SFB 2014 season announcement

[PeggyR]

Announcement of the San Francisco Ballet’s 2014 season.

(This is a link to a PDF of the brochure; there doesn't seem to be anything on the website yet.)

Program 1:

Giselle

Program 2:

Caniparoli: world premiere

Ratmansky: From Foreign Lands

McGregor: Borderlands

Program 3:

Possokhov: Firebird

Wheeldon: Ghosts

Makarova staging: La Bayadere, Act III (Kingdom of the Shades)

Program 4:

Wheeldon: Cinderella (U.S. premiere)

(Note that this is ‘...back by popular demand!’, which is interesting since it hasn't even been seen here yet. )

Program 5:

Ratmansky: Shostakovich evening length (West Coast premiere)

Co-production with American Ballet Theatre

Program 6:

Tomasson: World premiere

Morris: Maelstrom

Possokhov: The Rite of Spring

Program 7:

Scarlett: World premiere

Tomasson: The Fifth Season

Lifar: Suite en blanc

Program 8:

Balanchine: Agon

Balanchine: Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet

Robbins: Glass Pieces

[pherank]

Interrrrresting. I like your comment about Wheeldon's Cinderella. ;)

I may have to miss that one this year as I've run out of travel money for the time being (I'm going to travel to see PNB later this year). So I guess I'll get a second chance to see Cinderella. I can't say that I'm blown away by the choices, but I'm sure I'll see Program 8 myself and perhaps 3 or 5. It's always hard to know if the "world premieres" will be worth travelling to. How I miss living in the San Francisco area, when it was easy to go to any of the performances!

Anyone know anything about Ratmansky's "Symphony #9" ballet?

[California]

Anyone know anything about Ratmansky's "Symphony #9" ballet?

I saw this at the City Center premiere last October. It's spectacular and worth seeing several times -- innovative, clever, funny. The other two new Ratmansky's on that program will premiere at the Met in late May. I didn't realize ABT had this partnership for the new work with SFB, but it makes sense. Also makes one wonder if it won't be shown during ABT's visit to the LA Music Center, to avoid the competition.

[abatt]

Yes, the Ratmansky Symphony 9 ballet already had its premiere during ABT's City Center Fall 2012 season. You can probably find reviews of the ballet online, as well as photos. I enjoyed the ballet very much, and I'm looking forward to seeing it again during ABT's Met 2013 season, when it will again be presented as part of an All Ratmansky evening of ballet. I had no idea it was a co-commission with SFB.

[PeggyR]

I can't say that I'm blown away by the choices

My first thought too, although Giselle is always welcome and you can never tell about premieres. I'm particularly looking forward to the new Ratmansky.

Note that I've modified the Ratmansky/Shostakovich: Symphony #9 is the first movement only; apparently the full work as yet has no title. Here are some links.

ABT announcement:

American Ballet Theater’s 2012 fall season at New York City Center, which runs from Oct. 16 to 20, will include the premiere of a new work by Alexei Ratmansky, the company’s artist in residence, Ballet Theater said.

Set to Symphony No. 9 by Dmitri Shostakovich, the ballet, which will have its world premiere on Oct. 18, will be the first of three new one-act ballets by Mr. Ratmansky to Shostakovich. All three will be presented as an evening-length program during the company’s 2013 spring season at the Metropolitan Opera House. The three works will feature scenery by George Tsypin and costumes by Keso Dekker.

Interview:

Q. Why the Ninth Symphony in particular?

A. When I was 13 or 14 I got a stipend as a good student: 30 rubles, a huge amount. I spent it on records, and “Symphony No. 9” was one of the first. Since then I’ve been waiting for the right moment.

Q. What about it appeals to you?

A. It has very danceable pages, just running or sailing with the wind to your face. But it’s full of contrasts, and there’s something underneath the surface. After the political success of Symphonies No. 7 and 8, everyone was expecting Shostakovich to give the triumphal celebration of victory — this was 1945. But he didn’t. There is everything in it: melancholy, romance, grotesque, heroic, banal — very strong contrasting colors.

Review:

Mainly, like its music, “Symphony #9” is bright in energy. To watch it the first time is to keep finding surprises. Its dance language, its unfolding structure and its moods are dynamic, as if the terrain about it were continually shifting, like a kaleidoscope. Whereas previous Russian-themed works by Mr. Ratmansky have suggested a single imaginary world, “Symphony #9” has no such sense of fixed place. History strangely whirls through and around it.

