The Australian Ballet crosses an ocean for four performances of Christopher Wheeldon's full-length Oscar Wilde ballet — Jean-Marc Puissant's sets and costumes, projected video, and a 48-piece Orchestra of St. Luke's playing Joby Talbot's score live. Wheeldon is a two-time Tony winner working in his native form, and the piece cuts between Wilde's prison cell and the drawing rooms he was cast out of. If you make one dance ticket this fall, make it the one that does not come back next season.
What to expect
A two-act story ballet running about two hours and fifteen minutes with an intermission, on City Center's Mainstage. Expect large ensemble scenes staged against Puissant's shifting sets, projected video, and a live orchestra you can watch tuning before curtain. The company notes the ballet carries mature themes and sexually explicit content.
Good to know
- New York City Center sits at 131 West 55th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues
- The B, D and E to Seventh Avenue and the N, Q, R and W to 57th Street all leave you a short walk away
- Matinee and evening performances are cast from the same company, so either slot sees the full production
- The ballet carries mature themes and sexually explicit content, per City Center — not one for younger kids
- The orchestra is live and 48 players deep, so seats toward the front of the orchestra section put you close to it
- City Center's Mainstage is a single large room; upper levels still read the full stage picture
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Common questions
How long is Oscar?
About two hours and fifteen minutes including one intermission, per New York City Center.
Is the music live?
Yes — Joby Talbot's score is played by the 48-piece Orchestra of St. Luke's.
Is it suitable for children?
City Center flags mature themes and sexually explicit content, so it is aimed at adults.