Opening Night Gala Performance and New York Premiere of Christopher Wheeldon’s Like Water For Chocolate on Thursday, June 22 At 6:30 P.M. 

Cassandra Trenary and Herman Cornejo in Like Water for Chocolate. Photo: Marty Sohl.

NEW YORK, NY  – Casting for the first two weeks of American Ballet Theatre’s 2023 Summer season at the Metropolitan Opera House was announced today by Artistic Director Susan Jaffe.

The 2023 June Gala on Thursday, June 22 at 6:30 P.M. will feature the New York Premiere of two-time Tony Award® winner Christopher Wheeldon’s latest full-length ballet, Like Water for Chocolate. Bringing Laura Esquivel’s best-selling novel to life on opening night are Cassandra Trenary and Herman Cornejo in the leading roles of Tita and Pedro, as well as Christine Shevchenko as Mama Elena, Hee Seo as Rosaura, Catherine Hurlin as Gertrudis, and Thomas Forster as Dr. John Brown.

Like Water for Chocolate will be performed throughout the first two weeks of the season for a total of 12 performances. Debuts include Claire Davison (Mama Elena) on Friday, June 23; Zimmi Coker (Gertrudis) and Jarod Curley (Dr. John Brown) at the matinee on Saturday, June 24; and Skylar Brandt (Tita) and Carlos Gonzalez (Pedro) on Monday, June 26. Additional New York debuts include SunMi Park (Tita), Daniel Camargo (Pedro), Chloe Misseldine (Rosaura), Skylar Brandt (Gertrudis), and Calvin Royal III (Dr. John Brown) on Friday, June 23; and Devon Teuscher (Tita), Joo Won Ahn (Pedro), Zhong-Jing Fang (Mama Elena), and Betsy McBride (Rosaura) at the matinee on Saturday, June 24.

The new, three-act ballet is a co-production with The Royal Ballet, with an original score by Joby Talbot and featuring scenery and costumes by Bob Crowley, lighting by Natasha Katz, and video design by Luke Halls. American Ballet Theatre is excited to welcome Alondra de la Parra to conduct the first four performances of Like Water for Chocolate, as well as Tomás Barreiro on Solo Guitar for all 12 performances. Like Water for Chocolate received its World Premiere by The Royal Ballet on June 2, 2022, at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, led by Francesca Hayward as Tita and Marcelino Sambé as Pedro. It received its North American Premiere by American Ballet Theatre on March 29, 2023, at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California, led by Cassandra Trenary as Tita and Herman Cornejo as Pedro.

Tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s 2023 Summer season at the Metropolitan Opera House begin at $30 and are available online, at the Met box office, or by phone at 212-362-6000. The Metropolitan Opera House is located on Broadway and 64^th street in New York City. For more information, visit ABT’s website at www.abt.org.

Complete casting follows.

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®.

Major support of the 2023 season production of Like Water for Chocolate is provided by Alexandra and Alan Airth. Additional support is provided by Michèle and Steve Pesner.

Leadership support of ABT’s New Works Initiative is provided by Mark Casey and Carrie Gaiser Casey, The Ted and Mary Jo Shen Charitable Gift Fund, and through an endowed gift from The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund.

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

Special thanks to Denise Littlefield Sobel for her leadership gifts to: ABT Today Fund, advancing the Company’s mission; and ABT RISE, fueling the Company’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

ABT is supported, in part, with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts; 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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