ABT's Spring 2022 Season: June 13 - July 16, Metropolitan Opera House

[BalletFan]

According to the Fall 2021 issue of ABT's “On Pointe” magazine, the 2022 Spring Season is scheduled for June 13 - July 16 at the Metropolitan Opera House. I'm very much looking forward to this. No word yet on programming. 

In other spring news: I also see that the ABT will be performing at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California, March 15-20 (mixed rep program) and the Virginia Arts Festival in Norfolk, March 25-27 (Don Quixote), before heading to the Kennedy Center in DC, March 29 - April 3 (also Don Quixote). The Kennedy Center tour was announced a while ago, but the Segerstrom Center's March performances and the Virginia Arts Festival are apparently new. I don't see anything mentioned yet on either organization's websites.

Edited October 18, 2021 by BalletFan

[bingham]

ABT usually announces the Spring Season during the fall season. Maybe, next week?

[ABT Fan]

Safe to assume Don Q will be cast since they'll perform that on tour in the winter/spring.

It's also probably a no-brainer that Love and Rage will be on the bill, as it was supposed to make its NY premiere last summer after the world premiere in Costa Mesa that winter.

Lastly, Hee Seo announced on her IG that Swan Lake will come back to the Met next year.

So, that's 3 full lengths at least for a 5-week season. They'll most likely add one more and then do a week of mixed rep.

I'm one of the few who loved Jane Eyre from 2019 so I really hope that comes back, eventually.

[nanushka]

1 minute ago, ABT Fan said:

 

So, that's 3 full lengths at least for a 5-week season. They'll most likely add one more and then do a week of mixed rep.

They may not do a full week of every ballet or program — particularly since they've been doing some shorter runs of select works (not just mixed bills) in the past several Met seasons, and since they only have 5 weeks now.

[ABT Fan]

Calvin Royal posted on his public IG today that he'll get to make his long-awaited debut as Romeo with the company next year, and showed a clip of him working on the role in London with Ed Watson. So that makes Swan Lake and R&J definite ballets for the Met so far.

[California]

1 hour ago, ABT Fan said:

Calvin Royal posted on his public IG today that he'll get to make his long-awaited debut as Romeo with the company next year, and showed a clip of him working on the role in London with Ed Watson. So that makes Swan Lake and R&J definite ballets for the Met so far.

Brandt has been rehearsing Manon on her IG in recent months. I posted a comment that I would love to see this next spring and she answered with a lot of smiles.

I'm guessing the new Ratmansky Of Love and Rage will be shown after the aborted premiere in Orange County.

R&J would make a good retirement program for Copeland, if she can recover that fast.

[abatt]

32 minutes ago, California said:

Brandt has been rehearsing Manon on her IG in recent months. I posted a comment that I would love to see this next spring and she answered with a lot of smiles.

I'm guessing the new Ratmansky Of Love and Rage will be shown after the aborted premiere in Orange County.

R&J would make a good retirement program for Copeland, if she can recover that fast.

I don't anticipate that Misty will retire in the near future. 

Gillian Murphy, however, is now the oldest woman in the company.  I doubt she will continue more than one or two more seasons.

[Josette]

On 12/14/2021 at 9:32 AM, California said:

Brandt has been rehearsing Manon on her IG in recent months. I posted a comment that I would love to see this next spring and she answered with a lot of smiles.

I'm guessing the new Ratmansky Of Love and Rage will be shown after the aborted premiere in Orange County.

R&J would make a good retirement program for Copeland, if she can recover that fast.

Of Love and Rage was not aborted in any way at Segerstrom Hall, Orange County in March of 2020, due to Covid-19 or any other reason.  I went to four performances, including the premiere and the last performance - the Sunday matinee.  I believe I only missed the Saturday matinee. 

