Pacific Northwest Ballet Launches 54th Season with Balanchine’s Ethereal 'Serenade'

Sep 7

Seattle’s cultural landscape is about to shine a little brighter. This fall, Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) is launching its 54th season with a lineup that seamlessly bridges the classical and the contemporary. From September 25 through October 4, 2026, the stage at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall will come alive with the return of George Balanchine’s iconic masterpiece, Serenade.

Having last graced the PNB stage in 2010, Serenade holds a sacred place in the history of dance as the very first ballet Balanchine created for American dancers. Originally improvised on students of the School of American Ballet, the piece celebrates community and collective rhythm, infusing classical ballet with a distinctively fresh, American style.

PNB Artistic Director Peter Boal shared his excitement for the return of this monumental work in a recent press release.

“Now regarded as a cornerstone of dance in America, Serenade is an iconic masterpiece. The ascendant notes of the strings, 17 blue tulle tutus billowing in the air, stretching arms shielding blinding moonlight – the rush is unmatched,” he said.

But the celebration of movement doesn't stop there. Joining Balanchine’s masterwork is the world premiere of Pages, choreographed by PNB’s resident choreographer Jessica Lang. Co-produced with the Ballet Sun Valley Summer Festival, Pages is a deeply personal piece. Inspired by Lang’s residency in Ernest Hemingway’s historic Ketchum cabin, the ballet explores the physical and emotional landscapes of artistic creation, using movement to capture the relentless dialogue, repetition, and obsession that accompany the act of making art.

Rounding out this spectacular triple-bill is Alexei Ratmansky’s vibrant Pictures at an Exhibition. Set to Modest Mussorgsky’s dramatic solo piano score, the production features animated projections of Wassily Kandinsky’s watercolor study, Squares with Concentric Circles, bringing an explosion of color, sound, and visual storytelling to the McCaw Hall stage.

For those looking to dive deeper into the creative process, PNB is hosting several special events:

PNB Conversations & Dress Rehearsal: On Thursday, September 24, join dance historian Doug Fullington in the Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at 5:30 pm for an in-depth interview with the artists, followed by a dress rehearsal at 7:00 pm.
Ballet Talk: FREE for ticketholders, Doug Fullington will host a 30-minute educational introduction to the performance one hour before each show.
Meet the Artist: Enjoy a post-show Q&A with PNB dancers and artistic staff immediately following each performance.

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To purchase tickets or learn more about PNB’s upcoming season, visit the official PNB website or contact the PNB Box Office at 206.441.2424.