18 replies to this topic

[purelyballet]

Has anyone heard if the casting has been posted?

[Leigh Witchel]

It's usually posted on the production information page - http://www.paballet....spx?id=10&src=l - and it's not there yet.

Dale, do you know any more than I do?

[Dale]

I get it as soon as it's available, usually two weeks to performance.  I'll look into it.

[Dale]

The casting is up here:

http://www.paballet....spx?id=10&src=l

I'll cut and paste the relevant parts soon.

[Dale]

Thursday, April 13, 2006 at 8:00 p.m.

Titania ARANTXA OCHOA
Oberon ALEXANDER IZILIAEV
Puck PHILIP COLUCCI
Helena, in love with Demetrius RIOLAMA LORENZO
Hermia, in love with Lysander VALERIE AMISS
Lysander, beloved of Hermia MATTHEW NEENAN
Demetrius, suitor of Hermia JAMES IHDE
Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons AMY ALDRIDGE
Theseus, Duke of Athens ALEXEI CHAROV
Titania’s Cavalier MEREDITH RAINEY
Bottom MAXIMILIEN BAUD
Butterfly ABIGAIL MENTZER
Divertissement MARTHA CHAMBERLAIN and ALEXEI BOROVIK

Saturday, April 15, 2006 at 2:00 p.m.

Titania VALERIE AMISS
Oberon ANDRÉ VYTOPTOV
Puck MICHEL ANTOINE BRAUN
Helena, in love with Demetrius EMILYWATERS
Hermia, in love with Lysander MARTHA CHAMBERLAIN
Lysander, beloved of Hermia JONATHAN STILES
Demetrius, suitor of Hermia YOSBEL DELGADO
Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons TARA KEATING
Theseus, Duke of Athens JAMES IHDE
Titania’s Cavalier FRANCIS VEYETTE
Bottom MAXIMILIEN BAUD
Butterfly ABIGAIL MENTZER
Divertissement JULIE DIANA and JAMES ADY

Saturday, April 15, 2006 at 8:00 p.m.

Titania JULIE DIANA
Oberon ZACHARY HENCH
Puck JONATHAN STILES
Helena, in love with Demetrius AMY ALDRIDGE
Hermia, in love with Lysander TARA KEATING
Lysander, beloved of Hermia MAXIMILIEN BAUD
Demetrius, suitor of Hermia MEREDITH RAINEY
Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons CHRISTINE COX
Theseus, Duke of Athens ALEXEI CHAROV
Titania=s Cavalier JAMES IHDE
Bottom JEFFREY GRIBLER
Butterfly LAURA BOWMAN
Divertissement ARANTXA OCHOA and ALEXANDER IZILIAEV

Thursday, April 20, 2006 at 8:00 p.m.

Titania ARANTXA OCHOA
Oberon ALEXANDER IZILIAEV
Puck PHILIP COLUCCI
Helena, in love with Demetrius RIOLAMA LORENZO
Hermia, in love with Lysander VALERIE AMISS
Lysander, beloved of Hermia MATTHEWNEENAN
Demetrius, suitor of Hermia JAMES IHDE
Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons AMY ALDRIDGE
Theseus, Duke of Athens ALEXEI CHAROV
Titania=s Cavalier MEREDITH RAINEY
Bottom MAXIMILIEN BAUD
Butterfly ABIGAIL MENTZER
Divertissement MARTHA CHAMBERLAIN and ALEXEI BOROVIK

Friday, April 21, 2006 at 8:00 p.m.

Titania JULIE DIANA
Oberon ZACHARY HENCH
Puck JONATHAN STILES
Helena, in love with Demetrius AMY ALDRIDGE
Hermia, in love with Lysander TARA KEATING
Lysander, beloved of Hermia MAXIMILIEN BAUD
Demetrius, suitor of Hermia MEREDITH RAINEY
Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons CHRISTINE COX
Theseus, Duke of Athens ALEXEI CHAROV
Titania=s Cavalier JAMES IHDE
Bottom JEFFREY GRIBLER
Butterfly LAURA BOWMAN
Divertissement ARANTXA OCHOA and ALEXANDER IZILIAEV

Saturday, April 22, 2006 at 12:00 p.m.

Titania VALERIE AMISS
Oberon ANDRÉ VYTOPTOV
Puck MICHEL ANTOINE BRAUN
Helena, in love with Demetrius EMILYWATERS
Hermia, in love with Lysander MARTHA CHAMBERLAIN
Lysander, beloved of Hermia JONATHAN STILES
Demetrius, suitor of Hermia YOSBEL DELGADO
Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons TARA KEATING
Theseus, Duke of Athens JAMES IHDE
Titania=s Cavalier FRANCIS VEYETTE
Bottom JEFFREY GRIBLER
Butterfly LAURA BOWMAN
Divertissement JULIE DIANA and JAMES ADY

Saturday, April 22, 2006 at 8:00 p.m.

Titania ARANTXA OCHOA
Oberon ALEXANDER IZILIAEV
Puck PHILIP COLUCCI
Helena, in love with Demetrius RIOLAMA LORENZO
Hermia, in love with Lysander VALERIE AMISS
Lysander, beloved of Hermia MATTHEWNEENAN
Demetrius, suitor of Hermia JAMES IHDE
Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons AMY ALDRIDGE
Theseus, Duke of Athens ALEXEI CHAROV
Titania=s Cavalier MEREDITH RAINEY
Bottom MAXIMILIEN BAUD
Butterfly ABIGAIL MENTZER
Divertissement MARTHA CHAMBERLAIN and ALEXEI BOROVIK

Sunday, April 23, 2006 at 2:00 p.m.