 

Edited December 16, 2021 by Josette

[California]

7 hours ago, Josette said:

Of Love and Rage was not aborted in any way at Segerstrom Hall, Orange County in March of 2020, due to Covid-19 or any other reason.  I went to four performances, including the premiere and the last performance - the Sunday matinee.  I believe I only missed the Saturday matinee. 

 

All I meant was that the 2020 plans were aborted, as it was not shown in New York at the Met in May-June, as originally expected. That's why it seems so likely it will be on the schedule for June 2022. Sorry I was not more clear.

[Dale]

Here you go:

 

NEW YORK PREMIERES OF A NEW WORK BY ALONZO KING AND ALEXEI RATMANSKY’S
OF LOVE AND RAGE TO HIGHLIGHT
AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE’S SUMMER SEASON
AT THE METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE, JUNE 13–JULY 16, 2022

SEASON TO INCLUDE 75TH ANNIVERSARY PERFORMANCES OF GEORGE BALANCHINE’S
THEME AND VARIATIONS

OPENING NIGHT GALA PERFORMANCE TO FEATURE THREE LEAD CASTS IN DON QUIXOTE

Scene from Of Love and Rage. Photo: Gene Schiavone.

American Ballet Theatre will return to the Metropolitan Opera House for the first time in three years for its Summer season, June 13–July 16, 2022. The season will be highlighted by the New York

(more)

ABT 2022 SUMMER SEASON AT THE MET ANNOUNCED – Page 2

Premieres of a new work by Alonzo King and Alexei Ratmansky’s Of Love and Rage. ABT’s Summer season was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

Principal Dancers for the 2022 Metropolitan Opera House season include Joo Won Ahn,
Aran Bell, Isabella Boylston, Skylar Brandt, Herman Cornejo, Thomas Forster, Gillian Murphy,
Calvin Royal III, Hee Seo, Christine Shevchenko, Cory Stearns, Devon Teuscher, Cassandra Trenary, and James Whiteside.

New York Premieres

The New York Premiere of Alexei Ratmansky’s Of Love and Rage is set for Monday evening, June 20, 2022 with Catherine Hurlin and Aran Bell in the leading roles. Based on the first century historical romance novel Callirhoe by Chariton, Of Love and Rage tells the story of star-crossed lovers Callirhoe and Chaereas in ancient Greece. The two-act ballet is set to music by Aram Khachaturian, arranged by Philip Feeney, with sets and costumes by Jean-Marc Puissant and lighting by Duane Schuler.Of Love and Rage, Ratmansky’s 17th work for American Ballet Theatre, was given its World Premiere on March 5, 2020 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California. The ballet will be given eight performances at the Metropolitan Opera House through Saturday, June 25.

A new work by Alonzo King will have its New York Premiere on Thursday evening, July 7. Set to music by jazz pianist and composer Jason Moran, King’s new work features sets and costumes by Robert Rosenwasser and lighting by Jim French. The new work, King’s first for ABT, will receive its World Premiere on March 15, 2022 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California. King’s new work, part of a mixed repertory program, will be given four performances July 7-9.

Full-Length Works

American Ballet Theatre’s Summer season will include three additional full-length ballets. The season will open on Monday evening, June 13 with a special Gala performance of Don Quixote featuring a different leading cast in each act. Dancing the roles of Kitri and Basilio will be Christine Shevchenko and Cory Stearns in Act I, Hee Seo and James Whiteside in Act II, and Catherine Hurlin and Aran Bell in Act III. Don Quixote is staged by Kevin McKenzie and Susan Jones, with choreography after Marius Petipa and Alexander Gorsky. The ballet is set to music by Ludwig Minkus and features scenery and costumes by Santo Loquasto, and lighting by Natasha Katz. The McKenzie/Jones staging of the current

production was first performed by ABT on June 12, 1995. Don Quixote will be given eight performances through June 18.

Twelve performances of Swan Lake will begin Monday, June 27 with Devon Teuscher as Odette-Odile and Cory Stearns as Prince Siegfried. 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).

