May 30, 2007
CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR
FIFTH AND SIXTH WEEKS
OF ABT'S 2007 SPRING SEASON
AT THE METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE
Alessandra Ferri to Dance Final Performance with ABT
on Saturday Evening, June 23
Casting for the fifth and sixth weeks of American Ballet Theatre’s 2007 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.
Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon will be given eight performances beginning Monday, June 11, led by Alessandra Ferri, Guest Artist Roberto Bolle, Herman Cornejo and Gillian Murphy. The performance marks Mr. Bolle’s first appearance with American Ballet Theatre. On Tuesday, June 12, Marcelo Gomes will debut as Des Grieux, opposite Diana Vishneva in the title role, and Michele Wiles will dance the role of Lescaut’s Mistress for the first time. At the matinee on Wednesday, June 13, Ethan Stiefel will make his debut as Lescaut. Staged for ABT by Monica Parker, Manon is set to a score by Jules Massenet and features scenery and costumes by Nicholas Georgiadis with lighting by Thomas Skelton.
The Company’s first performance of Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet will take place on Monday, June 18, with Diana Vishneva and Angel Corella in the title roles. On the evening of Saturday, June 23, Alessandra Ferri will dance her final performance with ABT, opposite Roberto Bolle as Romeo. Romeo and Juliet is set to the music of Sergei Prokofiev, with scenery and costumes by Nicholas Georgiadis and lighting by Thomas Skelton.
Countrywide Financial is the National Sponsor of American Ballet Theatre. Superfund Asset Management, Inc. and Northern Trust are the sponsors of ABT’s Metropolitan Opera House Season. The 2007 Metropolitan Opera House 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.
Tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s 2007 Metropolitan Opera House season, priced $24-$110, are available at the Met box office, online at metopera.org, or by phone at 212-362-6000. The Metropolitan Opera House is located on Broadway between 64th and 65th streets in New York City.
Complete casting follows:
| FOURTH WEEK | |
| Mon. Eve., June 11, 8 P.M. | MANON – Ferri, Bolle+, Cornejo, Murphy |
| Tues. Eve., June 12, 8 P.M | MANON – Vishneva, Gomes*, Saveliev, Wiles* |
| Wed. Mat., June 13, 2 P.M. | MANON – Reyes, Corella, Stiefel*, Abrera |
| Wed. Eve., June 13, 8 P.M. | MANON – Kent, Carreño, Pastor, C. Corella |
| Thur. Eve., June 14, 8 P.M. | MANON – Ferri, Bolle, Cornejo, Murphy |
| Fri. Eve., June 15, 8 P.M. | MANON – Vishneva, Gomes, Saveliev, Wiles |
| Sat. Mat., June 16, 2 P.M. | MANON – Kent, Carreño, Pastor, C. Corella |
| Sat. Eve., June 16, 8 P.M. | MANON – Reyes, Corella, Stiefel, Abrera |
| SIXTH WEEK | |
| Mon. Eve., June 18, 8 P.M. | ROMEO AND JULIET – Vishneva, Corella, Cornejo |
| Tues. Eve., June 19, 8 P.M. | ROMEO AND JULIET – Herrera, Gomes, Lopez |
| Wed. Mat., June 20, 2 P.M. | ROMEO AND JULIET – Murphy**, Hallberg, Salstein |
| Wed. Eve., June 20, 8 P.M. | ROMEO AND JULIET – Dvorovenko, Beloserkovsky, Pastor |
| Thur. Eve., June 21, 8 P.M. | ROMEO AND JULIET – Reyes, Carreño, Salstein |
| Fri. Eve., June 22, 8 P.M. | ROMEO AND JULIET – Kent, Corella, Cornejo |
| Sat. Mat., June 23, 2 P.M. | ROMEO AND JULIET – Herrera, Gomes, Lopez |
| Sat. Eve., June 9, 8 P.M. | ROMEO AND JULIET – Ferri, Bolle+, Cornejo |
*Please note: First time in a role:
Tues, June 12 – Gomes (Des Grieux) and Wiles (Lescaut’s Mistress) in Manon
Wed. Mat., June 13 – Stiefel (Lescaut) in Manon
**Editors please note: first time in a role in New York:
Wed Mat., June 20 – Murphy (Juliet) in Romeo and Juliet
+Editors please note: first time in a role with ABT:
Mon. June 11 – Bolle (Des Grieux) in Manon
Sat. Eve., June 23 – Bolle (Romeo) in Romeo and Juliet