,” Mozartiana is one of the choreographer's final masterpieces and among his most spiritual works. Set to Tchaikovsky's orchestral homage to Mozart, the ballet unfolds as a series of formal dances—beginning with a quiet prayer and building toward a radiant communal finale. Created for Farrell, Mozartiana holds a special place in her artistic legacy. Her intimate knowledge of the ballet and her extraordinary ability to illuminate its intent and essence make her stewardship of the work unparalleled. A rarely performed gem, Gounod Symphony is a Boston Ballet premiere. Set to Charles Gounod's Symphony No. 1, the work is a grand tribute to the power and beauty of the corps de ballet. Farrell herself suggested including the work in this program. Her presence and insight will have a profound influence on this production, offering audiences a rare opportunity to experience Balanchine's choreography through the perspective of one of his greatest interpreters.

Subscriptions to the 2026–2027 season are on sale now. Tickets for The Nutcracker and Boston Ballet School's Next Generation are also available as an add-on to your subscription or for groups 10+. Single tickets will go on sale on August 5, 2026. For more information, visit bostonballet.org or call 617.695.6955.