2025/2026 Season Ballet & Dance at the New National Theatre Tokyo
We are delighted to announce the 2025/2026 Ballet＆Dance Season for the National Ballet of Japan.
2025/2026 season
- Cinderella
- Robot, l'amour éternel Japan Premiere
- The Nutcracker New Production
- Ballet Coffret 2026
A Million Kisses to my Skin/ 5 Tango's Company Premiere / Theme and Variations - Kenneth MacMillan's Manon
- FRIENDS OF FORSYTHE Japan Premiere
- Raymonda
- Swan Lake
- String SAGA New Commissioned Work by the NBJ, World Premiere / Escaping the Weight of Darkness
Ballet for Children 2026
Message from Miyako Yoshida, Artistic Director of Ballet ＆ Dance
The theatre is a place for extraordinary experiences. Our goal is to provide a space where audiences can discover something new through the stories and expressions brought to life on stage. With this vision in mind, we have set our objectives for the 2025/2026 season: to inspire our dancers to uncover new dimensions of themselves and express their individuality. By encouraging each dancer to find their unique colours and bring them to the stage, we aim to create a vibrant and unforgettable experience for our audience.
We are thrilled to announce three new productions for the upcoming season. The first on the list is the holiday favourite, The Nutcracker. This time, we are excited to collaborate once again with Will Tuckett, who choreographed The Tragedy of Macbeth in 2022. Together, we will bring you a fresh, exciting, and delightful take on The Nutcracker--a reimagined winter classic we hope you'll fall in love with.
Our next new production is Hans van Manen's 5 Tangos, presented as part of the triple bill Ballet Coffret. Originally scheduled for the first year of my tenure as Artistic Director, this production was unfortunately postponed. I am thrilled that we can finally bring it to life on stage. This captivating ballet for adults seamlessly merges Astor Piazzolla's iconic tango music with classical ballet. It will be performed alongside David Dawson's A Million Kisses to my Skin and George Balanchine's Theme and Variations. It will be interesting to see how our dancers bring their unique artistry to these diverse works.
The final production is a new work by Naoya Homan, set to premiere in July 2026 as part of Double Bill at the Playhouse. Homan, a former dancer with the National Ballet of Japan, has an impressive history of choreographing numerous works for the NBJ Choreographic Group during his time with the company. Since then, he has established himself as a celebrated choreographer in his own right. We are thrilled to commission him for this exciting new piece. This Double Bill will showcase two original works by the National Ballet of Japan: Homan's new creation and Jessica Lang's Escaping the Weight of Darkness, returning to the stage for the first time in a decade.
We will also present several beloved works from our repertoire, including Cinderella, which will open the season, and Kenneth MacMillan's Manon, whose previous run was unfortunately cut short due to the pandemic. Additionally, audiences can look forward to Raymonda and Swan Lake, which celebrate the beauty of our company. I believe each of these productions will showcase the individuality of our dancers.
The dance performances will include two Japan premieres: Robot, l'amour éternel by France-based choreographer Kaori Ito, and FRIENDS OF FORSYTHE, an exciting collaboration between the legendary William Forsythe and emerging artists.
These lineups are each vibrant and full of charm. We hope you'll come to the theatre and enjoy our dancers' unique performance.
In 2024, in collaboration with the companies supporting the New National Theatre Tokyo, we actively pursued initiatives designed to share the joy and excitement of art appreciation with younger generations. These initiatives included the "Children's Theatre-Going Programme," which provides opportunities for children with limited access to culture and the arts, and the "Ballet Mirai Seat," a special project aimed at nurturing elementary and junior high school students who will hopefully go on to support the future of ballet. Additionally, the newly launched Hospitality Programme "Grand Experience" is set to be further developed as a sustainable initiative, with its profits directed toward supporting young people and individuals with disabilities.
The year 2024 began with a major earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula, prompting us to reflect on how the New National Theatre Tokyo and the National Ballet of Japan could contribute to society. As we move forward into the new season, we remain committed to becoming a "special theatre" for everyone. We sincerely ask for your continued support and encouragement.