The Boston Ballet is doing everything right. Maybe that’s because the company is doing everything.

Each season artistic director Mikko Nissinen has to program a series of performances that will thrill longtime fans and enchant new ones. What this translates to is putting on a ballet that people who love “The Nutcracker” will take a chance on and diving deep into more ambitious works that demonstrate ballet isn’t a museum piece but an evolving art form.

“We don’t try to create classics, we try to create art, and some of things do eventually become the new classics,” Nissinen once told the Herald. “You will fail if you try to do it the other way.”

The Boston Ballet’s 2025-26 season at the Citizens Opera House is a wonderful example of Nissinen’s credo. Just take a peek at four highlights from the calendar for proof — for the full lineup of performances visit bostonballet.org.

“Jewels,” Nov. 6–16

George Balanchine put American ballet on the map — that’s what happens when you are (probably) the greatest choreographer of the 20th century. Balanchine was also instrumental in getting the Boston Ballet off the ground. In the ’60s, he recommended the young company for a grant that turned the Boston Ballet into New England’s first professional ballet company and even acted as an early artistic advisor.

But enough history, let’s get to the dancing. “Jewels” highlights three of the neoclassical styles Balanchine pioneered.

“Diamonds” demonstrates his beginnings at Russia’s Mariinsky Ballet, “Emeralds” shows off his impact on France’s Ballets Russes, and “Rubies” champions the mighty stamp he put on American dance. Think of it as a history lesson that will feel more like a revelation than a chore.

“The Nutcracker,” Nov. 28 – Dec. 28

Nissinen had a motive beyond delighting holiday audiences when he revamped “The Nutcracker” a few decades ago. He made it extremely challenging for his dancers.

“We at the company don’t think of it as entertainment, we think of it as a serious piece of art,” Nissinen said. “I choreographed it to be incredibly difficult for the dancers for a couple of reasons. I know I have a tired company on December 31st, but I also know I have a better company.”

Audiences may not pick up how challenging it is on a technical level. But every December, when the Opera House is packed night after night, those crowds’ smiles and gasps prove they pick up the skill involved on a visceral level.

Spring Experience, May 7 – 17

Last year, principal dancer Lia Cirio premiered her stunning piece “After” at the company’s Fall Experience. Recognizing that the world premiere — Cirio’s second work for the Boston Ballet mainstage — deserves to return to the repertoire, “After” will sit on a program with Jerome Robbins’ “Dances at a Gathering” and William Forsythe’s “Herman Schmerman.” Both Boston debuts, Robbins and Forsythe’s works will combine with Cirio’s for a night of bold leaps forward.

“The Sleeping Beauty,” May 28 – June 7

That ballet for people who love “The Nutcracker” and need to take the next step toward loving the art form? That’s “The Sleeping Beauty.” This one features three of the biggest names in ballet — it was choreographed by 19th century legend Marius Petipa, tweaked by British master Sir Frederick Ashton, and scored by giant Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It’s perfect for 10-year-olds seeing their second ballet and 90-year-olds seeing their hundredth.