Kenneth MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet will be given eight performances beginning Monday evening, July 11 with Hee Seo and Cory Stearns in the title roles. Set to the score by Sergei Prokofiev, Romeo and Juliet 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 Company 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.

Returning Repertory

The Summer season will include four performances of mixed repertory, July 7–9. In addition to the New York Premiere of King’s new work, the program will include George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations and Jessica Lang’s ZigZag.

Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, set to a score of the same name by Tchaikovsky from Suite No. 3 for Orchestra, was created for Ballet Theatre in 1947. A neo-classical masterpiece, Theme and Variations features scenery and costumes by Zack Brown, and lighting by Brad Fields. ABT’s 2022 performances of Theme and Variations will mark the 75th Anniversary of this seminal work’s premiere.

Jessica Lang’s ZigZag, set to songs recorded by Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, received its World Premiere on October 26, 2021 at the David H. Koch Theater in New York City. The ballet features scenery by Derek McLane, costumes by Wes Gordon, and lighting by Nicole Pearce. A work for 14 dancers, ZigZag is set to 11 American standard songs by Bennett including a duet with Lady Gaga.

ABTKids
ABTKids, American Ballet Theatre’s annual one-hour introduction to ballet for families, is

scheduled for Saturday morning, June 18 at 11:00 A.M. All tickets for ABTKids are $25. Subscriptions On Sale

 

Subscriptions for American Ballet Theatre’s 2022 Summer season at the Metropolitan Opera House, on sale beginning Monday, December 20, 2021, are available by phone at 212-362-6000, or online at ABT’s website www.abt.org. For the 2022 Summer season at the Metropolitan Opera House, ticket holders may exchange or refund tickets up until Noon the day of the performance at no extra charge, minus any difference in ticket price. ABT requires the following protocol for all audience members attending its performances.

• All audience members must be fully vaccinated. You are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving a second dose in a two-dose vaccine series or two weeks after receiving a single dose vaccine.

• All audience members must provide in-person proof of vaccination against COVID-19, with a vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or by the World Health Organization (WHO), and a valid state or government issued photo ID.

• Beginning January 17, 2022, the Metropolitan Opera House will require proof of a COVID-19 booster shot for all those eligible to receive it.

• Negative COVID-19 tests for audience members, including children, will not be accepted as an alternative to vaccination proof.

• Vaccines are now available for children ages 5-11. Fully vaccinated children are welcome to attend performances beginning two weeks after receiving their final dose. Photo ID for children under 12 will not be required if accompanied by a parent or guardian with valid photo ID.

Audiences will be required to maintain appropriate face coverings in accordance with current CDC guidelines when attending performances. Additional safety measures include an update of the

ventilation systems, rigorous cleaning and sanitation protocols, and a contactless entrance experience for ticket holders. Specific health and safety protocols are determined by the Metropolitan Opera House and American Ballet Theatre and are subject to change. ABT will strive to communicate substantial changes to health and safety protocols in advance of performances. For more information, please visit

www.abt.org

Leading support for Of Love and Rage, part of The Ratmansky Project, has been generously provided by Elizabeth Segerstrom, and John Rallis and Mary Lynn Bergman-Rallis. Leadership for The Ratmansky Project has been provided by Avery and Andrew F. Barth, the Blavatnik Family Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton E. James, and The Ted and Mary Jo Shen Charitable Gift Fund. This production of Don Quixote is generously supported through an endowed gift from Anka Palitz, in memory of Clarence J. Palitz, Jr.

American Ballet Theatre’s performances of Romeo and Juliet are generously underwritten through an endowed gift from Ali and Monica Wambold. Swan Lake has been generously underwritten by R. Chemers Neustein.

ZigZag is co-commissioned by Abu Dhabi Festival.

Commissions and presentations of new works by women choreographers are supported by the ABT Women's Movement. Champion support for the ABT Women's Movement is provided by Jenna Segal. Additional leadership support is provided by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.