[California]

The schedule has now appeared on their web site: http://www.sfballet.org/tickets/2014_season_announcement?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialmedia&utm_campaign=twitterclickthru

[ksk04]

Also makes one wonder if it won't be shown during ABT's visit to the LA Music Center, to avoid the competition.

I thought the same.

[sandik]

I saw this at the City Center premiere last October. It's spectacular and worth seeing several times -- innovative, clever, funny. The other two new Ratmansky's on that program will premiere at the Met in late May. I didn't realize ABT had this partnership for the new work with SFB, but it makes sense. Also makes one wonder if it won't be shown during ABT's visit to the LA Music Center, to avoid the competition.

Well, certainly not before SFB performs it next spring. After that, it depends in part on the contract with Ratmansky, and the reception for the work. If it's extremely successful, I can see ABT performing it in So. Cal. after it's "west coast premiere."

[Jayne]

I also noticed the "back by popular demand" comment. I'm thinking of flying down for the Ratmansky rep, and/or the Balanchine rep. But otherwise it doesn't seem to be very interesting. However, a few debuts in roles could change all of that.

[Terez]

I will soooooo be there for La Bayadere's Kingdom of the Shades. Have never seen it live, but only on YouTube, but it nonetheless blows me away each time. And glad to see there's Wheeldon on the program as well. Yup, I'm there.

[pherank]

Can someone confirm that in the Makarova version, Act 2 contains the Kingodom of the Shades dance? In some versions that would be part of Act 3 (for example: http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/performances/1/libretto/ )

[ksk04]

Can someone confirm that in the Makarova version, Act 2 contains the Kingodom of the Shades dance? In some versions that would be part of Act 3 (for example: http://www.bolshoi.r...ces/1/libretto/ )

Pherank, from the ABT repertory archive (http://www.abt.org/education/archive/index.html):

Set in the Royal India of the past, La Bayadère is a story of eternal love, mystery, fate, vengeance, and justice. The ballet relates the drama of a temple dancer (bayadère), Nikiya, who is loved by Solor, a noble warrior. She is also loved by the High Brahmin, but does not love him in return, as she does Solor.

Act I, Scene I, Outside Temple in the Sacred Forest: The High Brahmin, priests, and temple dancers are celebrating the Indian Ritual of Fire. Nikiya, the most beautiful of the bayadères, has been chosen to be consecrated the lead temple dancer. The High Brahmin declares his love for Nikiya, but is rejected by her. Nikiya meets secretly with Solor later than evening. They dance together and swear eternal love over the Sacred Fire, but are discovered by the jealous High Brahmin, who vows to kill Solor.

Act I, Scene II, A Room in the Palace: The Rajah has decided to reward Solor’s valor and decrees that the warrior will marry his daughter, Gamzatti. Gamzatti falls in love with Solor’s portrait, and when they meet, he is overwhelmed by her beauty. Even though he has sworn eternal love to Nikiya, he cannot defy the wishes of the Rajah and agrees to marry Gamzatti. The High Brahmin informs the Rajah of Nikiya and Solor’s secret love, hoping that the Rajah will do away with Solor. Instead, the Rajah decides to kill Nikiya. The conversation is overhead by Gamzatti, who summons Nikiya to her rooms and attempts to bribe Nikiya to give up Solor. Refusing, Nikiya frantically attempts to kill Gamzatti. Nikiya flees and Gamzatti swears to destroy her.

Act I, Scene III, The Garden of the Palace: At the betrothal of Solor and Gamzatti, Nikiya is commanded to dance. Gamzatti presents her with a basket of flowers which Nikiya believes to be from Solor, and which conceals a deadly snake. Nikiya is bitten, and when Solor leaves with Gamzatti, she refuses the proffered antidote and dies.

Act II, The Tent of Solor: Solor, grief stricken and under the influence of opium, dreams of being reunited with Nikiya in the Kingdom of the Shades. Awakening, he realizes that he must prepare to marry Gamzatti.

Act III, The Temple: The vision of Nikiya remains with Solor as the wedding ceremony begins at the Sacred Temple. As Solor and Gamzatti say their vows and are blessed by the High Brahmin, the vengeance of the gods is unleashed, and the temple and all the celebrants are destroyed. Nikiya and Solor are once again united in eternal love.