NYC Ballet Releases New Video of George Balanchine's FIREBIRD
The production features Stravinsky's celebrated score in the company's signature staging of the classic work.
New York City Ballet has released a new video showcasing George Balanchine's FIREBIRD, offering audiences a fresh look at one of the company's most celebrated and visually striking works in its repertoire.
FIREBIRD draws on Igor Stravinsky's iconic 1910 score, originally composed for the Ballets Russes, and Balanchine's choreography transforms the mythological tale of the magical firebird and her role in defeating the sorcerer Kastchei into a showcase of technical brilliance and theatrical spectacle. The production has long stood as a signature piece for New York City Ballet, blending classical technique with vivid storytelling through movement.
Balanchine first staged his version of FIREBIRD for New York City Ballet in 1949, and the work has remained a cornerstone of the company's identity across decades of performance at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater. The production's bold costuming and dramatic lighting design have made it one of the most visually memorable ballets in the American repertoire.
Interest in the Firebird story has been running high across the performing arts world recently, with Dance Theatre of Harlem extending its own FIREBIRD production into a fall 2026 tour following sold-out performances in New York and an international premiere in Paris, underscoring the enduring power of Stravinsky's source material to inspire companies of every scale and style.
