American Ballet Theatre’s newly revitalized Don Quixote is a high-voltage production filled with standout moments and delightful comic relief. As with many newly mounted productions, it fell short of flawless, yet it achieved moments of absolute perfection, particularly within the solos. A notable strength was the production's humane emphasis on Don Quixote, capturing his gradual descent into delusion, central to Cervantes' novel.
While the Dream scene successfully evoked a surreal atmosphere, its visual design blurred the line between a moonlit forest and an underwater landscape. The performance maintained a swift, engaging narrative momentum. And while the vibrant Sevilla village scenes were richly detailed, the Romani camp felt visually neglected by comparison. Ultimately, the crowded staging in the Sevilla acts successfully generated a bustling energy, though it occasionally felt cramped.
In Monday’s Act 1, Catherine Hurlin’s Kitri was a flickering flame — mesmerizing and dangerous — captivating the audience right from her explosive entrance. In stark contrast, her Dulcinea in Act 2 was convincingly soft and dreamlike, exemplifying Hurlin’s dynamism. Isaac Hernández met her brilliance with seduction and generous partnering, featuring strong finishes, notably in their breathtaking fish dives, but he often lacked the Spanish snap, coming across as a bit too casual at times.
The paint was still drying on the Flower Girls: Fangqi Li and SunMi Park on Monday and Breanne Granlund and Yoon Jung Seo on Tuesday. They appeared slightly rushed in the pas de deux, either by tempo or difficulty, and were not always in sync. Alexei Agoudine infused Gamache, Kitri’s wealthy suitor, with delightful arrogance, snapping his fingers and dismissing everyone beneath him. Meanwhile, James Whiteside simply owned the stage as the legendary matador Espada. Alongside his toreador companions and Mercedes, his sultry street dancer partner played by Zhong-Jing Fang, the ensemble was irresistible. Their bullfighting-inspired choreography — marked by swift posturing, arched chests, sharp footwork, and Espada’s dramatic cape dance — was flawlessly executed and an absolute crowd-pleaser.
In Act 2’s Romani camp, Zimmi Coker and Jake Roxander demonstrated their effortless natural chemistry again, as they did in Onegin. Yet, the true showstopper was Léa Fleytoux as Amour. Part Cupid, part sprite and entirely magical, her petite frame barely seemed to touch the ground. During the Dream Scene, her sparkling footwork was so exceptionally quick and light that it appeared to vanish as fast as it materialized. She was an absolute delight.
Zimmi Coker as Amour on Tuesday night was just as entrancing. Tuesday’s performance also introduced a strikingly different energy in Calvin Royal III’s Espada. Royal commanded the stage with his signature regality — enigmatic yet effortlessly accessible. Despite the playful mischief gleaming in his eyes, his interpretation possessed a warm, inviting quality that drew the audience in.
As Kitri on Tuesday night, Skylar Brandt's technique was exacting and crisp in execution, though the spunk required of Kitri developed overtime, blossoming in the Act 3 wedding pas de deux. Her artistry seemed more naturally suited to the Dream Scene, which required a less emotive lyricism.
In the Act 3 grand pas de deux, Brandt demonstrated mastery of the challenging choreography, effortlessly tossing off double and triple fouettés and gliding flawlessly down the diagonal line of toreadors in her pirouettes with swiftness and precision. Herman Cornejo’s Basilio offered a complete triumph of technique, artistry and passion. His overhead lifts were breathtaking and their partnering remained assured. Ultimately, Cornejo's demanding solo jumps and turn sequences proved to be the performance's crowning highlight. Extraordinary throughout, he shone not only as Brandt’s stalwart partner but as a commanding focal point. A masterful technician, Cornejo brings intelligence to his deep experience, possessing the rare wisdom to precisely meter his energy while maintaining a natural, smoldering charisma.
On Tuesday, I was also profoundly moved by Roman Zhurbin in the titular role of Don Quixote. His witty, graceful embodiment of the aging dreamer turned heart-rending in the Act 3 finale when he imagined Dulcinea drifting by, his expression illuminating the theatre in a way that simply suspended time. Amidst the grand spectacle and commotion of the bustling wedding scene, it was Zhurbin who commanded absolute attention. He anchored the surrounding chaos through the sheer purity of his energy and the quiet power of his presence.
ABT is fielding multiple casts in this run, a sign of their deep bench, with highly anticipated debuts. And on July 1, a last-minute announcement that injury had prompted the casting of three separate Kitri-Basilio pairs – all of them in role debuts, one pair per act that night – sent ABT fans into a frenzy!