ABT's Choreographic Innovation and Inspiration and Inclusion programs are generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Additional major support is provided by Mark Casey and Carrie Gaiser Casey, the Ford Foundation, The Ted and Mary Jo Shen Charitable Gift Fund and through an endowed gift from the Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund.

Special thanks to Denise Littlefield Sobel for her leadership gifts to: ABT's Media Fund, advancing the Company's digital endeavors; and ABT RISE, fueling the Company's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Lead Sponsor support for ABTKids is generously provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies. American Airlines is the Official Airline of American Ballet Theatre.
LG is the Global Electronics Partner of ABT.

Bank of America is the Lead Corporate Partner of ABT Studio Company.

ABT is supported, in part, with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of The Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

ABT Met Grid 2022.pdf

[abatt]

Looks like they have big plans for Katherine Hurlin.

Sad to see that Murphy has given up Don Q, but I'm not surprised.

 

 

 

[California]

On the calendar section of the ABT site, they have casting for most performances (except the mixed rep) or they did 10 minutes ago! Now it seems to have ben removed. What???

https://www.abt.org/performances/master-calendar/

Single tickets go on sale April 25. Donors over $480 get one week early access.

Edited December 16, 2021 by California

[Becki Lee]

They are listed for each show under the summer season still.

Not impressed with the opportunities (or lack of opportunities) given to Cassie.

[California]

Murphy is doing the last performance of Swan Lake on July 6. Plenty of time for her to decide, but that performance could function as her retirement as well

[ABT Fan]

24 minutes ago, California said:

On the calendar section of the ABT site, they have casting for most performances (except the mixed rep) or they did 10 minutes ago! Now it seems to have ben removed. What???

https://www.abt.org/performances/master-calendar/

Single tickets go on sale April 25. Donors over $480 get one week early access.

the master calendar is blank....

Just now, ABT Fan said:

the master calendar is blank....

and.....it's back on.......

[California]

And for all the messing around with that calendar today, they still haven't fixed this: March 29-30 on the Kennedy Center site is a mixed bill. On the ABT master calendar, it's Don Quixote. And no casting for the Kennedy Center engagement.

https://www.kennedy-center.org/whats-on/explore-by-genre/ballet/2021-2022/american-ballet-theatre/

[JuliaJ]

Their website is so bad. The number-one goal for a performing arts company website should be to make performance info easy to find (to therefore sell tickets), and ABT's online calendar doesn't even load properly. 

Soloist Hurlin has more on the schedule than principal Trenary! I'd vote for putting Trenary in Theme & Variations. I've always thought she has the Balanchine allegro "spark." 

[ABT Fan]

Well, there are still glitches all over the master calendar, but from what I can see:

Agree with abatt re: Hurlin. She's clearly being set up to be promoted to principal next year.

If Murphy is retiring, she's cast as Juliet after SL, and I think Juliet would be an odd choice for her retirement - but, you never know.

Trenary was definitely shafted - it's like they mixed up the casting between her and Hurlin (Hurlin is more than deserving, but she's a soloist). Is she the new "Sarah Lane"?

[abatt]

25 minutes ago, ABT Fan said:

Trenary was definitely shafted - it's like they mixed up the casting between her and Hurlin (Hurlin is more than deserving, but she's a soloist). Is she the new "Sarah Lane"?

Exactly what I was thinking. Trenary seems to be the new Sarah Lane. We'll see.  McKenzie is leaving soon, so whoever is being shafted now may be looked upon differently by a new AD. 

 

I am definitely rooting for Hurlin's success.  Very much looking forward to seeing more of Aran Bell, Shevshenko and Brandt.

 

Edited December 16, 2021 by abatt

[ABT Fan]

There are two shows of Love/Rage yet to be cast, so apparently there will be a 4th cast - perhaps Trenary will get those, although Ratmansky seems to favor taller dancers for that lead role.

