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Events
Fresh Visions and Timeless Classics
October 21, 2026 at 7:30 pm
David H. Koch Theater
New York, New York
Fresh Visions and Timeless Classics
Helen Pickett’s captivating choreography opens this diverse program, followed by Jiří Kylián’s exploration of human connection and a beloved story ballet set in Napoleonic Spain.
Petal Company Premiere
Choreography by Helen Pickett
Music by Philip Glass and Thomas Montgomery Newman
Set Design by Helen Pickett
Costumes by Nete Joseph
Lighting by Brandon Stirling Baker
Staged by Sarah Hillmer
As colorful as it is kinetic, Helen Pickett’s Petal is an electrifying, hopeful work inspired by the radiant hues of gerbera daisies. Choreographed in 2008, this timeless ballet explores the intimacy of human touch and our fundamental need for connection.
Petite Mort
Choreography by Jiří Kylián
Assistant to the Choreographer: Elke Schepers
Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Costume Design by Joke Visser
Set Design by Jiří Kylián
Lighting Design by Jiří Kylián and Joop Caboort
Lighting/Tech Adaptation: Joost Biegelaar
Solo Piano: Evangelos Spanos
Running Time: 17 minutes
Petite Mort, created by Jiří Kylián for the Salzburg Festival in 1991 on the second centenary of Mozart’s death, incorporates the slow movements of two of Mozart’s most exquisite and beloved piano concertos. Featuring six men, six women, and six foils, the work channels a striking interplay of aggression and tenderness, exploring desire, energy, stillness, and vulnerability.
Paquita
Choreography by Natalia Makarova
after Marius Petipa
Music by Ludwig Minkus
Orchestrated by John Lanchbery
Sets and Costumes by Jose Varona
Lighting by Alex Nichols
Based on original design by Robert Thomson
The grand divertissement from Paquita is a showcase of classical ballet elegance and virtuosity. In Natalia Makarova’s celebrated staging, a sequence of dazzling variations and ensemble dances unfolds with style, musicality, and technical brilliance. At its center, the commanding ballerina leads with grace and authority.