norman reedus was not the story at Lincoln Center on Thursday evening; the New York City Ballet’s annual Spring Gala was. The company raised $3.2 million at David H. Koch Theater, drawing 2,500 attendees to a night built around new work, a Balanchine landmark, and a clear fundraising target.
Mick Jagger served as honorary chair and took the stage with Jimmy Fallon to introduce the evening’s showcase of George Balanchine’s Diamonds. Jagger told the audience, “We are honored to be here. It’s such a special night because this is the kick off to the 60th anniversary of Balanchine’s Diamonds.”
Lincoln Center’s Thursday crowd
The gala opened the New York City Ballet’s new season with two world premiere performances, starting with Tiler Peck’s newly commissioned Symphonie Espagnole set to Édouard Lalo’s score. Hilary Hahn joined the New York City Ballet Orchestra as guest solo violinist, and the production used more than 30 dancers in leotards and long flowing tulle tutus in red and purple hues designed by Robert Perdziola.
That scale is what made the night more than a ceremonial opener. A crowd of 2,500 dance-lovers, philanthropists, politicians, Hollywood stars, and dance talent filled the theater for a program that paired a fresh commission with a canon piece from the three-part Jewels production.
Mick Jagger and Diane Kruger
Diane Kruger and Hari Nef gave the clearest read on why the gala still pulls in cultural capital. Kruger said, “I come to the New York City Ballet every year and each time it’s so exciting and inspiring to see the dancers and the costumes and hear the music. It takes me to a dreamland,” and added that she studied at the Royal Academy in London to be a ballet dancer as a kid.
Kruger also said she remembered “the joy it gave me, and also the frustrations, the hard work, and the physical preparation that it takes to make it look so effortless,” while Nef said, “I love to see people at the top of their game onstage and in the moment with the music. I find it spectacular and Herculean.”
Balanchine’s Diamonds returns
Diamonds closed the performance portion of the evening with its Tchaikovsky score and its tribute to the grandeur of the Russian imperial court. The gala then moved into supper in the theater’s promenade, where Cait & Jules oversaw a setup that included 65 giant inflatable orbs suspended from the ceiling, black string fringe, and flower centerpieces marked with mini disco balls and crystal elements.
The practical read is simple: the Spring Gala did what fundraising galas are supposed to do when they work at full scale. It opened the season, put new choreography beside Balanchine’s legacy, and converted a room of 2,500 into a $3.2 million night for the company.
