New York City Ballet’s Spring 2000 season begins on Tuesday, April 25 and continues through Sunday, June 25 at the New York State Theater. Highlighting the season will be the fourth installment of the Diamond Project, featuring nine world premiere ballets.

Created by Ballet Master in Chief Peter Martins in 1992, the Diamond Project is a showcase for new work in the tradition of New York City Ballet’s rich history of new choreography. Since its inception, 30 ballets have been created as part of the Diamond Project. For the 2000 season, new ballets are being created by Christopher d'Amboise, Miriam Mahdaviani, Kevin O'Day, Helgi Tomasson, and Christopher Wheeldon. Peter Martins will create three new works and NYCB Principal Dancer Robert La Fosse will collaborate with Dance Theatre of Harlem Resident Choreographer Robert Garland on a new ballet to salute Dance Theatre of Harlem’s 30 Anniversary.

New York City Ballet’s annual spring gala program on Wednesday, May 3 will feature four Diamond Project ballets, including two world premiere ballets by Peter Martins, one world premiere ballet by Helgi Tomasson, and a new ballet by Christopher Wheeldon which will have its world premiere on Friday evening, April 28. The evening will include a special salute to Irene Diamond for her extraordinary leadership in bringing new work to the stage and encouraging the next generation of choreographers.

For a complete schedule of Diamond Project ballets, see below listing.

In honor of the 30th Anniversary of Dance Theatre of Harlem, New York City Ballet will premiere a Dance Theatre of Harlem Tribute program on Thursday, May 25 at 8 p.m. The program will include a world premiere work created by NYCB Principal Dancer Robert La Fosse and DTH Resident Choreographer Robert Garland. The new work will include dancers from both New York City Ballet and Dance Theatre of Harlem.

The tribute program will also include performances of Agon and Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, two ballets closely associated with Dance Theatre of Harlem Artistic Director Arthur Mitchell. Mr. Mitchell originated the pas de deux role at the world premiere of Agon in 1957. For the tribute program, Agon will be performed by New York City Ballet, with a dancer from DTH in the male pas de deux role. Slaughter on Tenth Avenue will be performed by members of NYCB and DTH, with the role of the Strip Tease Girl performed by a DTH dancer.

The Dance Theatre of Harlem Tribute program will be repeated on Saturday, May 27 at 8 p.m. and on Sunday, May 28 at 3 p.m.

A special all-John Adams evening on Saturday, June 17 will feature five ballets by Peter Martins set to music by John Adams. The evening will include three Diamond Project ballets including one world premiere, as well as performances of The Chairman Dances and Fearful Symmetries. John Adams will conduct the NYCB orchestra for the world premiere ballet.

Returning to the repertory for the 2000 spring season is Merce Cunningham’s Summerspace. Created for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company in 1958, Summerspace was adapted especially for New York City Ballet in 1966 and has not been performed as part of a New York City Ballet season since that year. In 1999, members of New York City Ballet danced Summerspace for one performance only during the Merce Cunningham Dance Company’s engagement at the Lincoln Center Festival. Summerspace, which will have its revival premiere on Tuesday evening, June 6, features a score by Morton Feldman and scenery and costumes by Robert Rauschenberg.

Peter Martins’ full-length production of Tschaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty returns to the repertory from May 10 through 21. The production, which premiered in 1991 and was last performed in the spring of 1998, features scenery by David Mitchell, costumes by Patricia Zipprodt and lighting by Mark Stanley.

The season will also include four performances of Twyla Tharp’s The Beethoven Seventh, which premiered during the Winter 2000 Repertory Season.

Tickets for all performances are now available by calling TicketMaster at 212-307-4100 or by visiting the New York State Theater box office. The New York State Theater is located on the Lincoln Center Plaza at Broadway at 63rd Street. The mailing address for the NYCB box office is New York City Ballet, New York State Theater, 20 Lincoln Center, New York, NY 10023. For information on any New York City Ballet performance, call 212-870-5570.

Press seat requests for the May 3 Spring Gala performance will be accepted now through Monday, April 24. Availability is limited to single seats in the first ring sides. Please call Kelly Ryan at (212) 870-5691 to arrange seats.