Pleasant but bland New York City Ballet fall season opener

Joseph Gordon and Megan Fairchild in George Balanchine's Donizetti Variations

Mira Nadon and Peter Walker in George Balanchine's Ballade

Isabella LaFreniere in George Balanchine's Swan Lake

Isabella LaFreniere and Chun Wai Chan in George Balanchine's Swan Lake

By Ivy Lin, 18 September 2025

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Reviewed at Lincoln Center: David H Koch Theater, New York City on 16 September 2025

Donizetti Variations (George Balanchine)

Ballade (George Balanchine)

Swan Lake (Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov, George Balanchine)

New York City Ballet

David Hays, Set Designer, Lighting Designer

Barbara Karinska, Costume Designer

New York City Ballet Orchestra

Megan Fairchild, Dancer

Joseph Gordon, Dancer

Mira Nadon, Dancer

Isabella LaFreniere, Dancer

Chun Wai Chan, Dancer

Peter Walker, Dancer

Mira Nadon’s sparkling debut in Firebird with New York City Ballet

Ivy Lin, 25th April

A triple bill comprising Balanchine's Symphony in C, Agon and Firebird could not have been more inspiringly danced by New York City Ballet.

*****

Ballet for cowboys and soldiers at Kansas City Ballet

Hilary Stroh, 20th March

Kansas City Ballet celebrate the USA’s 250th anniversary with three American ballets. Balanchine's Stars and Stripes, de Mille's Rodeo and a new work by Caili Quan, A Home Away.

****1

American Ballet Theatre's double bill is short and sweet in New York

Ivy Lin, 15th March

American Ballet Theatre presents Balanchine's Raymonda: Grand Pas Hongrois and Ratmansky's Firebird which showcases the company well and provides a strong contrast.

****1

A spectacular triple bill lifts ABT’s spring season in New York

Leigh Donlan, 13th March

A finely curated triple bill from American Ballet Theatre included works from Balanchine, Jiří Kylián and Alexei Ratmansky.

****1

Understatement and spectacle at New York City Ballet

Carla Escoda, 26th February

Jerome Robbins' Dances at a Gathering and George Balanchine's Diamonds make a study in contrasts. With lots of debuts in the former and seasoned leads in the latter.

*****

Fast Forward: Hamburg Ballet’s mixed bill proves a mixed success

Vikki Jane Vile, 22nd February

All that glistens... the world premiere of Xie Xin’s The Moon in the Ocean is the highlight of a mixed bill programme spanning 90 years of choreography.

***11

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Ivy Lin

Ivy Lin's love of ballet began in high school when at the school dance she quickly realized she had two left feet. One always admires things one cannot do, and so Ivy began to attend dance performances to marvel at the grace and beauty of bodies in motion. Ivy's day job is a biology teacher and after a long day in the classroom she loves to unwind by watching dance. She also enjoys theater, opera, pop and classical music. Ivy has her own blog (www.humbledandoverwhelmed,blogspot.com)