The Australian Ballet will make a long-awaited return to the Ian Potter State Theatre at Arts Centre Melbourne this October, marking its first performance on the iconic stage since March 2024, following the theatre’s major refurbishment.
The homecoming will be celebrated with one of the most beloved works in the classical repertoire, Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker, performed from 24 – 31 October. A highly anticipated blockbuster and treasured tradition, the production will herald the return of ballet at its most grand and spectacular to one of Australia’s most significant cultural stages.
For decades, the State Theatre has been the spiritual and artistic home of The Australian Ballet in Melbourne, hosting countless milestones in the Company’s history. Its reopening signals not only a return to scale and spectacle, but the beginning of a new chapter for artists and audiences alike.
The Company’s most recent Melbourne season at the theatre was Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in March 2024. Its return with The Nutcracker underscores a renewed sense of tradition, theatrical ambition and cultural momentum at the heart of Melbourne’s performing arts precinct.
“Coming back to the Ian Potter State Theatre truly feels like coming home. This stage holds so much of our history, and returning after this period of absence is incredibly meaningful for our artists and our loyal audiences,” said The Australian Ballet’s Artistic Director David Hallberg.
“We are deeply grateful to the Victorian Government for its continued investment in the arts and The Australian Ballet, which has made this long-awaited homecoming possible and ensures that world-class cultural experiences remain at the heart of Melbourne.”
“The redeveloped Ian Potter State Theatre allows us to once again present our most expansive and spectacular productions – the great blockbuster ballets conceived for a theatre of this scale. Works like The Nutcracker demand space, grandeur and technical excellence, and there is no better place to share them than here, in the heart of Melbourne,” added Hallberg.
Audiences will experience the transformed Ian Potter State Theatre, following a major refurbishment focused on accessibility, comfort, and technical excellence. Enhancements include new seating, improved acoustics, upgraded heating and ventilation, high-performance sound systems, energy-efficient lighting, and new aisles and accessible seating in the stalls.
Behind the scenes, upgraded back-of-house facilities and an expanded loading dock will support ambitious productions by Arts Centre Melbourne’s resident companies well into the future.
“This iconic venue was purpose built for our Resident Companies including The Australian Ballet, over 40 years ago. After a two-year closure for refurbishment, we could not be happier that the Ian Potter State Theatre will reopen in October with The Australian Ballet’s iconic work, The Nutcracker. We can’t wait for artists to be back on the stage and for audiences to rediscover the scale and beauty of this beloved auditorium,” said Arts Centre Melbourne CEO, Karen Quinlan AM.
“The $1.7 billion Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation project is Australia’s largest cultural infrastructure project. The State Theatre stage is one of the largest in the world, bigger than four tennis courts, and we are excited to welcome performers back to this iconic venue, which reaffirms our reputation as Australia’s arts and culture capital,” said Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks.
The Australian Ballet’s 2026 mainstage season will continue at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre as planned, with season concluding prior to the Ian Potter State Theatre opening in October. Created in 1990 during Sir Peter Wright’s tenure as Artistic Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, this production is widely regarded as one of the finest interpretations of The Nutcracker worldwide.
First staged by The Australian Ballet in 2007, Wright’s version draws on the classical tradition established by Marius Petipa. Set to Tchaikovsky’s final ballet score, following Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker features some of the most recognisable music in the classical canon, including the iconic celesta passages of the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.
John F. Macfarlane’s richly detailed sets and costumes bring Clara’s world vividly to life, from her Edwardian home to the shimmering Land of Snow and the candy-coloured Kingdom of Sweets.
A cornerstone of The Australian Ballet’s repertoire and a much-loved festive tradition, Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker promises a joyful and unforgettable homecoming for Melbourne audiences this October.
The Nutcracker will be presented in the Ian Potter State Theatre – Arts Centre Melbourne from 24 – 31 October 2026. For more information, visit: www.australianballet.com.au for details.
Images: Joseph Caley and Mia Heathcote in The Nutcracker (Wright) – photo by Daniel Boud (2024) | The Nutcracker (Wright) – photo by Daniel Boud (2024)