Jewels
4 – 20 May 2023
In the Joan Sutherland Theatre
George Balanchine’s Jewels is a three-part ballet celebrating his vision of three jewels. Visually and thematically structured around the motifs of Emeralds, Rubies and Diamonds. A mesmerising spectacle that is both racy and refined, flashy and majestic.
| Date | Time |
| Thursday 4 May | 7:30pm |
| Friday 5 May | 7:30pm |
| Saturday 6 May | 7:30pm |
| Tuesday 9 May | 7:30pm |
| Wednesday 10 May | 1:30pm |
| Friday 12 May | 7:30pm |
| Saturday 13 May | 1:30pm |
| Monday 15 May | 7:30pm |
| Wednesday 17 May | 1:30pm |
| Thursday 18 May | 7:30pm |
| Friday 19 May | 7:30pm |
| Saturday 20 May | 7:30pm |
Ticket | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
Standard | $61 - $303 | Adults 18 years and over |
Australian Pensioner | $49 - $235 | Australian Pension Card holders* |
Australian Student | $49 - $235 | Australian Full-time Student Card holders* |
Under 30 years | $49 - $235 | Under 30 at time of performance* |
Child | $38 - $152 | Under 18 at time of performance* |
*Must provide valid ID
$8.95 booking fee applies per transaction
Prices correct at the time of publication and subject to change without notice. Exact prices will be displayed with seat selection.
Young people under the age of 15 must be accompanied at all times. Children aged 0 - 23 months at the time of a performance may be seated on a parent’s lap free of charge. All children occupying a seat or aged two years and older must hold a valid ticket.
The only authorised ticket agency for this event is Sydney Opera House and The Australian Ballet. For more information about Authorised Agencies, see the frequently asked questions below.
Sydney Opera House Insiders pre-sale
Monday 28 November 2022
Become a Sydney Opera House Insider to receive exclusive pre-sale access
General Public tickets on-sale
10am, Tuesday 29 November 2022
In English
Wheelchair accessible
Audio loop available
No language barrier
Find out more about accessibility at Sydney Opera House
Run time
The duration of this event is yet to be confirmed.
Event duration is a guide only and may be subject to change.
Age
Suitable for all ages.
A Balanchine masterpiece
George Balanchine’s Jewels is a three-part ballet celebrating his vision of three jewels. Visually and thematically structured around the motifs of Emeralds, Rubies and Diamonds, the piece explores the idea of movement radiating from the body through each specific jewel.
Making its world premiere at New York City Ballet in 1967, Jewels showcases Balanchine’s atmospheric musicality. These contrasting works explore his time in Paris, New York and St Petersburg through the harmony of music and the defining visual elements of colour, shape and silhouette. Each of the three acts is distinct in style and mood, set to music by three different composers: Fauré for Emeralds, Stravinsky for Rubies, Tchaikovsky for Diamonds. Opulent costumes and sets unify each of the three sections to achieve one regal whole, which will showcase the breathtaking classical precision of The Australian Ballet’s artists.
A mesmerising spectacle that is both soft and sharp, racy and refined, flashy and majestic, Jewels is a lavish work capturing the company’s celebratory spirit in its milestone 60th anniversary year.
Presented by The Australian Ballet, with Opera Australia Orchestra
David Hallberg, Artistic Director of The Australian BalletEach jewel in this ballet has equal beauty and power. Emeralds, soft and mysterious. Rubies, sharp and stylised. Diamonds, brilliant and sparkling. It is a visual feast for the balletic eye and an enormous opportunity for the dancers to tackle one of Balanchine’s greatest masterpieces.
Artist information
Choreography
George Balanchine
© The George Balanchine Trust
Music
Gabriel Fauré
Igor Stravinsky
Piotr Ilyich Tschaikovsky
Costume design
Barbara Karinska
Set design
Peter Harvey
Staging
Sandra Jennings
Original lighting design
Ronald Bates, reproduced in 2023 by Perry Silvey
The performance of Jewels, a Balanchine® Ballet, is presented by arrangement with The George Balanchine Trust and has been produced in accordance with the Balanchine Style® and Balanchine Technique® Service standards established and provided by the Trust.
Gallery
Season 2023
The Australian Ballet
Season 2023 marks 60 years of The Australian Ballet. Six decades of ambition, imagination and excellence that have shaped the company's identity, establishing their place as a jewel in this nation's artistic landscape.
