Final 2 weeks of casting for 2009 ABT Met season

[Dale]

From the company:

CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR FINAL TWO WEEKS

OF AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE’S 2009 SPRING SEASON

AT METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE

Casting for the seventh and eighth weeks of American Ballet Theatre’s 2009 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

Sir Frederick Ashton’s Sylvia will be given seven performances beginning June 29, with Gillian Murphy, Maxim Beloserkovsky, Carlos Lopez and Gennadi Saveliev in the leading roles. Debuts for the week include Alexandre Hammoudi (Orion) on Tuesday, June 30, Diana Vishneva (Sylvia), Ethan Stiefel (Aminta) and Jared Matthews (Orion) at the Wednesday, July 1 matinee, and Daniil Simkin (Eros) and Cory Stearns (Orion) at the Wednesday, July 1 evening performance. Roberto Bolle will dance the role of Aminta for the first time with ABT on the evening of Wednesday, July 1. Staged for ABT by Christopher Newton, Sylvia is set to music by Léo Delibes and features costumes and scenery after original designs by Robin and Christopher Ironside. Additional designs for the revival of Sylvia are by Peter Farmer and lighting is by Mark Jonathan. Sylvia received its World Premiere in 1952 by The Royal Ballet and was first performed by ABT in 2005.

Diana Vishneva and Marcelo Gomes will lead the Company’s first performance of Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet on Monday, July 6. On Thursday, July 9, Hee Seo and Cory Stearns will make their New York debuts in the title roles. Romeo and Juliet is set to the music of Sergei Prokofiev, with scenery and costumes by Nicholas Georgiadis and lighting by Thomas Skelton.

Superfund Asset Management, Inc. is the sponsor of American Ballet Theatre's 2009 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House. Saks Fifth Avenue is the Leading Corporate Sponsor of American Ballet Theatre's Costume Fund. J.P. Morgan is the Official Sponsor of Make a Ballet. American Airlines is the Official Airline of American Ballet Theatre. Northern Trust is the Official Sponsor of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre. ABT's 2009 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. ABT acknowledges The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund for its generous support of the 2009 Metropolitan Opera House season.

Tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s 2009 Metropolitan Opera House season, priced $19-$130, are available online, at the Met box office or by phone at 212-362-6000. 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.

SEVENTH WEEK

Mon. Eve., June 29, 7:30 P.M. SYLVIA – Murphy, Beloserkovsky, Lopez, Saveliev

Tues. Eve., June 30, 7:30 P.M. SYLVIA – Herrera, Gomes, Scott, Hammoudi*

Wed. Mat., July 1, 2 P.M. SYLVIA – Vishneva*, Stiefel, Salstein, Matthews*

Wed. Eve., July 1, 7:30 P.M. SYLVIA – Wiles, Bolle**, Simkin*, Stearns*

Thurs. Eve., July 2, 7:30 P.M. SYLVIA – Murphy, Beloserkovsky, Lopez, Saveliev

Fri. Eve., July 3. 8 P.M. SYLVIA – Vishneva, Stiefel, Salstein, Matthews

Sat. Mat., July 4, 2 P.M. SYLVIA – Herrera, Gomes, Scott, Hammoudi

Sat. Eve., July 4, 8 P.M. NO PERFORMAMCE

EIGHTH WEEK

Mon. Eve., July 6, 7:30 P.M. ROMEO AND JULIET – Vishneva, Gomes, Cornejo

Tues. Eve., July 7, 7:30 P.M. ROMEO AND JULIET – Dvorovenko, Bolle, Salstein

Wed. Mat., July 8, 2 P.M. ROMEO AND JULIET – Murphy, Hallberg, Matthews

Wed. Eve., July 8, 7:30 P.M. ROMEO AND JULIET – Herrera, Gomes, Lopez

Thurs. Eve., July 9, 7:30 P.M. ROMEO AND JULIET – Seo+, Stearns+, Salstein

Fri. Eve., July 10, 8 P.M. ROMEO AND JULIET – Reyes+, Cornejo+, Lopez

Sat. Mat., July 11, 2 P.M. ROMEO AND JULIET – Murphy, Hallberg, Matthews

Sat. Eve., July 11, 8 P.M. ROMEO AND JULIET – Dvorovenko, Bolle, Salstein

*Editors please note first time in a role:

