Boston Ballet Presents SPRING EXPERIENCE This May

Boston Ballet to present Spring Experience, a program featuring three ambitious ballets: Jiří Kylián's Petite Mort and the Boston Ballet premiere of his 27'52”, plus the return of Mikko Nissinen's Raymonda. Spring Experience runs May 15–25 at the Citizens Opera House.

“Spring Experience will offer audiences a transformative experience, showcasing the breadth and beauty of dance today with these contrasting works,” said Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen. “Every dancer wants to perform Jiří Kylián's works, and these two pieces are Kylián at his finest. I am also thrilled for my reimagined Raymonda to return. The choreography is some of the most challenging in our repertoire, and our talented dancers shine in this classical gem.”

Petite Mort

One of the most important choreographers of our time, Jiří Kylián's theatrical Petite Mort is a sensuous exploration of what it means to be human. Incorporating sculptural dresses and swords, the ballet explores themes of intimacy, power, and vulnerability with beautifully organic and emotional choreography. Set for 12 dancers, it demonstrates Kylián's ability to merge musicality and striking visual imagery.

Petite Mort uses props and costumes as symbolic and powerful elements, including fencing foils and rolling baroque dresses. These mesmerizing visuals act as both prop and partner, as dancers manipulate them as part of the ingenious choreography.

Set to two movements from Mozart's Piano Concertos, Petite Mort was created for the Nederlands Dans Theater in 1991 for the Salzburg Festival to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Mozart's death. These well-known and slower paced piano concertos serve as a contrast to the intense choreography.

27'52”

Making its Boston Ballet premiere, Kylián's 27'52” is a masterwork of contemporary dance. The piece is made for six dancers who form three duets. Created for Nederlands Dans Theater II, the work was developed through a unique collaboration with German composer Dirk Haubrich. Featuring electronic elements and spoken words, the score creates an immersive and auditory experience.

The title refers to the length of the piece, 27 minutes and 52 seconds. There are four elements reflected in the work: time, speed, love, and constant changes. The set features two parts—the floor and the ceiling. “In the course of the performance, we notice that both of these elements are unstable and unreliable. Everything is constantly moving: our age, our interest, our partnership, our future, and our destiny. This means that the only thing we can rely on is uncertainty,” Kylián said.

Jiří Kylián started his dance career at the age of 9 at the School of the National Ballet in Prague. He received a scholarship for the Royal Ballet School in London in 1967. Then, he joined the Stuttgart Ballet led by John Cranko. In 1975, Kylián became artistic director of the Nederlands Dans Theater and in 1978, he founded Nederlands Dans Theater 2, as an incubator for young talent. He also initiated Nederlands Dans Theater 3 in 1991, the company for dancers over the age of 40. In the course of his storied career, Kylián has received many international awards including an honorary doctorate from The Juilliard School, three Nijinsky Awards for best choreographer, company and work, and two Benoit de la Danse awards. Kylián has also directed four dance films: Car-Men (2006), Between Entrance & Exit (2013), Schwarzfahrer (2014), and Scalamare (2017).

Raymonda

Returning after a successful world premiere in 2024, Mikko Nissinen's reimagined Raymonda delights ballet purists with its demand for strong classical technique and bravura dancing with featured roles for the corps, soloists, and principal dancers. The lavish sets and costumes designed by Robert Perdziola, the designer for Nissinen's The Nutcracker and Swan Lake, puts the classical choreography center stage. After its world premiere in 2024, the production was hailed for its complex and dynamic choreography and is named one of the “most promising dance shows to see this spring” (The Washington Post). The Boston Ballet Orchestra will perform the soaring score by Alexander Glazunov, one of his most celebrated works.

Raymonda, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa, features rechoreographed sections by Nissinen, Florence Clerc, and Alla Nikitina. The ballet begins with Princess Raymonda celebrating her name day, gathering with her fiancé Jean de Brienne, a Knight, and her friends Clemence, Henriette, Beranger, and Bernard. The festivities come to an abrupt halt when the King's guards call Jean to join the crusades. Compelled to serve, he agrees to go to battle, promising Raymonda marriage upon his return. Despite her friends trying to console and entertain her, Raymonda falls into a mysteriously deep sleep as soon as they leave her for the night. As Raymonda sleeps, the Spirit and Protector of the House, Dame Blanche, appears and reunites Raymonda and Jean in a glittering dream, reminding them of their deep love and commitment to each other. Soon enough, Jean returns to an elated Raymonda, and they follow through to the grand wedding, with guests hailing from all the land to celebrate the reunited couple.

Nissinen's Raymonda was highly praised after its world premiere, with audience members saying it was “just magnificent. Everything about it, the costumes, the lighting, everything. The dancing [was] unbelievable,” and their “favorite thing about the evening was experiencing the new version of Raymonda.”

For the 2025 production, Nissinen has made some updates to the work, including adding a new variation and omitting two others.

“Raymonda is a very important historic ballet in the classical canon that deserves to be preserved for audiences and dancers. Parts of the story are outdated and inappropriate, and I have long wanted to recreate the ballet for today,” said Nissinen. “I was fortunate to work with a dream team of associated artists whom I deeply respect—Florence Clerc, a former Paris Opera Ballet Étoile, now their leading rehearsal director, Alla Nikitina, a brilliant character dance professional who teaches and coaches Boston Ballet School students, and Robert Perdziola, who brought my vision of Raymonda to life with intricate and beautiful costumes and sets. The choreography is incredibly technical and challenging, and I am excited for the work to return for our dancers to display their talent through beautiful and academically classical choreography.”

All nine performances of Spring Experience will take place at Citizens Opera House (539 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111):

Thursday, May 15 at 7:30 pm 
Friday, May 16 at 7:30 pm 
Saturday, May 17 at 7:30 pm 
Sunday, May 18 at 1:30 pm 
Thursday, May 22 at 7:30 pm 
Friday, May 23 at 7:30 pm 
Saturday, May 24 at 1:30 and 7:30 pm 
Sunday, May 25 at 1:30 pm