In a milestone moment for Queensland Ballet, new Artistic Director, Ivan Gil-Ortega, today unveiled his inaugural 2026 season, an ambitious program signalling the beginning of his artistic leadership since his appointment in February 2025.
Introducing fresh new creative voices and new collaborations, the season features a rich selection of works that will showcase the company’s distinctive artistry. Gil-Ortega said Queensland Ballet is entering a new era, a chapter defined by connection, collaboration, and creative ambition.
“The 2026 season captures dance in all its breadth, timeless classical masterpieces, bold new choreographic voices shaping the artform’s future, and beloved ballets reimagined for today’s audiences,” said Gil-Ortega. “Queensland Ballet’s season balances discovery and tradition, and is designed to inform, enlighten and broaden audiences’ understanding of dance.”
“I’d also like to acknowledge the visionary support of the Ken Talbot Foundation, our Principal Guardian from 2026. With heartfelt gratitude we thank them for their extraordinary, continuing guardianship of Queensland Ballet, enabling us to dream big on and off the stage.”
“Hand-in-hand with them, we can’t wait to engage with as many people as possible, in spaces and places throughout Queensland including our beloved Talbot Theatre,” said Gil-Ortega.
Queensland Ballet’s 2026 Season:
Messa da Requiem
Glasshouse Theatre – QPAC: 27 March – 4 April
Verdi’s monumental Messa da Requiem comes alive in Christian Spuck’s breathtaking staging, fusing voices, orchestra, and 36 dancers into a living sculpture of sound and movement. From the whispered prayers to the thunderous Dies Irae, this work explores life, death, and the mystery beyond in a collision of opera, dance, and ritual. Featuring over 170 singers and Queensland Symphony Orchestra musicians, this unforgettable staging is both epic and intimate. A once-in-a-generation experience that transcends boundaries.
Elastic Hearts
Talbot Theatre – Thomas Dixon Centre: 30 April – 2 May
Internationally acclaimed choreographer Garry Stewart joins forces with Queensland Ballet to create Elastic Hearts, a visually striking new work set to Sia’s music, reimagined in an orchestral score by Elliott Wheeler and recorded by Queensland Symphony Orchestra. At its centre is Gaia, the goddess of the Earth, whose journey mirrors cycles of destruction, renewal, and transformation. As dancers embody resilience and interconnectedness, the stage itself evolves – forests grow, swings soar, ramps shift, and a monumental pink heart blooms. Emotionally charged and visually spectacular, Elastic Hearts is a celebration of humanity’s power to bend, adapt, and endure.
Strings – Triple Bill
Playhouse – QPAC: 28 – 31 May
Experience three visionary works in one electrifying evening. Edward Clug’s witty Chamber Minds explores human connection with striking patterns, playful imbalance, and ingenious staging. Christian Spuck’s The Seventh Blue meditates on mortality through Schubert’s haunting Death and the Maiden. Goyo Montero’s Chacona pushes dancers to their limits against layered renditions of Bach’s Chaconne. Together, these ballets reveal dance as both urgent and eternal – shifting between intimacy, intensity, and collective resonance. A thrilling showcase of contemporary voices redefining ballet for today.
Hamlet
Talbot Theatre – Thomas Dixon Centre: 19 June – 18 July
Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy becomes a gripping dance drama in Leo Mujić’s Hamlet. Classical ballet technique fuses with visceral storytelling to capture the prince’s struggle with grief, revenge, and truth. Ensemble-driven choreography builds intensity, weaving a tapestry of power, betrayal, and mortality. With sweeping music by Tchaikovsky and Saint-Saëns, Hamlet transforms Shakespeare’s words into an electrifying physical language. A compelling reimagining of literature’s greatest story, rich with emotion and artistry.
Red Riding Hood and the Wolf
Talbot Theatre – Thomas Dixon Centre: 26 June – 4 July
In this fresh retelling, our curious and lively heroine drifts into a fantastical dream that whisks her away on a colourful adventure filled with quirky characters, unexpected challenges, and plenty of laughs. The traditional wolf is reimagined as a mischievous figure within her dream – more puzzling than predatory – adding a touch of mystery and fun without the fright. With its light-hearted spirit and imaginative storytelling, this production celebrates the power of dreams, the joy of exploration, and the magic of seeing the world through a child’s eyes.
Gala
Talbot Theatre – Thomas Dixon Centre: –
Soirée
Talbot Theatre – Thomas Dixon Centre: 24 – 26 September
Soirée offers a signature season of collaboration and creativity. In 2026, Queensland Ballet will partner with Philip Bacon Galleries and Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra, drawing inspiration from the work of the late Jeffrey Smart, an iconic expatriate realist painter, acclaimed for his precisely delineated urban and industrial landscapes. Featuring exquisite performances from our Jette Parker Young Artists and the Academy of Queensland Ballet’s Pre-Professional Program dancers, this unique season bridges visual art and ballet in a rich dialogue of disciplines.
Bespoke
Talbot Theatre – Thomas Dixon Centre: 2 – 17 October
Bespoke returns with a daring new season of contemporary dance, where creativity knows no limits. For 2026, Artistic Director Ivan Gil-Ortega has expanded the vision, inviting choreographers, composers, designers, and interdisciplinary artists to collaborate with Queensland Ballet. The result: boundary-pushing premieres that merge movement, music, and design in unexpected ways. Audiences will witness bold ideas transformed into performance, showcasing the artistry of collaboration at its most dynamic. Innovative, challenging, and unforgettable – Bespoke is a celebration of the cutting edge of dance.
The Nutcracker
Glasshouse Theatre – QPAC: 9 – 19 December
In 2026, experience a magical new era of The Nutcracker at Christmas. International choreographer Derek Deane OBE and acclaimed designer Lez Brotherston OBE reimagine the cherished holiday tradition with elegance, theatrical flair, and dazzling new designs. Clara’s enchanting journey unfolds with fresh characters, sumptuous costumes, and breathtaking sets, all set to Tchaikovsky’s timeless score. After 14 years, Queensland Ballet ushers in a new chapter of festive wonder with this grand-scale production, created to delight families for generations to come.
Executive Director, Ms Dilshani Weerasinghe said the 2026 season is grounded in cross-cultural collaborations and celebrates Queensland Ballet’s long ties to Europe, dating back to its founding by French born, Charles Lisner.
“Ivan not only brings his own lived-in experience as a Principal dancer with Stuttgart Ballet and Dutch National Ballet, but also a global perspective, new ideas and fresh tastes that are shaped by his international career,” said Ms Weerasinghe.
“At Queensland Ballet we tell stories that connect with people. Ivan’s first season introduces a dynamic group of choreographers whose fresh and compelling perspectives reflect the world around us. This is about ensuring ballet remains relevant, moving and accessible.”
“Under Ivan’s leadership, we will take our audiences, our artists and our supporters, on a journey of renewed purpose: to deliver bold productions that connect deeply with diverse audiences, amplifies sector collaboration, and generates lasting cultural and economic value for our Company, and our State,” said Ms Weerasinghe.
For more information about Queensland Ballet’s 2026 season, visit: www.queenslandballet.com.au for details.
Images: Queensland Ballet Artistic Director Ivan Gil-Ortega – photo by David Kelly | Niederer and Edison Manuel – photo by David Kelly