The American Ballet Theatre 2023 summer season at the Metropolitan Opera House has been announced by incoming Artistic Director Susan Jaffe.
The gala performance opens the run and features the New York premiere of Christopher Wheeldon’s Like Water for Chocolate. Rounding out the season are three classical ballets – Giselle, Swan Lake, and Romeo and Juliet.
Principal Dancers for the American Ballet Theatre 2023 Summer season include:
- Joo Won Ahn
- Aran Bell
- Isabella Boylston
- Skylar Brandt
- Daniel Camargo
- Herman Cornejo
- Thomas Forster
- Catherine Hurlin
- Gillian Murphy
- Calvin Royal III
- Hee Seo
- Christine Shevchenko
- Cory Stearns
- Devon Teuscher
- Cassandra Trenary
- James Whiteside
- Roman Zhurbin
Opening Night Gala Celebrating Yolanda Santos
American Ballet Theatre will host its June Gala on Thursday, June 22, 2023, at 6:30 P.M. at the Metropolitan Opera House featuring the New York Premiere of Like Water for Chocolate. Following the performance, Gala guests are invited to join ABT for a black-tie dinner and dancing on the Promenade of the newly opened David Geffen Hall.
The Gala evening will honor Yolanda Santos, Founding Member of ABT’s Global Council and Founder of Ballet de Monterrey, for her championship of classical ballet and contemporary visual arts, nationally and internationally.
Laura Esquivel, author of Like Water for Chocolate, will serve as Honorary Chair of the event.
In Tribute to Lupe Serrano
The Saturday, July 8 performance of Giselle will be “In Tribute to Lupe Serrano” in honor of the late Lupe Serrano, former ABT Principal Dancer from 1953-1971, who, after retiring from the stage, taught classes for the ABT main Company, ABT Studio Company, ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, and Summer Intensives.
Special Evening for Susan Jaffe
The Friday, July 21 performance of will be a “Special Evening for Susan Jaffe” to celebrate Jaffe’s first Met season as Artistic Director of American Ballet Theatre, a homecoming for the former ABT Principal Dancer of 22
years.
ABT Kids
ABTKids, American Ballet Theatre’s annual one-hour introduction to ballet for families, will return to the Metropolitan Opera House stage on Saturday, June 24 at 11:00 A.M. The family-friendly showing of selections from the ABT main Company’s illustrious repertoire will be hosted by ABT Principal Dancer James Whiteside.
American Ballet Theatre 2023 Summer Season Schedule
Like Water for Chocolate | June 22 – July 1, 2023
Metropolitan Opera House
- Like Water for Chocolate by Christopher Wheeldon
Like Water for Chocolate is a three-act ballet inspired by Laura Esquivel’s bestselling novel of the same name. From the award-winning team of choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and composer Joby Talbot, this co-production with The Royal Ballet features scenery and costumes by Bob Crowley, lighting by Natasha Katz, and video design by Luke Halls.
Like Water for Chocolate tells the story of Tita, a young Mexican woman who is overwhelmed by a sense of duty and family tradition. Tita’s only form of expression is through cooking, but her life takes an unexpected turn when she falls in forbidden love with her wealthy neighbor Pedro.
Giselle | July 3-8, 2023
Metropolitan Opera House
- Giselle by Kevin McKenzie
Staged by Kevin McKenzie with choreography after Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot, and Marius Petipa, Giselle is set to music by Adolphe Adam, orchestrated by John Lanchbery, with scenery by Gianni Quaranta, costumes by Anna Anni, and lighting by Jennifer Tipton. The world premiere of Giselle, one of the oldest continually performed ballets, occurred at the Theatre de l’Academie Royale de Musique in Paris on June 28, 1841. The ballet was first presented by ABT (then Ballet Theatre) at the Center Theatre in New York City on January 12, 1940, with choreography by Anton Dolin and scenery and costumes by Lucinda Ballard.
Hee Seo will dance the title role with Cory Stearns as her Albrecht.
Swan Lake | July 10-15, 2023
Metropolitan Opera House
- Swan Lake by Kevin McKenzie
Set to music by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky, Swan Lake is choreographed by Kevin McKenzie after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov and features scenery and costumes by Zack Brown and lighting by Duane Schuler. This production of Swan Lake premiered on March 24, 2000 at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. with Julie Kent (Odette-Odile) and Angel Corella (Prince Siegfried).
Isabella Boylston opens as Odette-Odile and Daniel Camargo as Prince Siegfried.
Romeo and Juliet | July 18-22, 2023
Metropolitan Opera House
- Romeo and Juliet by Sir Kenneth MacMillan
Kenneth MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet is set to the score by Sergei Prokofiev and features scenery and costumes by Nicholas Georgiadis, and lighting by Thomas Skelton. Romeo and Juliet received its World Premiere by The Royal Ballet in London on February 9, 1965 and was given its ABT Premiere at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 1985 with Leslie Browne and Robert La Fosse in the leading roles.
The title roles on opening night will be danced by Devon Teuscher and Aran Bell.
Featured Photo for the American Ballet Theatre 2023 Summer Season of Devon Teuscher in Giselle. Photo by Gene Schiavone.
