Ballet San Jose will finish 2012 with a new production of The Nutcracker before introducing the 2013 season, which includes a world premiere, six company premieres and the return of live music to accompany performances.

For 2013, new music director and conductor George Daugherty, who brings experience working with American Ballet Theatre and Royal Ballet, will bring live orchestration to all productions. Previously, performances were accompanied by recorded music.

A season preview is planned at a Ballet Gala on Nov. 3 2012, with a one-night program of bravura performances with live orchestra and special guests. The refreshed version of The Nutcracker, featuring new new costumes and sets and choreographed by veteran lead dancer Karen Gabay, will debut on December 8.

The changes for The Nutcracker performance and new season arrive as a part of a new partnership with American Ballet Theatre and it’s San Jose Ballet’s new artistic leadership. Gabay’s entry into choreographing comes after the departure of co-founder and former artistic director Dennis Nahat.

The season starts February 15-17 with program one, a company premier of Don Quixote, based on an episode from Miguel De Cervantes’ novel that follows the title hero who is absorbed with tales of chivalry as he sets out to defend virtue.

Program two will run March 22-24 and features two works by Sir Frederick Ashton.  Les Rendezvous with music from the opera L ‘Enfant Prodigue will be followed by Thais Pas de Deux with music from Jules Massenet’s Meditation. An encore performance of Clear with music from Bach will also be presented. The program concludes with The Green Table, which has been called one of the most important ballets of the 20th century. The piece was created in Germany during the rise of Nazism and is a statement about the horrors of war and the futility of diplomacy.

The season concludes with program three, April 19-21. The world premier ballet, which for now remains a secret, will be choreographed by Jessica Lang and scored by Jakub Ciupinkski. The program are also includes company premieres of Glow-Stop with music by Mozart and Philip Glass, and Duets choreographed by Merce Cunningham with music by John Cage.