Paloma Herrera to Celebrate 20th Anniversary with ABT
on Saturday Evening, June 18

Paloma Herrera in Coppélia.

Casting for the fifth and sixth weeks of American Ballet Theatre’s 2011 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

The season’s performances of Alexei Ratmansky’s The Bright Stream will continue on Monday, June 13, led by Paloma Herrera, Marcelo Gomes, Gillian Murphy and David Hallberg. Set to Dmitri Shostakovich’s The Bright Stream, the ballet features sets by Illya Utkin, costumes by Elena Markovskaya and lighting by Brad Fields. Tatiana Ratmansky assisted Alexei Ratmansky in staging the ballet for ABT. The Bright Stream is generously supported through an endowed gift from The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund. This production has been made possible with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support has generously been provided by Leila and Mickey Straus.

Frederic Franklin’s staging of Coppélia will have its Revival Premiere on Thursday evening, June 16, with Xiomara Reyes as Swanilda and Guest Artist Ivan Vasiliev as Franz. On Friday, June 17 Natalia Osipova will dance the role of Swanilda for the first time with ABT and Daniil Simkin will make his debut as Franz. Maria Riccetto and Jared Matthews will lead the ballet for the first time at the matinee on Saturday, June 18. The performance on Saturday evening, June 18, led by Paloma Herrera and Angel Corella, will honor Ms. Herrera as she celebrates her 20th anniversary with the Company. Staged and directed by Franklin after Nicholas Sergeyev and the original staging by Arthur Saint Léon, Coppélia features music by Léo Delibes, scenery by Tony Straiges, costumes by Patricia Zipprodt and lighting by Brad Fields. Franklin’s staging of the ballet received its ABT Premiere at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa, California on February 14, 1997 with Herrera and Corella in the leading roles. The ballet was last performed by ABT in 2004. Original funding for Coppélia was provided by The Lucia Chase Foundation and The Green Fund, Inc.

The season’s first performance of James Kudelka’s Cinderella will take place on Tuesday, June 21, led by Gillian Murphy and David Hallberg. On Wednesday, June 22,
Cory Stearns will debut as Her Prince Charming at the matinee, and Sascha Radetsky will dance the role for the first time at the evening performance. Last performed by the Company in 2007, this production of Cinderella is set to music by Sergei Prokofiev and features scenery and costumes by David Boechler. Kudelka’s Cinderella was given its world premiere by The National Ballet of Canada on May 8, 2004 and received its ABT Premiere on June 2, 2006 at the Metropolitan Opera House, led by Julie Kent and Marcelo Gomes. Cinderella is generously supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. This production is generously supported through an endowed gift from Monica, Stefano, Cosima, and Tassilo Corsi. This production has been made possible with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency.

ABT gratefully acknowledges Avery and Andrew Barth for their sponsorship of the corps de ballet in memory of Laima and Rudolph Barth and in recognition of former ABT corps dancer Carmen Barth. J.P. Morgan is the Leading Corporate Sponsor of the Make a Ballet program at American Ballet Theatre. American Airlines is the Official Airline of American Ballet Theatre. Northern Trust is the Leading Corporate Sponsor of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre. Mandarin Oriental, New York is the Preferred Hotel of American Ballet Theatre.

The 2011 Metropolitan Opera House Season is also made possible with 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, in partnership with the City Council.

Tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s 2011 Metropolitan Opera House season, beginning at $20, are available online, at the Met box office or by phone at 212-362-6000. Performance-only tickets for the Opening Night Gala begin at $25. The Metropolitan Opera House is located on Broadway between 64th and 65th streets in New York City. For more information, visit ABT’s website at www.abt.org.

Complete casting follows:

*Editors please note first time in a role:
Fri. Eve., June 17 – Simkin (Franz), Zhurbin (Dr. Coppélius) in Coppélia
Sat. Mat., June 18 – Riccetto (Swanilda), Matthews (Franz), Agoudine (Dr. Coppélius) in Coppélia
Wed. Mat., June 22 – Stearns (Her Prince Charming) in Cinderella
Wed. Eve., June 22 – Radetsky (Her Prince Charming) in Cinderella

**Editors please note first time in a role with ABT:
Thurs. Eve., June 16 – Vasiliev (Franz) in Coppélia
Fri. Eve., June 17 – Osipova (Swanilda) in Coppélia

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