Titania JULIE DIANA
Oberon ZACHARY HENCH
Puck JONATHAN STILES
Helena, in love with Demetrius AMY ALDRIDGE
Hermia, in love with Lysander TARA KEATING
Lysander, beloved of Hermia MAXIMILIEN BAUD
Demetrius, suitor of Hermia MEREDITH RAINEY
Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons CHRISTINE COX
Theseus, Duke of Athens ALEXEI CHAROV
Titania’s Cavalier JAMES IHDE
Bottom JEFFREY GRIBLER
Butterfly LAURA BOWMAN
Divertissement ARANTXA OCHOA and ALEXANDER IZILIAEV

[purelyballet]

Did anyone go to Midsummers last night?  If so can you fill us in?  I am hoping to go tomorrow night if my plane arrives on time.

[Dale]

Has anybody gone yet?  I'm sort of surprised that Riolama Lorenzo was not cast as Titania, a role she did to strong acclaim at NYCB.  The only cast I can see is April 22 at 12pm.  It's strange that Titania has sort of been cast small.

[Leigh Witchel]

I'm going Friday night for Julie Diana's Titania.

[lillianna]

I was fortunate enough to see both shows on Saturday.  The high point of the shows for me was Julie Diana's performances.  She did the divertissement in the matinee and was Titania in the evening show.  She is such a delicate, graceful dancer so was perfect for the roles.  I love her facial expressions, she does so well in acting roles.   Valerie Amiss was Titania in the matinee.  She is also a delightful dancer and a very lovely Titania.  
Riolama was cast as Helena.  She was very engaging in the role.   It seemed to me that Helena and Hermia did as much dancing as Titania in this choreography.  
Despite major jet lag (flying in on the redeye and arriving Saturday morning) I really enjoyed the performances immensely.  The corps looked wonderful in Butterflies and Fairies as well as the Court and Divertissement scenes.  The children were also wonderful.  
The Pucks were Michel Antoine Braun in the matinee and Jonathan Stiles in the evening show.  Michel had his own cheering section in the audience.  He was great with the mischievous looks.  He was great fun to watch.

[Helene]

Thank you, lillianna, for your review!  I used to see Julie Diana perform with San Francisco Ballet, and I miss her.  I'm glad she's gracing the stage in Philadelphia.

[GWTW]

I saw the Sat evening performance and was absolutely enchanted by the ballet. Three days later, I'm still finding it hard to describe the ballet, because it is such a magical masterpiece of a ballet.
The first act is amazing in the way Blanchine wove (weaved?) the strands of the immortal, mortal and "rude mortal" worlds and in the way he wove the narrative with pure dancing. In the second act, the mortals and immortals have returned to their separate world and it seems that they are all the happier for that. I saw the second act as being the opposite of the first act - the chaos and non-stop action of the first act is followed by the good order and the measured dancing of the second act, with its opening courtly dance and the divertissement representing Ideal Romantic Love.
The set and costumes were magnificent - I loved that almost every little 'bug' had an individual costume.
Julie Diana was lovely as Titania. In fact she surprised me as I thought her wonderfully modest and graceful presence wouldn't suit the role. (I also saw the PNB DVD last week and there could not be two dancers less similar than Diana and Patricia Barker.) However she is so ethereal and 'flighty' that she was a very convincing fairy. Zachary Hench was an excellent Oberon. I saw him last autumn as Siegfried in Swan Lake but he was injured then, so this is the first time I really saw him dance. Great batterie.
Arantxa Ochoa and Alexander Iziliaev danced the divertissement. I always admire her dancing, but somehow she doesn't click with me. Maybe next season when there is more 19th century Petipa rep, I will get her. Iziliaev is an outstanding cavalier always. He's a good dancer but he seems to be at his best when he's partnering someone.
Have I mentioned the children? They were adorable.
The entire company seemed to be in a good mood. I love seeing them when they are so happy to be dancing.
Dale - I will be going to the noon matinee on the 22nd too. Please be prepared for a very young audience. There were many children at the evening perofrmance and the matinee on the 22nd is the Family Subscription date.

[socalgal]

I am excited by everyone's reviews thus far....can't wait to see this program!
I will also be going Sat. matinee as well as Fri. night and Sat. night.  
Maybe I will see you all there~

[Helene]

Thank you for the heads about about children attending the matinees.  With that many children in the production, they usually have friends and relatives in the audience.  

PNB is performing Sleeping Beauty now, and there were a lot more children in the audience.  It does make a significant difference.

[GWTW]

Helene, I hadn't thought about friends and relatives coming to see the children but you are probably right.

Socalgal - Midsummer Night's Dream is the best program I have seen this season!! I am sure you will have a great time.

By the way, I didn't mean to put anyone off - the children were well behaved. Hopefully, my son will be one of the well-behaved children at the Sat matinee too.

[socalgal]

For all the Nutcrackers and Sleeping Beautys I have seen at the Academy of Music,  the majority of the time the audience of children was extremely well behaved.  I have sat next to very restless boys during one Nutcracker who were quickly escorted out by their attentive parents when behavior was disturbing others.  

There is a wonderful magic to Balanchine's Midsummers. It remains my favorite of all the Midsummers I have had the pleasure to watch.  It seems that PAb has done a great job in the staging as I read the comments here.