Tues. Eve., 6/30 – Hammoudi (Orion) in Sylvia

Wed. Mat., 7/1 – Vishneva (Sylvia), Matthews (Orion) in Sylvia

Wed. Eve., 7/1 – Simkin (Eros), Stearns (Orion) in Sylvia

**Editors please note first time in a role with ABT

Wed. Eve., 7/1 – Bolle (Aminta) in Sylvia

+Editors please note first time in a role in New York:

Thurs., 7/10 – Seo (Juliet), Stearns (Romeo) in Romeo and Juliet

Fri., 7/11 – Reyes (Juliet), Cornejo (Romeo) in Romeo and Juliet

[fondoffouettes]

It's too bad Gomes won't be dancing Orion; I remember he was excellent in the role...but it will be nice to see some soloists and corps members in the role, as well.

[Colleen Boresta]

I saw Xiomera Reyes dance Juliet at the Met in either 2003 or 2004. I have to check. Her Romeo was Ethan Stiefel. It's not Reyes' first time dancing Juliet in New York.

[4mrdncr]

I saw Xiomera Reyes dance Juliet at the Met in either 2003 or 2004. I have to check. Her Romeo was Ethan Stiefel. It's not Reyes' first time dancing Juliet in New York.

Definately not. I saw her do Juliet with Angel Corella too. I think though, the notice may be referring to Herman Cornejo, because I believe this will be his first time as Romeo in NYC. (Of course he has already done it with ABT while on tour.)

[Alban]

Glad to see Cornejo is dancing Mercutio on the Monday performance.

[FauxPas]

I think that Mercutio would be a perfect role for Daniil Simkin and I hope they give it to him very soon.

[SML101]

I will be in NYC next week and might try to see Romeo and Juliet while there, if I can get good seats. I am not familiar with the ABT performers though I am sure they are all fantastic. (I am from the SF Bay area and just started attending SF Ballet the last couple of years). I would love to know if a particular cast or dancer is what I should try for especially -- so I can trade off the date / seat availability. While Wed, July 8th evening works best for my schedule - I could also consider the Wed matinee or July 10th Thursday evening if the reason was strong enough. Thanks for your help.

[sealings]

SML- both of the Wednesday casts are wonderful. All four dancers (Paloma Herrera & Marcelo Gomes in the evening, Gillian Murphy & David Hallberg in the afternoon) are standout ABT principals and both couples partner very well together. I would say R&J is a hallmark of Herrera's since it was one of her first principal roles when she was very young. Personally I would see her on Wednesday evening. Thursday will also be a special performance; both Hee Seo and Cory Stearns are debuting in their roles. She's in the corps and he is a soloist.

[zerbinetta]

SML - the cast I am most looking forward to is Friday's; next most looking forward to is Thursday's. I doubt Stearns will be a soloist much longer nor Seo a corps member. They have both had outstanding seasons. And debut performances have a very special quality.

[carbro]

Yes, debuts are special, and in years to come, you can say that you saw Seo and Stearns back when ... . Another reason to attend Thursday is, that is the night the company celebrates 95-year-old Freddie Franklin after he plays Friar Lawrence. The juxtaposing of this youngest lead cast against this senior veteran will,no doubt, make the homage especially poignant.

On the other hand, you're more likely to get polished performances by Romeos and Juliets in either Wednesday performance.

Decisions, decisions.

[mimsyb]

Yes, debuts are special, and in years to come, you can say that you saw Seo and Stearns back when ... . Another reason to attend Thursday is, that is the night the company celebrates 95-year-old Freddie Franklin after he plays Friar Lawrence. The juxtaposing of this youngest lead cast against this senior veteran will,no doubt, make the homage especially poignant.

On the other hand, you're more likely to get polished performances by Romeos and Juliets in either Wednesday performance.

Decisions, decisions.

Or see all three of them and really enjoy your NYC trip!