Pennsylvania Ballet Cancels Fall and Winter Performances

PHILADELPHIA, June 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania Ballet announced today a reduced 2020/2021 Season in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Season changes include the rescheduling of Cinderella and the cancellation of the annual presentation of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker©.

Shelly Power, Executive Director of Pennsylvania Ballet said, "Our first priority is the health of our dancers, orchestra, and audience. With that in mind, we had no other choice but to reimagine our season."

Cancellation of The Nutcracker is particularly damaging in that it brings in more than 50% of Pennsylvania Ballet's annual ticket revenue. More than just a popular holiday event, the Nutcracker performance is often the very first exposure to the wonder of ballet for children throughout the region.

In response to the cancellations, Pennsylvania Ballet has previously notified 13 employees that they will be laid off and another 8 placed on furlough until future performances are assured.

Angel Corella, Artistic Director of Pennsylvania Ballet said, "The cancellation of performances by any cultural entity is a minor event when compared to the loss of life and ongoing illness brought on by the pandemic, yet there is no denying the rolling tragedy COVID-19 has brought to the world of performing arts and culture overall. We are so grateful for the support we've received throughout this crisis and we will be even more reliant on support from subscribers, donors, ticket holders and everyone who loves ballet."

Pennsylvania Ballet is exploring alternatives to its current schedule through online performances or smaller performances in other public spaces, though no such event has been finalized.

Pennsylvania Ballet's 2021 Season

Swan Lake
Feb 25- March 7
Academy of Music

George Balanchine's Stars and Stripes
with Ballet Imperial and Symphony in C
March 11-14
Academy of Music

Cinderella
May 13-16
Academy of Music

Subscribers and ticketholders:

Current ticket holders to cancelled performances will have the value of their tickets converted to on-account funds. Patrons can convert these funds to a tax-deductible donation, apply them to future purchases, or request a refund. For more information, please visit paballet.org or call Patron Services at 215-893-1999.

About Pennsylvania Ballet
Pennsylvania Ballet is one of the nation's premier ballet companies and one of Philadelphia's cultural treasures. Internationally renowned dancer Angel Corella took the reigns as Artistic Director at the start of the 2014/2015 season, bringing the company to a new level of excellence with 45 dancers from around the world and an ever-changing repertoire of works. In addition to its performances on Philadelphia's famed Avenue of the Arts, Pennsylvania Ballet serves more than 15,000 individuals across the Philadelphia region every year with hands-on, high quality arts education activities brought to children and adults alike regardless of socioeconomic background or abilities. For more information visit paballet.org or connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for a behind the scenes look at our dancers in the studio and onstage. 

Pennsylvania Ballet is supported in part by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community & Economic Development and receives support from The Philadelphia Cultural Fund and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.   

SOURCE Pennsylvania Ballet