Calvin Royal III To Lead Opening Night Cast of Othello: A Dance in Three Acts

Fangqi Li and Calvin Royal III in Lar Lubovitch’s Othello: A Dance in Three Acts. Photo: Quinn Wharton.

NEW YORK, NY – Additional casting for American Ballet Theatre’s 2026 Spring season at the David H. Koch Theater from March 6–21 was announced today by Artistic Director Susan Jaffe.

The Company’s inaugural Spring season at the David H. Koch Theater will include Lar Lubovitch’s full-length Othello: A Dance in Three Acts, as well as repertory programs featuring Alexei Ratmansky’s Firebird, Jiří Kylián’s Nuages, Alexei Ratmansky’s Neo, George Balanchine’s Mozartiana, and Raymonda: Grand Pas Hongrois, an excerpt from the third act of Marius Petipa’s full-length Raymonda.

Principal Dancers for the 2026 Spring season include Joo Won Ahn, Skylar Brandt, Daniel Camargo, Herman Cornejo, Thomas Forster, Isaac Hernández, Catherine Hurlin, Chloe Misseldine, Calvin Royal III, Hee Seo, Christine Shevchenko, Cory Stearns, Devon Teuscher, James Whiteside, and Roman Zhurbin. Fabrice Calmels, previously announced as a Guest Artist, has withdrawn from the Spring season due to injury.

Lar Lubovitch’s Othello: A Dance in Three Acts will open the Spring season at the evening performance on Friday, March 6, led by Calvin Royal III as Othello, Fangqi Li as Desdemona, James Whiteside as Iago, Madison Brown as Emilia, and Jake Roxander as Cassio. Isaac Hernández, Skylar Brandt, Carlos Gonzalez, Devon Teuscher, and Tyler Maloney will debut in these roles at the matinee on Saturday, March 7. The evening performance on March 7 will include debuts by Joseph Markey (Othello), SunMi Park (Desdemona), Christine Shevchenko (Emilia), and Andrew Robare (Cassio). Othello is set to a commissioned score by Elliot Goldenthal with scenery by George Tsypin, costumes by Ann Hould-Ward, lighting by Jack Mehler, and projections by Wendall K. Harrington. Last performed by ABT in 2015, Othello: A Dance in Three Acts received its World Premiere on May 23, 1997, at the Metropolitan Opera House, led by Desmond Richardson (Othello) and Sandra Brown (Desdemona).

Alexei Ratmansky’s Firebird returns for nine performances, March 13-18 and 21, with Catherine Hurlin (Firebird), Daniel Camargo (Ivan), SunMi Park (Maiden), and Cory Stearns (Kaschei) leading the opening night cast. On Saturday, March 7, debuts will include Chloe Misseldine (Firebird) and Jarod Curley (Ivan) at the matinee and Léa Fleytoux (Firebird), Calvin Royal III (Ivan), Fangqi Li (Maiden), and Patrick Frenette (Kaschei) at the evening performance. The one-act Stravinsky classic features scenery by Simon Pastukh, costumes by Galina Solovyeva, lighting by Brad Fields, and projections by Wendall K. Harrington. Firebird was given its World Premiere at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California, on March 29, 2012, danced by Natalia Osipova (Firebird), Marcelo Gomes (Ivan), David Hallberg (Kaschei), and Simone Messmer (Maiden).

George Balanchine’s Mozartiana will share the program with Firebird on the evenings of March 13, 18, and 21 and the matinee on March 14, with Devon Teuscher and Joo Won Ahn leading the opening night cast. Additional performances will include debuts by Andrew Robare at the matinee on March 14 and by Chloe Misseldine and Michael de la Nuez on the evening of March 18. One of Balanchine’s last works, the ballet is set to Suite No. 4, Mozartiana by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky and features costumes by Holly Hynes and lighting by Brad Fields. This version of Mozartiana was created for New York City Ballet and received its World Premiere on June 4, 1981, at the New York State Theater, led by Suzanne Farrell, Ib Andersen, and Christopher d’Amboise. Mozartiana received its ABT Premiere on May 24, 2004, at the Metropolitan Opera House, danced by Nina Ananiashvili, Angel Corella, and Herman Cornejo.

