VIVA DON QUIXOTE!

A joyful production welcomes
seasoned ballet lovers and newcomers alike

For many people today, going to see a ballet is a fun idea that no longer has the air of distancing class systems and forbidding hierarchy. Gone are the days when prevailing wisdom said classical dance can only truly be appreciated by those of higher social status or income. Ballet is now for everyone. This was evident at the June 30 performance of the ballet classic Don Quixote, offered by American Ballet Theatre at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center. Presented as ABT’s annual Pride Night, the evening concluded with cast members waving pride flags during the curtain call amid thunderous cheers from viewers.

Don Quixote premiered as a ballet in Moscow on December 14, 1869, created by the great French-Russian choreographer Marius Petipa. Petipa is also famously known for his other full-length classical ballets, including The Nutcracker, La Bayadère, and The Sleeping Beauty. Today, ABT offers a reimagined work, as is customary with old ballets, while still maintaining much of the original choreography, spirit, and integrity of the piece. The multi-layered staging by Susan Jaffe and Susan Jones, gorgeous period sets and costumes by Santo Loquasto, and evocative lighting by Natasha Katz reflect that balance.

Skylar Brandt (Kitri) and Herman Cornejo (Basilio) in Don Quixote. (photo by Rosalie O’Connor)

While the original novel features Don Quixote as the central character, the ballet abandons this idea and focuses on the fiery romance between Kitri, the most beautiful girl in Barcelona, and Basilio, a poor young barber who aspires to marry her. Even though Kitri loves Basilio, her innkeeper father does not and wants her to marry Gamache, a buffoonish yet wealthy young suitor. Quixote appears in the ballet but is reduced to a comic secondary character, while the hot, young Spaniards command center stage. Sex sells, even in the 1800s.

The principal roles of Kitri and Basilio were superbly danced by Skylar Brandt and Herman Cornejo, who soared through the renowned third-act wedding pas de deux with dazzling confidence and infectious joy. Soloist Takumi Miyake was equally thrilling in his second-act turn as the Romani peasant. The Corps de Ballet also deserves special praise for its extraordinary precision. Every arm, head, and line moved in perfect unison, a level of discipline that never drew attention to itself but instead strengthened the production as a whole. Technique was abundant throughout the evening, yet it was always in service of character, musicality, and style rather than empty virtuosity. That balance is what made this Don Quixote so rewarding. ABT didn’t simply impress with technical brilliance; it reminded us that the highest level of classical ballet is measured not only by what dancers can do, but by how completely they bring a story to life.

There is a reason Don Quixote continues to captivate. ABT honors that legacy with a production of remarkable artistry, joyful energy, and generosity of spirit, reminding us that great ballet truly is for everyone.

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photos by Todd Rosenberg

Don Quixote
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center in New York City
reviewed June 30, 2026
ends on July 7, 2026
for tickets (starting at $32), visit American Ballet Theatre

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