The Australian Ballet has unveiled its 2025 season, an exciting and diverse program that demonstrates courageous creativity and artistic excellence.
From an emotional biographic ballet and world premieres to an Australian debut and classics of the ballet canon, the Company will flex its ingenuity and athleticism with masterworks of the art form under the guidance of Artistic Director David Hallberg.
The season opens at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre with the long-awaited return of Nijinsky, John Neumeier’s moving tribute to the legendary dancer and choreographer Vaslav Nijinsky, before taking to the stage at the Sydney Opera House.
Following a sensational season and stellar reviews in Sydney, the sultry shores of Spain arrive in Melbourne and Canberra with acclaimed choreographer Johan Inger’s Carmen.
From the contemporary to the classic, one of the most coveted ballets returns as Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon is staged in Sydney and Melbourne.
Prism, a triple bill, delivers a powerful mixture of movement from three of the world’s most creative choreographers – William Forsythe, Jerome Robbins and The Australian Ballet’s Resident Choreographer, Stephanie Lake.
The enchanting tale of The Sleeping Beauty will captivate audiences in Adelaide and Brisbane, before closing the 2025 season in Sydney.
“I wanted our 2025 season to show our audiences the power of storytelling and the beauty of movement,” said Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet, David Hallberg. “These curated programs demonstrate some of the greatest ballets, balanced by our continued commitment to create new work.
“I am immensely proud to present Season 2025, which will guide audiences through the intimate and profound emotional expression seen on stage.”
“Alongside the grand ballets of the 19th century, we will present two world-premieres, enriching our repertoire and deepening the audience’s passion for ballet through both tradition and innovation,” said Hallberg.
Nijinsky opens the 2025 season with a tour de force that gives the Company’s male artists the opportunity to evoke Vaslav Nijinsky’s distinctive style in a dark and psychological ballet. Last performed by The Australian Ballet in 2016, this moving ballet examines Nijinsky’s final performance – charting the rise and fall of a creative genius in vivid detail.
Carmen returns to shine a stark light on the dangers of excessive passion and jealous rage. Inger’s striking production places the action in a contemporary setting, stripping back the story to its fundamental elements of obsession and betrayal. Presented alongside elements of Georges Bizet’s iconic score, Carmen’s passion and drama come to life through music and movement.
Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon is a tragic story unlike any other in ballet. Set in the echelons of high society 18th century Paris to the back streets of New Orleans, Manon tells a story of a young girl desperate to rise above her peasant origins and seduced by wealth and the power it affords her. Manon remains amongst MacMillan’s most celebrated works and has been in The Australian Ballet’s repertoire since 1994.
Prism is one of the most exciting triple bills curated at The Australian Ballet, featuring three distinct choreographic voices. The program features two premieres: William Forsythe’s expansion on his Blake Works series, Blake Works VI: The Barre Project, set to the music of Grammy award-winning musician James Blake, and a new work from Resident Choreographer Stephanie Lake. Prism also sees the Australian debut of American dance master Jerome Robbins’ Glass Pieces, more than four decades since its creation.
The Sleeping Beauty returns to whisk audiences away into a magical realm of fairies, spells and romance, accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s enchanting score. Ten years since its spectacular premiere, David McAllister’s opulent production is a dreamlike vision, evoking ballet’s golden era with traditional choreography and extravagant designs.
The Australian Ballet’s 2025 activities will also include a range of community engagement events, with The Australian Ballet On Tour travelling to Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales and an education program which tours to schools across the country.
Melbourne Principal Packages are on sale from 19 September. Sydney Principal Packages are on sale from 24 September.
For more information about The Australian Ballet’s 2025 season, visit: www.australianballet.com.au for details. View the 2025 season trailer here!
Images: Sharni Spencer – photo by Pierre Toussaint | Callum Linnane and Jill Ogai in Carmen – photo by Daniel Boud | Callum Linnane in Nijinsky – photo by Simon Eeles | Rainer Krenstetter and Simone Messmer in Robbins’ Glass Pieces (Miami City Ballet) – photo by Gene Schiavone