The Australian Ballet returns to Berkeley with Christopher Wheeldon’s Oscar, a visionary ballet inspired by the life, writing, and cultural legacy of Oscar Wilde. Developed by Wheeldon and composer Joby Talbot from an original idea with Alexander Wise, the work intertwines Wilde’s biography with characters and images from his stories to explore romance, sacrifice, and forbidden love.

Wheeldon’s choreography unfolds to Talbot’s lush score, performed live by the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra. Jean-Marc Puissant created the stage and costume design, Jon Goldman designed the lighting, and David Bergman created the video design, combining dance, music, and an intricate visual world in a production first premiered by The Australian Ballet in 2024.