GREAT PERFORMANCES: NEW YORK CITY BALLET IN MADRID to Premiere on PBS This Month

As part of New York City Ballet’s 75th Anniversary Season, PBS will stream and broadcast the US premiere of “Great Performances: New York City Ballet in Madrid” on Friday, October 27 at 9pm (check local listings). The evening of three ballets – George Balanchine’s Serenade and Square Dance, and Justin Peck’s The Times Are Racing – was recorded at the Teatro Real in the Spanish capital in March 2023.

Captured during the Company’s first-ever appearance in Madrid and its first international appearance since 2018, “Great Performances: New York City Ballet in Madrid” features NYCB’s dancers in three of its signature works, accompanied by the Orchestra of the Teatro Real.

Serenade was the first ballet Balanchine choreographed in the United States in 1934. Set to Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings, the performance is led by Unity Phelan, Miriam Miller, Indiana Woodward, Russell Janzen, and Aaron Sanz.

Square Dance, choreographed by Balanchine in 1957, is set to music by Arcangelo Corelli and Antonio Vivaldi. A pure, crystalline display of classical ballet inspired by the folk-dance tradition, Square Dance features Megan Fairchild and Anthony Huxley.

The Times Are Racing, choreographed by NYCB Resident Choreographer and Artistic Advisor Justin Peck, premiered in 2017 and is led by Tiler Peck, Roman Mejia, Harrison Coll, and Peter Walker. Set to a recorded, electronica score by composer Dan Deacon, the ballet’s 20 dancers are clothed in sneakers and street wear by fashion designer Humberto Leon of Opening Ceremony.

Directed for the screen by Isabelle Julien and produced by Xavier Dubois, “Great Performances: New York City Ballet in Madrid” is a coproduction of Elzévir Films and New York City Ballet in association with Teatro Real with the participation of The WNET Group, Medici, and Mezzo. In addition to premiering on PBS at 9pm (check local listings), “Great Performances: New York City Ballet in Madrid” will be available to stream at pbs.org/gperf and the PBS App for 28 days before entering PBS Passport.

About New York City Ballet

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.

About Great Performances

For more than 50 years on PBS, Great Performances has provided an unparalleled showcase of the best in all genres of the performing arts, serving as America’s most prestigious and enduring broadcaster of cultural programming. Showcasing a diverse range of artists from around the world, the series has earned 67 Emmy Awards and six Peabody Awards. The Great Performances website hosts exclusive videos, interviews, photos, full episodes and more. The series is produced by The WNET Group. Great Performances is available for streaming concurrent with broadcast on PBS.org and the PBS App, available on iOS, Android, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO. For Great Performances, Bill O’Donnell is series producer and David Horn is executive producer.