Casting Announced for American Ballet Theatre’s Inaugural Spring Season at the David H. Koch Theater

Fabrice Calmels to Debut as Guest Artist in Othello

Tickets On Sale Now

NEW YORK, NY - Casting for American Ballet Theatre's 2026 Spring season at the David H. Koch Theater from March 6-21 was announced today by Artistic Director Susan Jaffe.

The Company's inaugural Spring season at the David H. Koch Theater will include Lar Lubovitch's full-length Othello: A Dance in Three Acts, as well as repertory programs featuring Alexei Ratmansky's Firebird, George Balanchine's Mozartiana, and Raymonda: Grand Pas Hongrois, an excerpt from the third act of Marius Petipa's full-length Raymonda.

Principal Dancers for the 2026 Spring season include Joo Won Ahn, Aran Bell, Isabella Boylston, Skylar Brandt, Daniel Camargo, Herman Cornejo, Thomas Forster, Isaac Hernández, Catherine Hurlin, Chloe Misseldine, Calvin Royal III, Hee Seo, Christine Shevchenko, Cory Stearns, Devon Teuscher, James Whiteside, and Roman Zhurbin.

Fabrice Calmels will join ABT as a Guest Artist during the Spring season, dancing the title role in Othello at the evening performances on Saturday, March 7, and Tuesday, March 10, and the matinee on Friday, March 20. Born and raised in France, Calmels danced with Pennsylvania Ballet and Boston Ballet before joining the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago, where he was a lead dancer for 15 years. Calmels has performed the role of Othello several times with the Joffrey and on other special occasions, including in the Othello pas de deux at the Benois de la Danse Gala at Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre.

Lar Lubovitch's Othello: A Dance in Three Acts will open the Spring season at the evening performance on Friday, March 6, led by Calvin Royal III as Othello, Fangqi Li as Desdemona, James Whiteside as Iago, and Isabella Boylston as Emilia. Othello is set to a commissioned score by Elliot Goldenthal with scenery by George Tsypin, costumes by Ann Hould-Ward, original lighting by Patricia Collins, and projections by Wendall K. Harrington. Last performed by ABT in 2015, Othello received its World Premiere on May 23, 1997, at the Metropolitan Opera House, led by Desmond Richardson (Othello) and Sandra Brown (Desdemona).

Alexei Ratmansky's Firebird returns for nine performances, March 13-18 and 21, with Catherine Hurlin (Firebird), Daniel Camargo (Ivan), SunMi Park (Maiden), and Cory Stearns (Kaschei) leading the opening night cast. The one-act Stravinsky classic features scenery by Simon Pastukh, costumes by Galina Solovyeva, lighting by Brad Fields, and projections by Wendall K. Harrington. Firebird was given its World Premiere at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California, on March 29, 2012, danced by Natalia Osipova (Firebird), Marcelo Gomes (Ivan), David Hallberg (Kaschei), and Simone Messmer (Maiden).

The season's first performance of George Balanchine's Mozartiana will take place on the evening of March 13, featuring Devon Teuscher and Joo Won Ahn in the leading roles. Additional performances of Mozartiana share the program with Firebird and a pas de deux to be announced at the matinee on March 14 and the evenings of March 18 and 21. One of Balanchine's last works, the ballet is set to Suite No. 4, Mozartiana by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky and features costumes by Holly Hynes and lighting by Brad Fields. This version of Mozartiana was created for New York City Ballet and received its World Premiere on June 4, 1981, at the New York State Theater led by Suzanne Farrell, Ib Andersen, and Christopher d'Amboise. Mozartiana received its ABT Company Premiere on May 24, 2004, at the Metropolitan Opera House, danced by Nina Ananiashvili, Angel Corella, and Herman Cornejo.

Hee Seo and Isaac Hernández will lead the first performance of Raymonda: Grand Pas Hongrois on the evening of March 14. Raymonda: Grand Pas Hongrois shares the program with Firebird, with additional performances on the evening of March 17 and the matinees on March 15, 18, and 21 . This excerpt from Act III of the full-length Raymonda, set to a score by Alexander Glazunov, is considered one of Marius Petipa's masterpieces, a joyous and celebratory finale to the ballet.

ABT Masters Series

The 2026 Spring ABT Masters Series program will feature Firebird on Saturday, March 21, 2026. Designed for adults ages 20 years or older with beginner to advanced-beginner ballet experience, the day begins at ABT's 890 Broadway studios for body conditioning, ballet technique, a 90-minute repertoire workshop, and a pre-show talk. That evening, participants will attend the corresponding ABT performance at the David H. Koch Theater. All workshops, classes, and meet the artist talks are led by ABT Artistic staff members, ABT Training faculty, or notable ABT alumni. The daylong experience can be purchased for $350. For more information, visit abt.org/ABT-Masters-Series.

Ticket On Sale and Ticket Policies

Tickets for American Ballet Theatre's 2026 Spring season at the David H. Koch Theater are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased by phone at 212-496-0600, in person at the Koch Theater box office, or online at ABT's website.

Tickets start at $35. A Create Your Own Subscription Package is available with the purchase of three or more performances, saving over 20% off the single ticket price in all seating zones except for premium locations.

ABT will offer audience members the opportunity to exchange tickets up until Noon the day of the performance at no charge, minus any difference in ticket price. We regret that there are no refunds or cancellations.

ABOUT AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE

American Ballet Theatre is one of the greatest dance companies in the world. Revered as a national treasure since its founding season in 1940, its mission is to create, present, preserve, and extend the great repertoire of classical dancing for the widest possible audience. Headquartered in New York City, ABT is the only cultural institution of its size and stature to extensively tour, enchanting audiences for eight decades in 50 U.S. states, 45 countries, and over 480 cities worldwide. ABT's repertoire includes full-length classics from the nineteenth century, the finest works from the early twentieth century, and acclaimed contemporary masterpieces. In 2006, by an act of Congress, ABT was designated America's National Ballet Company®.

Firebird is generously supported through an endowed gift from The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund.

Leadership support of ABT's New Works Initiative is provided by the Blavatnik Family Foundation, and through an endowed gift from The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund.

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

A special thanks to Denise Littlefield Sobel for her leadership gifts to the ABT Today Fund and ABT RISE, which are advancing the Company's mission to create a more vibrant and welcoming future for ballet.

ABT is supported, in part, with public funds from 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.

For more information, please visit https://www.abt.org.

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