American Ballet Theatre to Honor Cynthia Erivo at 2026 Fall Gala

A Milestone Celebration at Lincoln Center

Acclaimed virtuoso Cynthia Erivo is slated to receive top honors at the American Ballet Theatre’s 2026 Fall Gala: Angels and Demons. The distinguished event will unfold on Thursday, October 29, hosted at the prestigious David H. Koch Theater within Lincoln Center in New York City.

Celebrated as one of the most versatile and luminous performers of contemporary culture, Erivo already possesses a Tony, a Daytime Emmy, and multiple Grammy Awards, alongside three Academy Award nominations. Her transcendent portrayal of Elphaba in the cinematic adaptations of Wicked captivated global audiences, earning her a second Grammy Award in 2025 for her showstopping duet of “Defying Gravity” with co-star Ariana Grande. Displaying her vast theatrical range, she also recently mesmerized West End audiences with an extraordinary solo tour de force in Dracula, embodying 23 distinct roles.

Her decorated resume may expand even further prior to the gala. Erivo enters the autumn with two Primetime Emmy nominations: one for hosting and producing the 2025 Tony Awards broadcast, and another for her commanding presence as both headliner and presenter in Wicked: One Wonderful Night.

Artistic Synergy and Revered Craftsmanship

ABT Artistic Director Susan Jaffe expressed profound admiration for Erivo’s artistic breadth, highlighting the deep alignment between the performer’s ethos and the spirit of classical dance:

“Rarely does an artist display such an astonishing capacity for personal and artistic metamorphosis. Be it across the medium of film, theatrical stages, or recorded music, Cynthia demonstrates a matchless blend of raw technical brilliance, emotional transparency, and daring vision. These transcendent values mirror precisely what we cherish in the ballet realm and nurture within our resident company. Her unwavering dedication to her discipline and her innate resonance with audiences make her an extraordinary inspiration and an ideal honoree for American Ballet Theatre.”

— Susan Jaffe, Artistic Director of ABT

Erivo’s creative bond with the dance institution was initially forged in May 2020. Amid global lockdowns, she lent her stirring, unaccompanied interpretation of “America the Beautiful” to accompany company dancers during ABT’s debut virtual showcase, American Ballet Theatre Together Tonight.

An Atmospheric Evening of ‘Angels and Demons’

Embracing the theatrical mystique of the late-October season, the 2026 Fall Gala revolves around the thematic concept of Angels and Demons. The curated, single-evening program devised by Jaffe will present selections from cornerstone masterworks—including Swan Lake, Coppélia, Sylvia, and La Sylphide—alongside historic stagings of Frederick Ashton’s lyrical Dance of the Blessed Spirits, Michel Fokine’s romantic Le Spectre de la Rose, and Agnes de Mille’s spirited Three Virgins and a Devil.

Following the final bow on stage, festivities will transition into an exclusive soiree featuring a seated banquet and lively dancing along the grand Promenade of the David H. Koch Theater.

Functioning as the premier philanthropic pillar for the company, the 2026 benefit will be guided by an esteemed cadre of Gala Grand Chairs. Representing generations of dedicated patrons, the leadership team includes three mother-daughter pairs: Sloan Lindemann Barnett alongside Violet Barnett, Emily Blavatnik with Laila Blavatnik, and Julia Koch together with Mary Julia Koch.

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