Pacific Beach-based City Ballet of San Diego announces Season 31 of productions to be performed at theaters throughout the San Diego area. Subscriptions for the season include both San Diego packages and North County packages. Both season packages and single ticket sales are available.

The critically acclaimed City Ballet of San Diego, under the direction of Steven and Elizabeth Wistrich, both former Boston Ballet and Stuttgart Ballet dancers, offers innovative programming of classical, contemporary, and story ballets for Season 31. “While Spreckels Theatre, our beloved home theater, undergoes renovations, we have broadened our reach with performances in both San Diego and North County,” said Steven Wistrich.

In July, the company continued its On the Move series with On the Move: Without Bounds showcasing all new works by resident choreographers Elizabeth Wistrich and Geoffrey Gonzalez, plus City Ballet dance artist Brian Heil’s first ballet set for the company. Ballet patrons attending the performances enjoyed a unique ballet experience under the stars at the new Epstein Family Amphitheater on the UC San Diego campus.

The fall program in November, titled Balanchine Extravaganza, includes ballet masterworks from the 20th century by George Balanchine. As the father of American ballet, George Balanchine opened the eyes and ears of audiences to the marriage of music and dance. He famously said, “See the music, hear the dance.”

The program celebrates that marriage of music and dances with three of Mr. B’s finest works at the Balboa Theatre, with his milestone Serenade – the first he created in America, the cheerful, but challenging Donizetti Variations and The Four Temperaments showing his lean angular style fused with classical steps.

In December, The Nutcracker, which received the Tommy Award for the “Best Nutcracker” in San Diego, offers five performances at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido accompanied by The City Ballet Orchestra with John Nettles conducting.

A beloved classic, The Nutcracker retells the Victorian-era story of the adventures of Clara, the Nutcracker Prince, Herr Drosselmeyer, and the Sugar Plum Fairy through a magical theatrical experience to Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s famous score. Audiences will be captivated by Elizabeth Wistrich’s choreography, exquisite costumes, and grand sets. A heart-warming production for families to immerse themselves in the holiday spirit.

In March, City Ballet assembled a program exclusively of firsts. Geoffrey Gonzalez premieres his new ballet, An American in Paris. Elizabeth Wistrich premieres her new ballet, Boléro – The Awakening. And City Ballet adds their first Christopher Wheeldon ballet to their repertoire, Morphoses. Performances will be presented at both the Balboa Theatre and California Center for the Arts, Escondido.

Closing the season in May at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido is resident choreographer Geoffery Gonzalez’s Carmina Burana performed to Carl Orff’s powerful score, played by the City Ballet Orchestra, plus the 80-plus voices of the Pacific Coast Chorale and the Escondido Center Chorale. Set in 1929, the ballet tells the tragic story of James J. Riordan during the great stock market crash – the Wheel of Fortune spins. Elizabeth Wistrich’s exquisite Mozart Concerto – a tutu ballet of classical choreography – completes the program.

Additionally, special productions of Peter and the Wolf and Coppelia and the Toymaker are staged to introduce children and their families to the world of ballet.

Programming, musical selections, and artists are subject to change without notice.

BALANCHINE EXTRAVAGANZA

Saturday, Nov. 4, at 8 p.m. at the Balboa Theatre.

Sunday, Nov. 5, at 2 p.m. at the Balboa Theatre.

Serenade

Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Choreography: George Balanchine.

Premiere by American Ballet at the Adelphi Theatre, N.Y., March 1935.

Last performed by City Ballet of San Diego in 2017.

Donizetti Variations

Music: Gaetano Donizetti. Choreography: George Balanchine.

First performed by New York City Ballet at City Center, N.Y., November 1960.

First performed and last performed by City Ballet of San Diego in March 2012.

The Four Temperaments

Music: Paul Hindemith. Choreography: George Balanchine.

Premiere by Ballet Society, at Central High School, Needle Trades, N.Y., November 1946.

Last performed by City Ballet of San Diego in March 2019.

City Ballet’s performances of these George Balanchine ballets are licensed by The Geroge Balanchine Trust. Free pre-performance lecture: 45 minutes prior to each performance. City Ballet’s Box Office is 858-272-8663, or ciudadballet.org.

THE NUTCRACKER

Accompanied by The City Ballet Orchestra, John Nettles conducting.

Thursday, Dec. 21, at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 22, at 2 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 22, at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 23, at 2 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 23, at 7:30 p.m.

Performances at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, 340 N Escondido Blvd.

Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Costumes: designed by David Heuvel.

Choreography: Elizabeth Wistrich after Lev Ivanov, Vassily Vainonen, and Rudolph Nureyev and Willam Christensen.

First performed at the Maryinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, December 1892.

First performed in the United States by San Francisco Ballet, in December 1944.

Elizabeth Wistrich first choreographed the ballet for American Festival Ballet in 1980, then re-staged it for City Ballet in 1995. It has been performed yearly since then, even during the recent pandemic.

Awarded the ‘Best Nutcracker’ in San Diego by the San Diego Area Dance Alliance Tommy Awards.

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS

Saturday, March 16, 2024, at 8 p.m. at Balboa Theatre.

Sunday, March 17, 2024, at 2 p.m. at Balboa Theatre.

Wednesday, March 27, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. at California Center for the Arts, Escondido.

Music: George Gershwin. Choreography: Geoffrey Gonzalez.

Boléro – The Awakening

Music: Maurice Ravel. Choreography: Elizabeth Wistrich.

Morphoses

Music: György Ligeti. Choreography: Chrisopher Wheeldon.

First performed by New York City Ballet, New York State Theater, June 2002.

Free pre-concert lecture 45 minutes prior to the performance.

CARMINA BURANA

Accompanied by The City Ballet Orchestra, John Nettles conducting. And the Pacific Coast Chorale and Escondido Center Chorale.

Saturday, May 4, 2024 at 8 p.m.

Sunday, May 5, 2024 at 2 p.m.

Performances at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, 340 N Escondido Blvd.

Music: Carl Orff. Choreography: Geoffrey Gonzalez.

First performed by City Ballet of San Diego in May 2018.

Last performed by City Ballet of San Diego in November 2019.

Mozart Concerto

Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

First performed by USIU International Ballet in San Diego in 1989.

Last performed by City Ballet of San Diego in May 2018.

Free pre-concert lecture 45 minutes prior to the performance.

FAMILY BALLET SHOWS

Peter and the Wolf

Music: Sergei Prokofiev. Choreography: Elizabeth Wistrich.

Premiered by City Ballet of San Diego for Classics 4 Kids in 1999.

Saturday, Nov. 4, at 2 p.m., Balboa Theatre.

Saturday, Feb. 9, 2024 at 2 p.m., Joan B Kroc Theatre, 6611 University Ave.

Coppélia and the Toymaker (Premiere)

Music: Léo Delibes. Choreography: Elizabeth Wistrich.

Sunday, May 19, 2024 at 4 p.m., Joan B Kroc Theatre, 6611 University Ave.

All seats are $25 – Children aged two years and younger may attend free, but must sit on the lap of an adult. City Ballet’s Box Office is 858-272-8663, or ciudadballet.org.

PHOTO BY CHELSEA PENYAK