New York City Ballet’s 2025-26 Season of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®

Stella Tompkins as Marie and Finlay McCurdy-Van Alstine as the Prince in sleigh. George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker ®, choreography © The George Balanchine Trust, New York City Ballet, David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center, Wednesday, December 18, 2024, 7pm. Credit Photo: Erin Baiano

OPENS AT LINCOLN CENTER ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2025

Special Sensory-Friendly Performance to Take Place on Sunday, January 4 at 1pm

2025-26 Edition of the Beloved Holiday Classic Sponsored by Travelers

New York City Ballet will open its annual season of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® on Friday, November 28 at 8pm at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. The 2025-26 season of the holiday classic, sponsored by Travelers, will conclude on Sunday, January 4, 2026, with a special Sensory-Friendly Performance.

New York City Ballet’s (NYCB) acclaimed production of Balanchine’s masterpiece, which premiered on February 2, 1954, helped to establish The Nutcracker and its score as perennial favorites in the United States, evident by the now countless versions of the ballet performed all over the country. NYCB’s beloved production is seen by more than 100,000 people annually.

“George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® has been a cherished holiday tradition for generations,” said Katherine Brown, New York City Ballet Executive Director. “We are thrilled and honored to share our magical production with audience members each year, and we are grateful to The Travelers Companies, Inc. for their generous continued sponsorship, which makes this treasured holiday favorite possible year after year.”

“We are pleased to continue our support of New York City Ballet’s production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®. This cherished holiday tradition brings joy and enchantment to audiences of all ages, and we are proud to be part of this magical experience,” said Lisa Caputo, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing, Communications & Customer Experience Officer at Travelers.

Set to Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky’s glorious score, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® 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 production features the Company’s entire roster of more than 150 dancers and musicians, as well as more than 120 children, in two alternating casts, from the School of American Ballet, the official school of New York City Ballet.

Highlights of this world-renowned holiday production include a one-ton Christmas tree that grows from 16 to 41 feet, an onstage snowstorm, and hundreds of elaborate costumes, including one for Mother Ginger that measures 9 feet wide and weighs 85 pounds. The production’s grand finale involves one million watts of lighting, the most used in any New York City Ballet production.

Tickets for performances from November 28, 2025 through January 4, 2026 are currently on sale online at nycballet.com, in person at the theater box office, and by phone at (212) 496-0600. New York City Ballet also offers a Sweet Seat VIP Package, which includes premium seating, a complimentary souvenir book, and for every two Sweet Seat tickets purchased, a coupon for one complimentary keepsake photo taken onsite at the theater. The David H. Koch Theater is located on the Lincoln Center Plaza at Columbus Avenue and 63rd Street.

Sensory-Friendly Performance: Sunday, January 4, 2026

On Sunday, January 4 at 1pm, NYCB will present a sensory-friendly performance of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®, designed to provide a relaxed and inclusive environment where audiences with disabilities, including those with autism, can enjoy a ballet performance. Slight modifications to the social and sensory environment include a relaxed entry and exit policy, adjustments to lighting and sound levels, designated break areas throughout the theater, additional event staffing to assist with audience needs, and pre-visit resources.

Tickets for the Sensory-Friendly Performance start at $59 and are available online, in person at the theater box office, and by phone at (212) 496-0600. For additional information visit: nycballet.com/sensoryfriendly.

Public Education Programs for All Audiences

This December, New York City Ballet will also present a series of public programs for children, teens, and adults designed to give audiences a closer look at the Company’s repertory and artists.

Family Saturdays: December 20, 2025

On Saturday, December 20, 2025 from 11am-12pm, NYCB will present a one-hour Family Saturdays program featuring excerpts from George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®, performed by Company dancers and members of the NYCB orchestra. Hosted by Megan Fairchild, Principal Dancer and Family Saturdays Creative Director, the presentation will explore the story, choreography, music, and costumes of the holiday classic in a one-hour interactive program designed for children and adults ages 5 and up. Family Saturdays tickets start at $29 per person and are required for infants, children, and adults. Priority seating for American Sign Language Interpretation is available for all Family Saturdays presentations. Tickets are currently on sale online at nycballet.com, in person at the theater box office, and by phone at (212) 496-0600.

Movement Workshops

The season will also include a series of in-person Movement Workshops held in NYCB’s rehearsal studios at Lincoln Center. These will include:

• Children’s Workshops for children ages 5 to 7 on Saturday, December 6 from 12:30-1:15pm, Sunday, December 7 from 11:30am-12:15pm, and Saturday, December 20 from 12:30-1:15pm.

• In Motion workshop for children ages 8 to 12 on Sunday, December 7 from 11:30am-12:15pm.

• Ballet Essentials workshops for teens and adults on Saturday, December 6 from 10:30-11:45am and Monday, December 15 from 6:30-7:45pm.

• Children’s Access Workshop for children with physical disabilities ages 4 to 12 on Saturday, December 13 from 11:00am-12:00pm.

• Autism-Friendly Access Workshops for children ages 4 to 12 with autism or other sensory needs on Sunday, December 7 from 10:00-11:00am and Saturday, December 13 from 1:00-2:00pm.

Movement Workshop tickets range from $8 to $36. For tickets and additional information visit nycballet.com/educate/public-programs and nycballet.com/educate/access-programs.

New York City Ballet is located in a facility owned by the City of New York, and its operation is made possible in part by public funds provided through the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

New York City Ballet’s programs are made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.