New York City Ballet announces the program for the Opening Night Benefit, to be held on Tuesday, November 23. The program is titled “Ballet Four Ways” and includes works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Peter Martins, and Christopher Wheeldon. The performance, which begins at 7:30, is preceded by a cocktail reception and followed by a gala dinner on the Promenade of the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center.

Opening the program is the U.S. premiere of Mr. Martins’ Octet, a ballet set to Mendelssohn that the Royal Danish Ballet premiered on November 14, 2003. Octet features two principal couples and a corps of six men. Octet will also be performed on the Company’s annual New Combinations Evening on Saturday, January 22, replacing the previously announced world premiere ballet from Mr. Martins. Additional performances of Octet will be given on January 23 at 3 p.m. and January 29 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The program continues with Mr. Wheeldon’s Liturgy, a haunting pas de deux set to music by contemporary composer Arvo Pärt that premiered on May 31, 2003, followed by Balanchine’s Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux, a virtuoso work that premiered on March 29, 1960. “Ballet Four Ways” concludes with Robbins’ 1983 tribute to Fred Astaire, I’m Old Fashioned, named for the song by Jerome Kern which Morton Gould’s score uses as its theme.

Tables of ten for the Opening Night Benefit are available for $15,000, $20,000, and $30,000 and include performance tickets, while individual tickets are $1,500, $2,000, and $3,000; these tickets are available through the NYCB Special Events Office at 212-870-5585. Tickets for the cocktail reception and the performance (orchestra sides and back) are $200 and are also available through the NYCB Special Events Office. Tickets for just the performance are priced from $20 to $100 and will be available at the New York State Theater Box Office and through the NYCB website at www.nycballet.com beginning September 27 and through Ticketmaster at 212-307-4100 beginning September 28.

The New York State Theater is located on the Lincoln Center Plaza at Broadway at 63rd Street. For general information on tickets for any New York City Ballet performance, call 212-870-5570, or visit www.nycballet.com.

Major support for new work at New York City Ballet is provided by The Irene Diamond Fund and members of the New Combinations Fund.

New York City Ballet gratefully acknowledges the Lila Acheson and DeWitt Wallace Endowment Fund for its support of new work and audience development.

The creation and performance of works by Peter Martins is funded in part by an endowment gift from the Solomon family, given in loving memory of Carolyn B. Solomon.

New York City Ballet’s 2004-2005 season is also made possible in part by Movado, The Shubert Foundation, Wachovia, and contributors to the Repertory and Education Funds and with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts and New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

American Airlines is New York City Ballet’s Preferred Airline.

The Jewel of Russia is New York City Ballet’s Preferred Vodka.