George Balanchine’s THE NUTCRACKER Returns To Lincoln Center For New York City Ballet 2025–26 Season

New York City Ballet will open the 2025–26 season of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker on Friday, November 28 at 8 p.m. at the David H. Koch Theater.

The production will run through January 4, 2026, and will include a sensory-friendly performance on the final afternoon. The season will be sponsored by Travelers.

George Balanchine’S THE NUTCRACKER

Since premiering in 1954, NYCB’s staging of Balanchine’s holiday work has become one of the most widely attended versions of The Nutcracker in the United States, drawing more than 100,000 audience members each year. Katherine Brown, NYCB’s Executive Director, said the company “is thrilled and honored” to continue presenting the production, with continued sponsorship from The Travelers Companies, Inc. Lisa Caputo, an executive at Travelers, noted the company’s ongoing support of the annual run.

Set to Tchaikovsky’s score, the production features choreography by Balanchine, scenery by Rouben Ter-Arutunian, costumes by Karinska, and lighting by Mark Stanley after the original design by Ronald Bates. The staging includes more than 150 NYCB dancers and musicians and more than 120 students from the School of American Ballet performing in alternating casts. Notable production elements include a Christmas tree that expands from 16 to 41 feet, a staged snowstorm, a nine-foot-wide Mother Ginger costume weighing 85 pounds, and a finale requiring one million watts of lighting.

TICKETING INFORMATION

Tickets for performances from November 28, 2025, through January 4, 2026, are on sale at nycballet.com, by phone at (212) 496-0600, and at the theater box office. NYCB will also offer the Sweet Seat VIP Package, which includes premium seating, a souvenir book, and a keepsake photo voucher. The David H. Koch Theater is located at Lincoln Center Plaza at Columbus Avenue and 63rd Street.

SENSORY-FRIENDLY PERFORMANCE

The sensory-friendly performance on Sunday, January 4 at 1 p.m. will provide adjusted lighting and sound levels, relaxed house policies, additional staffing, designated break areas, and pre-visit materials. Tickets for this performance start at $59 and are available through standard NYCB ticketing channels.

PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS

In December, NYCB will present public programs for children, teens, and adults offering a closer look at the company’s repertory.

Family Saturdays

On December 20 from 11 a.m.–12 p.m., NYCB will hold a Family Saturdays presentation featuring excerpts from The Nutcracker, hosted by Principal Dancer Megan Fairchild. The program will explore the ballet’s story, choreography, music, and costumes in an interactive one-hour session for audiences ages 5 and older. Tickets start at $29, including for infants.

Movement Workshops

NYCB will offer a series of in-person Movement Workshops at its Lincoln Center rehearsal studios.