Houston Ballet Presents: Broken Wings – A Mixed Repertory Program from March 12 – 22, 2026
A bold journey through three distinct works exploring rhythm, reflection, and resilience
This Spring, Houston Ballet brings bold storytelling and powerful movement to the Wortham Theater Center with Broken Wings, a thrilling mixed repertory program running March 12 through 22, 2026. Featuring works by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Jiří Kylián, and Artistic Director Stanton Welch AM, the program is a celebration of artistic risk-taking, emotional depth, and technical mastery.
“What makes this program so compelling is the way each ballet flows into the next,” said Steven Woodgate, Ballet Master. “You move from the pulse and edge of Stanton’s new work into the dramatic precision of Kylián, and then into the rich emotional world of Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. That transition from piece to piece creates a full journey for the audience—each work exposing a different facet of the company’s artistry.”
World Premiere: Choreographer: Stanton Welch AM | Music: Mason Bates
Beginning the program is a highly anticipated World Premiere by Artistic Director Stanton Welch AM, set to Mason Bates’ electrifying “Stereo is King”. Known for his genre-defying compositions, Bates brings together pulsing tribal percussion, ethereal electronics, and symphonic textures to create a soundscape unlike any other. Audiences can expect rhythm, innovation, and immersive theatricality in this highly anticipated World Premiere.
Petite Mort: Choreographer: Jiří Kylián | Music: W.A. Mozart
Returning to Houston Ballet’s repertoire for the first time since 2014, Petite Mort is an intimate and sensual reflection on the ephemeral nature of life and love. A long-time teacher and mentor of Stanton Welch, Jirí Kylián artfully weaves in subtle sensualism with the overall contemplation on life and death. This work was to commemorate the bicentennial of Mozart’s death. Set to two of Mozart’s most beloved piano concertos, this striking ballet features six women, six men, and six fencing foils—each playing a pivotal role in the choreography. The work is a masterclass in physical precision and poetic expression.
Broken Wings; Choreographer: Annabelle Lopez Ochoa | Music: Peter Salem
Concluding the program, Broken Wings is a visually rich and emotionally powerful ballet inspired by the life and work of iconic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Originally created for English National Ballet in 2015, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s narrative ballet blends surrealism, symbolism, and folk tradition to honor Kahlo’s unflinching self‑expression and fierce resilience. With original music by Peter Salem, this vivid work transforms Kahlo’s pain and passion into a kaleidoscopic stage portrait that is bold and uncompromising. Houston Ballet previously collaborated with Lopez Ochoa—known for her boundary-pushing, emotionally charged storytelling—in 2023 with the World Premiere of Delmira, establishing a dynamic creative partnership ahead of presenting Broken Wings.
“Frida Kahlo has always moved me because of her unapologetic honesty as an artist,” added choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. “With Broken Wings, I wanted to capture not only the pain she experienced, but the vivid imagination and resilience that defined her. Bringing this ballet to Houston Ballet—where storytelling and emotional truth are so deeply valued—is both meaningful and inspiring.”
Performance Details: Broken Wings, March 12 – 22, 2025
Schedule: 7:30 p.m. on March 12 & March 14, 2026; 7:30 p.m. on March 20 & March 21, 2026; 2 p.m. on March 15 & March 22, 2025
Venue: Wortham Theater Center at 501 Texas Avenue, Houston, TX 77002
Tickets: Visit www.houstonballet.org
Photos courtesy of Houston Ballet