T&V is also a possibility for her - Teuscher and Shevchenko will def be cast, and I could see Brandt as well and maybe even Hurlin. 

Kind of ironic - for the (canceled) Met season of 2020, Trenary had a lot of opportunities and Brandt only had Aurora. Now the tables have turned.

Yes, it will be interesting to see what happens after McKenzie leaves next year.

[BalletFan]

I'm very excited about the Spring Season... but absolutely shocked about Cassie! Is she getting any performances at all? The calendar is working for me, but I don't see her name listed anywhere. 

[vipa]

3 hours ago, ABT Fan said:

Kind of ironic - for the (canceled) Met season of 2020, Trenary had a lot of opportunities and Brandt only had Aurora. Now the tables have turned.

Yes, it will be interesting to see what happens after McKenzie leaves next year.

I so agree with the Trenary/Brandt statement. For a time Trenary seemed the favored one, being cast as Aurora and even getting opening night in Paris (if I remember correctly). I wonder about the impact of Brandt's social media postings of her coaching sessions with Irina and Max, and her guest gig doing SL. This is not a criticism. She's a talent and seems to work incredibly hard, I just wonder how much she's managed to steer her own ship (so to speak) by her use of social media. Again not a criticism.

I notice that Hee Seo has held on to her rep. I'm afraid she's a dancer I always avoid. I've never understood Kevin M's interest in her.

[BalletFan]

I was very fortunate to see Hee Seo's debut as Juliet in Detroit back in 2009. (Cory Stearns was Romeo.) I was blown away. She was absolutely magical! It was one of those performances that I will never forget. However, that is the one and only time that I was impressed by her dancing. I don't know what happened. She’s a good dancer, but something is missing. In my opinion, she’s never been able to recreate that magic since then.

Edited December 17, 2021 by BalletFan
Word change

[Becki Lee]

35 minutes ago, BalletFan said:

I'm very excited about the Spring Season... but absolutely shocked about Cassie! Is she getting any performances at all? The calendar is working for me, but I don't see her name listed anywhere. 

Right now, all that is showing for Cassie is one Romeo and Juliet with Herman.

 

[choriamb]

On 12/16/2021 at 8:12 PM, BalletFan said:

I'm very excited about the Spring Season... but absolutely shocked about Cassie! Is she getting any performances at all? The calendar is working for me, but I don't see her name listed anywhere. 

I found Trenary's casting confusing too. If the management were upset with her, they would have little motive to cast her with Cornejo in R+J:  far better to let his glamour rub off on Brandt or Boylston or even some up-and-coming corp member. And given that she danced in the Tharp show, one assumes that she isn't injured.

Pure speculation here:   Trenary is being deployed to give one or more short-to-mid-height male principal candidates a good debut in Don Q during the New Orleans and Kennedy Center runs (and maybe a Met injury-replacement debut if the out-of-town trial is wildly successful).  And may even be paired up with other candidates as the seccondary lead in Don Q and Of Love and Rage.

ABT often gives dancers their first full-length debut on tour. And Don Q is a convenient full-length debut vehicle for dancers who are mostly known as technicians, as it doesn't require nuanced acting.

It's an absolutely urgent task if Coker, Granlund, herself, and Brandt are to have an experienced, height-appropriate partner in a few years:  despite elevating four men last year, ABT still stands to lose Cornejo, Whiteside, and Stearns within the next 2-4 years. (And ABT has only just begun easing Ahn into partnering in more complex works.)

And if Trenary has one prodigious ability (other than her acting), it's her ability to loosen up less-experienced partners...even while debuting a role herself. (Boylston and Copeland are confident enough to make new guys look stable...but Trenary can make them crack a smile. Murphy has made most of the older tall guys look like princes in a debut at one time or another, but her height limits her from helping shorter guys.)

Edited January 20, 2022 by choriamb
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