June 26, 2006
CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR FINAL TWO WEEKS OF
AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE'S 2006 SPRING SEASON
AT THE METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE
Julie Kent to Celebrate 20th Anniversary with ABT on Friday, July 14
Casting for the seventh and eighth weeks of American Ballet Theatre’s 2006 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.
The first of four performances of Sir Frederick Ashton’s Sylvia will be given on Monday, July 3, with Gillian Murphy, Maxim Beloserkovsky, Carlos Lopez and Marcelo Gomes in the leading roles. The matinee on Wednesday, July 5, will feature the New York debuts of David Hallberg as Aminta and Arron Scott as Eros, with Michele Wiles in the title role. The two-act Sylvia, staged by Christopher Newton, is set to a score by Léo Delibes and features scenery and costumes by Christopher and Robin Ironside, with additional designs by Peter Farmer.
The seventh week continues with the Season’s final three performances of Le Corsaire on July 7 and 8. Paloma Herrera, David Hallberg, Angel Corella, Xiomara Reyes, Herman Cornejo and Sascha Radetsky will lead the cast on Friday, July 7. Staged by Anna-Marie Holmes after Marius Petipa and Konstantin Sergeyev, Le Corsaire is set to a score by Adolphe Adam, Cesare Pugni, Léo Delibes, Riccardo Drigo and Prince Oldenbourg.
The season will conclude with eight performances of Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet, beginning Monday, July 10, with Diana Vishneva and Angel Corella in the leading roles. David Hallberg will make his New York debut as Romeo on Wednesday evening, July 12, opposite Paloma Herrera as Juliet. The performance on Friday, July 14, will be led by Julie Kent and Marcelo Gomes and will honor Ms. Kent as she celebrates her 20th anniversary with the Company. Romeo and Juliet is set to the music of Sergei Prokofiev and features scenery and costumes by Nicholas Georgiadis and lighting by Thomas Skelton.
Countrywide Financial Corporation is the National Sponsor of American Ballet Theatre.
Northern Trust is a season sponsor of ABT at the Metropolitan Opera House. ABT’s 2006 Spring Season is also made possible with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. American Airlines is the Official Airline of American Ballet Theatre.
Tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s 2006 Metropolitan Opera House season, priced $23-$100, are available at the Met box office, by phone at 212-362-6000 or online at metopera.org. The Metropolitan Opera House is located on Broadway between 64th and 65th streets in New York City.
Complete casting follows:
| SEVENTH WEEK | |
| Mon. Eve., July 3, 8 P.M. | SYLVIA – Murphy, Beloserkovsky, Lopez, Gomes |
| Tues. Eve., July 4, 8 P.M. | NO PERFORMANCE |
| Wed. Mat., July 5, 2 P.M. | SYLVIA – Wiles, Hallberg+, Scott+, Saveliev |
| Wed. Eve., July 5, 8 P.M. | SYLVIA – Herrera, Corella, Salstein, Pastor |
| Thur. Eve., July 6, 8 P.M. | SYLVIA – Kent, Saveliev, Lopez, Radetsky |
| Fri. Eve., July 7, 8 P.M. | LE CORSAIRE – Herrera, Hallberg, Corella, Reyes, H. Cornejo, Radetsky |
| Sat. Mat., July 8, 2 P.M. | LE CORSAIRE – Wiles, Gomes, Carreño, Riccetto, Radetsky, Lopez |
| Sat. Eve., July 8, 8 P.M. | LE CORSAIRE – Dvorovenko, Beloserkovsky, Corella, Abrera, Saveliev, Pastor |
| EIGHTH WEEK | |
| Mon. Eve., July 10, 8 P.M. | ROMEO AND JULIET – Vishneva, Corella, H. Cornejo |
| Tues. Eve., July 11, 8 P.M. | ROMEO AND JULIET – Ferri, Carreño, Salstein |
| Wed. Mat., July 12, 2 P.M. | ROMEO AND JULIET – Reyes, Corella, Lopez |
| Wed. Eve., July 12, 8 P.M. | ROMEO AND JULIET – Herrera, Hallberg+, Pastor |
| Thur. Eve., July 13, 8 P.M. | ROMEO AND JULIET – Dvorovenko, Beloserkovsky, Lopez |
| Fri. Eve., July 14, 8 P.M. | ROMEO AND JULIET – Kent, Gomes, Salstein |
| Sat. Mat., July 15, 2 P.M. | ROMEO AND JULIET – Herrera, Hallberg, Pastor |
| Sat. Eve., July 15, 8 P.M. | ROMEO AND JULIET – Ferri, Carreño, Salstein |
+Please note: First time in a role in New York:
Wed. Mat., July 5 – Hallberg (Aminta)and Scott (Eros) in Sylvia
Wed. Eve., July 12 – Hallberg (Romeo)in Romeo and Juliet