Empire State Building To Be Lit In Honor Of New York City Ballet's 75th Anniversary, October 11

On Wednesday, October 11, 2023 at sunset, the Empire State Building's world-famous Tower  Lights will be lit in “Balanchine Blue” to mark the 75th Anniversary of New York City Ballet.  Seventy-five years earlier, on October 11, 1948, just 21 blocks north of the Empire State Building  on West 55th Street at the City Center for Music and Drama, New York City Ballet gave its first  performance, which consisted of three ballets – Concerto Barocco, Orpheus, and Symphony in C – choreographed by George Balanchine, the legendary co-founder of New York City Ballet.  

Widely regarded as the most influential choreographer of the 20th century, Balanchine transformed  the world of ballet, creating two of New York City's most important cultural institutions – New York City  Ballet and The School of American Ballet, both of which he co-founded with Lincoln Kirstein, the writer and  arts patron, who was a towering figure in the cultural life of New York City during the 20th century.  

“Balanchine Blue,” also known as “Rosenthal Blue” for the late Jean Rosenthal, New York City  Ballet's first lighting designer and a pioneer in the world of lighting design, is the signature backdrop color  that accompanies countless iconic ballets choreographed by Balanchine. Works that feature “Balanchine  Blue” include Agon, Apollo, Concerto Barocco, The Four Temperaments, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Symphony in C, and Symphony in 3 Movements, among numerous others. 

“We are honored to partner with the Empire State Building in this momentous anniversary year,”  said NYCB Executive Director Katherine Brown. “The Empire State Building is a beacon of the New York  City skyline, and an iconic symbol of the city that New York City Ballet has always called home. It will be a  thrill to see the famous Tower Lights lit in our signature ‘Balanchine Blue' on October 11 as we celebrate  the 75th Anniversary of NYCB's first-ever performance.”  

On October 11, 2023, New York City Ballet will recreate its historic first program at its current home  at Lincoln Center, the David H. Koch Theater, which was built for NYCB and opened as the New York State  Theater in 1964. 

New York City Ballet's 75th Anniversary Season opened on September 19, 2023 with a week of  performances of Balanchine's masterpiece Jewels, including a moving tribute on opening night with more  than 250 alumni dancers joining the Company's current 95 dancers onstage at the close of the  performance for a celebratory bow.  

The Company's 75th Anniversary Season continues through Summer 2024 showcasing the  Company's extraordinary heritage and continuing contributions to creating a new ballet repertory with  performances of more than 60 ballets and more than 25 weeks of performances. Tickets for NYCB's  performances start at $40 and are available at nycballet.com, by calling 212-496-0600, or at the David H.  Koch Theater box office, located at West 63rd Street and Columbus Avenue. 

New York City Ballet, one of the foremost ballet companies in the world, was founded in 1948 by the  legendary choreographer George Balanchine and arts patron Lincoln Kirstein, and quickly became world renowned for its athletic and contemporary style. Jerome Robbins joined NYCB the following year and, with  Balanchine, helped to build its extraordinary repertory. Today NYCB continues to be inspired by its  founders who envisioned an authentically American expression of ballet with a company that reflects the  rich cultural diversity of our city and nation. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford,  Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan, and Executive Director Katherine Brown, NYCB remains  dedicated to its primary objectives: to preserve the ballets, dance aesthetic, and standards of excellence  created and established by its founders; to develop new work that draws on the talents of contemporary  choreographers and composers and speaks to the time in which it is made; and to make ballet accessible to the widest possible public through touring, education programs, the creative use of media, and other  outreach efforts.  

The Empire State Building, the “World's Most Famous Building," owned by Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.  (ESRT: NYSE), soars 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan from base to antenna. The $165 million  reimagination of the Empire State Building Observatory Experience creates an all-new experience with a  dedicated guest entrance, an interactive museum with nine galleries, and a redesigned 102nd Floor  Observatory with floor-to-ceiling windows. The journey to the world-famous 86th Floor Observatory, the only  360-degree, open-air observatory with views of New York and beyond, orients visitors for their entire New  York City experience and covers everything from the building's iconic history to its current place in pop  culture. The Empire State Building Observatory Experience welcomes millions of visitors each year and  was declared "America's Favorite Building" by the American Institute of Architects, the world's most popular  travel destination by Uber, the #1 attraction in the US for the second year in a row in Tripadvisor's 2023  Travelers' Choice Awards: Best of the Best, and the #1 New York City attraction in Lonely Planet's Ultimate  Travel List. 

Since 2011, the building has been fully powered by renewable wind electricity, and its many floors house a  diverse array of office tenants such as LinkedIn and Shutterstock, as well as retail options like STATE Grill  and Bar, Tacombi, and Starbucks. For more information and Observatory Experience tickets visit  esbnyc.com or follow the building's Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Weibo, YouTube, or TikTok. 

NYCB's 2023-24 Season is made possible in part by the generous commitments of the 75th Anniversary  Leadership Committee led by Diamond supporters Emily and Len Blavatnik, Anne and Chris Flowers, Lynne  and Richard Pasculano, Michael and Sue Steinberg, and The Travelers Companies, Inc. and Emerald  supporters Gillian Attfield, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Karen and Thomas Murphy, and the Joseph and  Sylvia Slifka Foundation.