Wheeldon’s wonderful world of Shakespeare: ‘The Winter’s Tale’ for ABT at Segerstrom

Springtime in Southern California brings big, full-evening ballets to Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts in Costa Mesa. We last experienced Christopher Wheeldon’s work with American Ballet Theatre in his Like Water for Chocolate in 2023. Now again, the British choreographer draws inspiration from yet another literary source: a Shakespearean comedy: The Winter’s Tale in its U.S. premiere by American Ballet Theatre.

The Winter’s Tale is a cautionary dramatic exploration of the different types of love – between friends, between lovers, and between family members – and the consequences of not valuing or nurturing those connections.

Please enjoy a beautiful review of the ballet dating from 2014, in which our foreign correspondent, Candace Allen, reviewed The Royal Ballet’s initial staging of the work. Click on the image below for Candace’s review.

Wheeldon followed his successful career as a dancer for both the Royal Ballet and New York City Ballet, with a wide-ranging choreographic career including Tony Award winning work on An American in Paris and MJ, on Broadway two of his canon that draw on highly differing styles of dance.

The Winter’s Tale reunites Wheeldon’s creative team, scenic and costume designer Bob Crowley and composer Joby Talbot, with the world-class dancers of American Ballet Theatre.

photocredit: Hee Seo and Isaac Hernández, THE WINTER’S TALE, Quinn Wharton, for ABT.

The Winter’s Tale, U.S. Premiere | American Ballet Theatre | Segerstrom Center for the Arts | Apr 3 – 6