The International Ballet Gala Balanchine’s Legacy, one of the major cultural events of early 2026, will take place on February 11 on the stage of Sala Palatului in Bucharest. The performance will be a high-profile tribute to the choreographic genius of George Balanchine, regarded as “the father of American ballet” and one of the most defining figures of 20th-century dance.

Audiences will have the rare opportunity to see world-class ballet stars – principal dancers from iconic companies such as New York City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Houston Ballet, and Royal Danish Ballet – who will perform together in Romania for the very first time, in a spectacular homage to Balanchine’s legacy.

Among the featured artists is Sara Mearns, principal dancer of the New York City Ballet and one of the most acclaimed performers of her generation, widely recognized as an emblematic interpreter of Balanchine’s repertoire. The event is organized under the Ars Gratia Regalia brand, which has announced that early-bird tickets are now available.

The gala is a celebration of the universal beauty of dance, bridging tradition and modernity, classical heritage and contemporary artistry. The presence of some of the world’s most celebrated dancers on the stage of Sala Palatului marks a prestigious moment for the Romanian cultural scene.

All choreographies by George Balanchine will be performed with the authorization of The George Balanchine Trust, in accordance with Balanchine Style.

World-renowned artists meet the Romanian public

The cast of Balanchine’s Legacy includes an exceptional lineup of international ballet stars making their Romanian debut.

• Sara Mearns and Tyler Angle (New York City Ballet) will bring to the stage the elegance and grandeur of the neoclassical American style through two iconic Balanchine pieces: Diamonds and Cortège Hongrois. These pas de deux capture the essential contrasts of Balanchine’s art — the purity of form and the opulence of imperial tradition.
• Hannah O’Neill and Germain Louvet (Paris Opera Ballet) will perform Who Cares? and Sonatine. The first piece, set to the music of George Gershwin, blends jazz and Broadway energy with classical grace, while Sonatine (to the music of Maurice Ravel) explores French refinement and delicacy — together illustrating the artistic dialogue between America and Europe central to Balanchine’s vision.
• Karina González and Angelo Greco (Houston Ballet) will present Rubies (music by Igor Stravinsky), a vibrant, modern work from the triptych Jewels, alongside Theme and Variations (music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky), a tribute to the splendor and structure of classical ballet. Together, they perfectly embody Balanchine’s duality between classical rigor and contemporary freedom.
• Caroline Baldwin and Alban Lendorf (Royal Danish Ballet) will represent Nordic refinement through Apollo Pas de Deux, staged under the guidance of master Nikolaj Hübbe. Apollo (1928, music by Igor Stravinsky) marks the birth of modern ballet. The duo will also perform Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, a virtuosic and joyful work created in 1960 by Balanchine to a rediscovered Tchaikovsky score — a true test of both technique and expression, merging classical elegance with modern dynamism.

George Balanchine – the genius who redefined classical dance

Born in 1904 in St. Petersburg, George Balanchine trained at the Imperial Ballet School before emigrating to the West, where he revolutionized the art of ballet. As co-founder and longtime artistic director of the New York City Ballet, which he led for nearly 35 years, Balanchine transformed dance into an art of pure movement, formal clarity, and musical precision.

He developed a neoclassical style in which choreography no longer illustrated a narrative, but instead embodied music itself. “See the music, hear the dance” — this was Balanchine’s guiding artistic philosophy.

Throughout his prolific career, he collaborated with legendary composers such as Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky, Ravel, and Bizet, creating timeless masterpieces including Serenade, Apollo, Jewels, Symphony in C, Theme and Variations, and The Four Temperaments.

About the organizers

The International Ballet Gala Balanchine’s Legacy is organized under the Ars Gratia Regalia brand, renowned for its cultural events featuring world-leading artists.

Previous productions include the 2025 gala Once Upon a Winter’s Dream at the National Theatre Bucharest, featuring Natalia Osipova (The Royal Opera House) alongside Reece Clarke, Yasmine Naghdi, Julian MacKay, Madison Young, Marina Minoiu, and Robert Enache.

Another highlight was the Carmen Silva Ballet Gala (2020), an acclaimed event at the same venue, starring Iana Salenko and Dinu Tămăzlăcaru (Staatsballett Berlin), Francesca Velicu (English National Ballet), and Julian MacKay (then principal at Mikhailovsky Theatre).

With Balanchine’s Legacy, Ars Gratia Regalia continues its mission to bring world-class dance and artistic excellence to the Romanian stage.