Angels and Demons, ABT Honors Cynthia Erivo at Lincoln Center

American Ballet Theatre honored Cynthia Erivo at its 2026 Fall Gala on Thursday, October 29, at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, a one-night benefit the company built around a Halloween theme called Angels and Demons.

Two nights before Halloween, the Lincoln Center plaza had the right mood for it. Black tie went in at half past five. Ghosts, sylphs and one devil came out on the stage an hour later.

ABT gave Erivo the evening's honor for "her extraordinary artistry and her contributions to the performing arts," according to the company's gala page. BroadwayWorld, which published photos from the night, describes her as a Tony, Emmy and Grammy Award winner and reports that Debbie Allen presented the honor.

Why Would a Ballet Company Honor a Singer?

ABT's answer is transformation. When the company announced the honor in August, artistic director Susan Jaffe said, as reported by Cover Media, that "few artists possess Cynthia Erivo's extraordinary ability to transform themselves through performance."

Jaffe went on to tie that to ballet. She said Erivo brings "an uncommon combination of artistry, emotional honesty" and "fearless imagination to every role," and called those "qualities we deeply value in ballet and strive to cultivate in every artist who takes our stage."

"Few artists possess Cynthia Erivo's extraordinary ability to transform themselves through performance." Susan Jaffe, ABT artistic director

She will be back on the same campus soon. Erivo headlines a one-night benefit concert at David Geffen Hall on November 16, as we reported in Elphaba at Geffen Hall.

What Did the Dancers Perform?

Jaffe curated a nine-part program of angels, sprites and tempters, hosted by principal dancers Thomas Forster and James Whiteside, according to BroadwayWorld's program announcement. It opened with Frederick Ashton's Dance of the Blessed Spirits for Daniel Camargo, a company premiere.

From there it moved through excerpts. Catherine Hurlin and Isaac Hernández danced The Dream pas de deux. Hee Seo and Joo Won Ahn took the second act of La Sylphide. The corps de ballet did a slice of Alexei Ratmansky's Whipped Cream. Skylar Brandt and Roman Zhurbin danced from Coppélia, and Christine Shevchenko and Calvin Royal III from Sylvia.

Herman Cornejo and Léa Fleytoux performed Michel Fokine's Le Spectre de la Rose. Agnes de Mille's Three Virgins and a Devil supplied the demon. Chloe Misseldine and Aran Bell closed the night with the Act III pas de deux from Swan Lake.

By Suite 646's count, three of the nine works were Ashton's, more than any other choreographer on the bill. Dance of the Blessed Spirits, The Dream and Sylvia all came from him.

The timing was tight, too. ABT's fall season at the Koch Theater runs 11 days, from October 21 to 31, and the gala landed on the ninth of them. By our arithmetic, that left the company two days and three performances to go after the dinner plates were cleared. ABT credits the gala lighting to Brad Fields.

Who Was in the Room?

BroadwayWorld's guest list reads like a Lincoln Center benefit should. Katie Holmes, Ben Platt and Noah Galvin, Misty Copeland, Michael Kors, Lake Bell, Famke Janssen, Matt Rogers, Nicky Hilton Rothschild, Tiler Peck and Isabella Boylston were among the names. Jaffe and executive director Barry Hughson were there for the company.

The gala chairs were Sloan Lindemann Barnett, Emily and Laila Blavatnik, and Julia Koch with Mary Julia Koch. After the curtain came dinner and dancing on the promenade. ABT calls the gala its flagship annual fundraiser, with proceeds going to productions, new commissions, dancer training and education, BroadwayWorld reports. The pages we read do not give a total raised.

Earlier this month, New York City Ballet held its Fall Fashion Gala in the same theater. For that night of designer costumes, see Landslide at Lincoln Center.

What to Know Before You Go

The gala was one night only, but the season is not quite over. ABT's fall run at the Koch Theater lasts through Saturday, October 31, according to the company's season page. The closing program, An Elegy and A Dream, plays Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., pairing The Dream with the world premiere of Trio Élégiaque and the company premiere of Flight.

Day-of rush tickets are sold at the box office, at $20 to $30 for students and $35 for general rush, plus fees.

The pas de deux from The Dream was Thursday's preview. The whole fairy forest arrives on Halloween.