Jewels

Carolina Ballet brings George Balanchine's Jewels to the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium from November 19 to 22, 2026. It's part of their 2026-27 season, and the company is billing it as the first time in its history that it has staged the full work. The production will be performed with live music.

Jewels is a three-movement ballet, and each movement is a distinct piece. Emeralds is set to music by Gabriel Fauré and is described as a world of lyrical elegance. Rubies follows, with music by Igor Stravinsky, and is a burst of energy and wit. Diamonds rounds it out with music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, reflecting the grandeur and tradition of the form. Together, the three movements are meant to be a tribute to the many facets of dance.

Behind the scenes, the production is a collaborative effort. Carolina Ballet is working with the School of Carolina Ballet, which trains and develops young and emerging dancers, and is employing dancers, designers, artisans, and musicians to build a culture around the art form.

There are five performances over four days: Thursday and Friday at 7:30 PM, Saturday at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM, and Sunday at 2:00 PM. Doors open 60 minutes before each show.