Principal Dancer Gillian Murphy to Take Final Bow with ABT on Friday, July 18

Gillian Murphy in Swan Lake. Photo: Rosalie O’Connor.

NEW YORK, NY (June 18, 2025) – Casting for the final two weeks of American Ballet Theatre’s 2025 Summer season at the Metropolitan Opera House was announced today by Artistic Director Susan Jaffe.

The fifth week of the Summer season will feature the return of Sylvia to the ABT stage. The first performance on the evening of Tuesday, July 8 will be led by Catherine Hurlin (Sylvia), Calvin Royal III (Aminta), Cory Stearns (Orion), and Carlos Gonzalez (Eros). Guest Artist Reece Clarke will make his ABT debut in the role of Aminta at the matinee on Wednesday, July 9, which will also feature debuts by Christine Shevchenko (Sylvia) and Takumi Miyake (Eros). Joo Won Ahn (Aminta), Patrick Frenette (Orion), and Elwince Magbitang (Eros) will debut in those roles in the evening performance on Wednesday, July 9. The evening performance on Thursday, July 10, will include debuts by Chloe Misseldine (Sylvia), Aran Bell (Aminta), and Jose Sebastian (Orion). Skylar Brandt and Jake Roxander will dance the roles of Sylvia and Aminta, respectively, for the first time at the evening performance on Friday, July 11. With choreography by Frederick Ashton and music by Léo Delibes, Sylvia features scenery and costumes by Christopher and Robin Ironside, with additional designs by Peter Farmer, and lighting by Mark Jonathan. This production received its revival premiere by The Royal Ballet on November 4, 2004, at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. American Ballet Theatre presented the United States Revival Premiere on June 3, 2005. The full-length Sylvia was last performed by ABT in 2016.

The 2025 Summer season will conclude with eight performances of Swan Lake. Isaac Hernández will dance the role of Prince Siegfried for the first time with ABT at the evening performance on Monday, July 14. Gillian Murphy will give her final performance with the Company in the role of Odette/Odile on the evening of Friday, July 18, opposite James Whiteside as Prince Siegfried. Celebrating 25 years since its World Premiere, this production of Swan Lake is choreographed by Kevin McKenzie after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov and features music by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky, scenery and costumes by Zack Brown, and lighting by Duane Schuler.

Tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s 2025 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.

*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®.

Swan Lake is generously underwritten by R. Chemers Neustein.

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.

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.

Back To ABT News >>