Fairchild will portray the Carnival Boy, with Tiler Peck dancing the role of Louise, the daughter of Julie Jordan and Billy Bigelow. The two share a romantically charged and dangerous encounter within the dance. As previously reported, Warren Carlyle (Chaplin, Follies, A Christmas Story) will choreograph the concert staging.
"Robert Fairchild and Tiler Peck are the future of classical ballet, and it's a real coup that they will be dancing in this production," Carlyle said in a statement. "It will be a beautiful evening about the music with one special moment of dance."
Performances will run Feb. 27-March 2 under the direction of Tony Award winner John Rando (Urinetown, A Christmas Story). Rob Fisher (Encores!, Anything Goes) will conduct the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.
The staging will be broadcast on "Live from Lincoln Center" April 26 at 9 PM ET on PBS.
Carousel centers on a tempestuous love affair between gruff carnival barker Billy Bigelow, to be played by Nathan Gunn (Camelot, Show Boat, Billy Budd), and the young millworker Julie Jordan, to be played by four-time Tony Award nominee Kelli O'Hara (The Light in the Piazza, South Pacific, Nice Work If You Can Get It). Stephanie Blythe (Carmen, The Ring Cycle) will play Nettie Fowler. The cast also features Tony Award winner Shuler Hensley (Young Frankenstein, Oklahoma!) as Jigger Craigin, with Tony Award nominee Jessie Mueller (Drood, Into the Woods, On a Clear Day) as Carrie Pipperidge, Jason Danieley (Candide, Next to Normal, Curtains) as Enoch Snow, Kate Burton (The Heiress, Spring Awakening) as Mrs. Mullin and John Cullum (The Scottsboro Boys, Shenandoah) as the Starkeeper/Dr. Seldon.
Carousel has music by Richard Rodgers with a book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on the play Liliom by Ferenc Molnar. The classic features such songs as "If I Loved You," "June Is Bustin' Out All Over," "What's the Use of Wondrin'?," "You'll Never Walk Alone," "Mr. Snow" and "Soliloquy."
For tickets, priced $65, visit nyphil.org or phone (212) 875-5656.