Jiří Kylián’s Nuages, danced by Hee Seo and Thomas Forster, will be performed alongside Firebird and Mozartiana on the evening of March 13 and at the matinee on March 14. One of Kylián’s earliest works, Nuages is a non-stop, daring pas de deux, unique in its humanity and intimate partnering. Nuages is set to music by Claude Debussy and features costumes, light, and adapted décor by Kylián, based on original décor designs by Walter Nobbe, with light and décor supervision by Brad Fields. Glen Eddy served as assistant to the choreographer. Nuages received its ABT Premiere on May 12, 2014, danced by Diana Vishneva and Marcelo Gomes.

Alexei Ratmansky’s Neo will appear on this program on the evenings of March 18 and 21, danced by Christine Shevchenko and James Whiteside. Set to music by Dai Fujikura, with costumes by Moritz Junge and lighting by Brad Fields, Neo is an incredibly demanding piece, challenging its dancers to perform a work that is fevered and sensuous, daring, and stunning. The piece was originally created on ABT Principal Dancers Isabella Boylston and James Whiteside for a digital performance presented by The Joyce Theater, New York, New York, on May 19, 2021, and received its ABT Premiere on October 19, 2024, at the David H. Koch Theater.

A new staging of Raymonda: Grand Pas Hongrois will share the program with Firebird on the evenings of March 14 and 17 and the matinees on March 15, 18, and 21. Hee Seo and Isaac Hernández will lead the first performance of Raymonda: Grand Pas Hongrois on the evening of March 14. Additional debuts in these roles include Skylar Brandt and Herman Cornejo at the matinee on March 15 and Christine Shevchenko and Thomas Forster at the matinee on March 21. This excerpt from Act III of the full-length Raymonda is considered one of Marius Petipa’s masterpieces, a joyous and celebratory finale to the ballet. Staged by Susan Jaffe, it is set to a score by Alexander Glazunov and features costumes by Barbara Matera, furs by Ben Kahn, and lighting by Brad Fields.

Ticket On Sale and Ticket Policies

Tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s 2026 Spring season at the David H. Koch Theater are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased by phone at 212-496-0600, in person at the Koch Theater box office, or online at ABT’s website.

Tickets start at $35. A Create Your Own Subscription Package is available with the purchase of three or more performances, saving over 20% off the single ticket price in all seating zones except for premium locations.

ABT will offer audience members the opportunity to exchange tickets up until Noon the day of the performance at no charge, minus any difference in ticket price. We regret that there are no refunds or cancellations.

Complete casting follows.

All casting, programming, and pricing are subject to change.

ABOUT AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE

American Ballet Theatre is one of the greatest dance companies in the world. Revered as a national treasure since its founding season in 1940, its mission is to create, present, preserve, and extend the great repertoire of classical dancing for the widest possible audience. Headquartered in New York City, ABT is the only cultural institution of its size and stature to extensively tour, enchanting audiences for eight decades in 50 U.S. states, 45 countries, and over 480 cities worldwide. ABT’s repertoire includes full-length classics from the nineteenth century, the finest works from the early twentieth century, and acclaimed contemporary masterpieces. In 2006, by an act of Congress, ABT was designated America’s National Ballet Company®.

Leadership support of ABT’s New Works Initiative is provided by the Blavatnik Family Foundation, and through an endowed gift from The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund.

This production of Firebird is made possible in part with support from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

Commissions and presentations of new works by women choreographers are supported by the ABT Women’s Movement, sparked by funding from the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation. Champion support for ABT Women’s Movement is provided by Jenna Segal.

A special thanks to Denise Littlefield Sobel for her leadership gifts to the ABT Today Fund and ABT RISE, which are advancing the Company’s mission to create a more vibrant and welcoming future for ballet.

ABT is supported, in part, with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of The Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

For more information, please visit www.abt.org.

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