We are delighted to announce the 2024/2025 Ballet＆Dance Season for the National Ballet of Japan.

2024/2025 season

• The Sleeping Beauty
• DANCE to the Future 2024
• The Nutcracker and the Mouse King
• Ballet Coffret
  Etudes Company Premiere / The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude Company Premiere / The Firebird
• Co. Un YAMADA "Obachetta"
• Giselle
• Alice's Adventures in Wonderland© by Christopher Wheeldon
• Young NBJ GALA 2025
  Pas de deux selection / O Solitude / A New Work by Keigo Fukuda New Commissioned Work by the NBJ, World Premiere

Ballet for Children 2024

• Ballet for Children 2024 Story of a Little Mermaid New Commissioned Work by the NBJ, World Premiere

Message from Miyako Yoshida, Artistic Director of Ballet ＆ Dance

I am delighted to share the exciting theme for our upcoming 2024/2025 season: "With a Sense of Adventure." The National Ballet of Japan(NBJ) wholeheartedly embraces this theme, pushing artistic boundaries with a spirit of adventure. Alongside beloved classics like The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, Giselle, as well as Christopher Wheeldon's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland© , we are thrilled to introduce a diverse lineup, featuring a company premiere and the world premiere of our original ballet. Our aim is to share the excitement with our audiences, bringing a sense of adventure and challenge to every performance.

In addition to performances by the National Ballet of Japan, Co. Un YAMADA's Obachetta, which premiered in 2021, is returning to the stage as a dance work to be enjoyed by children and adults alike. We invite you to consider a family visit to the theatre, as Obachetta promises an enjoyable experience for all ages.

Today, I am pleased to introduce our four new productions, starting with the world premiere of Tetsuo Kaikawa's Story of a Little Mermaid in July 2024 as part of the "Ballet for Children" series. This marks a significant milestone as the first full-length ballet originating from the "NBJ Choreographic Group," a project dedicated to nurturing choreographers within the NBJ. While works developed through this initiative have previously been featured in the "DANCE to the Future" series, we are delighted to announce the production of a full-length ballet, indicating a promising future for the project. This marks a significant advancement for both the project and, by extension, the entire company.

In March 2025, the triple bill "Ballet Coffret" will feature Harald Lander's Etudes and William Forsythe's The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, which had to be postponed due to the pandemic, along with The Firebird, which is making its return after 12 years. These pieces present a new challenge for our company, as we have not previously performed works by Lander and Forsythe. For audiences accustomed to full-length ballets, this promises to be a unique and adventurous experience.

The final new production of the season is a one-act piece for young dancers choreographed by Keigo Fukuda, a dancer with the NBJ. It will be performed at the Young NBJ GALA in July 2025. Keigo Fukuda has been ambitiously creating his works for the NBJ Choreographic Group, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to commission a unique ballet from within our own company. Launched in 2023, the Young NBJ GALA aims to nurture young dancers, and we are keen to continue our commitment to this initiative.

The highlight of 2025 will be our performance of Giselle at the Royal Opera House in the UK, marking our company's first performance in London. The realization of this long-awaited event gives us immense pleasure after overcoming numerous challenges including the impact of the pandemic. With the invaluable support of Kinoshita Group Co.,Ltd., we are thrilled to make this announcement. We are confident that British audiences will enjoy the NBJ's unique production of Giselle, characterized by its theatricality and our distinctive aesthetic. Most importantly, we look forward to the opportunity to showcase the excellence of the NBJ and our talented dancers.

In addition to embracing new challenges, we remain committed to enhancing the working environment for our dancers. Although our theatre-wide initiatives such as increasing the number of performances, adding new studios, and introducing personalized conditioning session, and expanding the number of Stage Trainers, have proven beneficial, we acknowledge that more needs to be done. Thus, we are determined to continue our reforms throughout this season, without slowing down.

The world is still in the midst of war and major social changes, and in Japan, a major earthquake hit the Noto Peninsula at the beginning of 2024. In the face of these challenges, we are poised to re-evaluate the potential of the performing arts and the role of the New National Theatre Tokyo. We are now stepping into the next adventure ready to face the challenge and eager to make a meaningful impact.

We sincerely ask for your continued warm support for the National Ballet of Japan in the 2024/2025 season.