Other information
Venue information
Our foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars.
All Sydney Opera House foyers are pram accessible, with lifts to the main and western foyers. The public lift to all foyers is accessible from the corridor near the escalators on the Lower Concourse and also in the Western Foyer via the corridor on the Ground Level (at the top of the escalators). Pram parking will be available outside the theatres in the Western Foyer.
Getting here
The Sydney Opera House Car Park, operated by Wilson Parking, is open and available to use. Wilson Parking offer discounted parking if you book ahead. Please see the Wilson Parking website for details.
Please check the Transport NSW website for the latest advice and information on travel. You can catch public transport (bus, train, ferry) to Circular Quay and enjoy a six minute walk to the Opera House.
Covid-safe information
The health and wellbeing of everyone attending the Opera House is our top priority. We’re committed to making your experience safe, comfortable and enjoyable, with a number of measures in place including regular cleaning of high-touch areas, air conditioning systems that maximise ventilation, and hand sanitiser stations positioned in all paths of travel. We remind our audiences and visitors to please stay home if you feel unwell. If you need to discuss your ticketing or booking options, contact our Box Office team on 02 9250 7777.
The health and wellbeing of everyone attending the Opera House is our top priority. We have a number of safety measures in place including regular cleaning of high-touch areas, air conditioning systems that maximise ventilation, and hand sanitiser stations positioned in all paths of travel. While face masks are no longer required, we ask all our patrons and visitors to practise good hygiene.
The Sydney Opera House no longer requires patrons to show that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Frequently asked questions
Ticket purchases and collection at our Box Office is discouraged and eTicket or postal delivery methods should be used, wherever possible. However, if you are collecting your tickets from the Box Office, we recommend doing this at least 60 minutes before the event starts. If you have already received your tickets, the venue doors will be open 45 minutes pre-show for Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Please take your seats as soon as you arrive.
If you are late, we will seat you as soon as we can and, where possible, in your allocated seat. However, to reduce movement in the venue as well as minimise disruption to the performance and other patrons, ticketholders may be seated in an allocated latecomer’s seat. Please be aware that some events have lock-out periods. In these cases, latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break in the performance. On occasions, this may not be until the interval, or at all where there is no interval.
Details of our right to refuse admission can be found in our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Events.
In accordance with our venue security procedures, Opera House security will be scanning and checking bags under the Monumental Stairs, prior to entering the building. Bags will be scanned by an x-ray machine, and staff will wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling your belongings, such as gloves. Cloaking facilities will be open 60 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 60 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. However it is strongly encouraged that you travel lightly to minimise contact and queuing. Any bags larger than an A4 piece of paper will need to be checked into the Cloak Room.
The authorised agency for this event is the Sydney Opera House.
Only tickets purchased by authorised agencies should be considered reliable. If you purchase tickets from a non-authorised agency such as Ticketmaster Resale, Viagogo, Ticketbis, eBay, Gumtree, Tickets Australia or any other unauthorised seller, you risk that these tickets are fake, void or have previously been cancelled. RESALE RESTRICTION APPLIES. For more details, please refer to our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Attendance at Events.
Please contact Box Office on 9250 7777 as soon as possible to advise if you can no longer attend.
Foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars.
The venue doors will be open 45 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances.
Please bring a credit or debit card for any on site purchases to enable contactless payment. You’re welcome to bring your own water bottle but no other food and drinks are permitted inside our venues. Opera Bar, Opera Kitchen and Portside are also available for you to enjoy.
The health, safety and wellbeing of everyone at the Sydney Opera House is our top priority. In line with this commitment, the Opera House became a smoke-free site in January 2022. Read our Smoke-free Environment Policy.
You may also like
Cinderella
2 Jan – 28 Mar 2025
Feel all the magic of the fairy tale with enchanting music, playful choreography and extravagant costumes in this whimsical production of the classic opera.
La Traviata
23 Jan – 27 Mar 2025
Glamour, riches and a tragic secret: this is the story of a courtesan falling in love. Classic opera with stunning costumes and outstanding music.
Nijinsky
4 – 22 Apr 2025
Acclaimed narrative ballet choreographer John Neumeier examines Nijinsky’s final performance, charting the rise and fall of a creative genius in vivid detail. He recalls his troubled family, his ill-fated romances and the transcendent performances that brought him fame.
