sf_herminator Posted April 24, 2017 Share Posted April 24, 2017 Casting for opening night has been posted (https://www.sfballet.org/season/casting - Casting for upcoming performances will be updated on this page as the information becomes available. In the event of injury or illness, casting is subject to change.): PROGRAM 08 - CINDERELLA© Friday, April 28, 2017 - 8 pm Composer: Sergei Prokofiev Choreographer: Christopher Wheeldon Conductor: Martin West Cinderella: Frances Chung Prince Guillaume: Joseph Walsh Stepmother: Jennifer Stahl Stepsister Edwina: Sasha De Sola Stepsister Clementine: Dores André Benjamine: Taras Domitro Program Notes Synopsis View Trailer Link to comment
Helene Posted April 24, 2017 Share Posted April 24, 2017 Wow, what a wonderful list of dancers... Link to comment
pherank Posted April 24, 2017 Share Posted April 24, 2017 (edited) Dores André comment: "I don't really feel sorry for Cinderella anymore." https://www.instagram.com/p/BTPzCOkhSWW/?taken-by=doresandre Edited April 24, 2017 by pherank Link to comment
Terez Posted April 24, 2017 Share Posted April 24, 2017 Interesting to note that it was Luke Ingham on the casting page as the prince on Fri pm. I guess that happens. No complaints; I look forward to seeing Joseph Walsh in the role. He seems made for the part. They are certainly having a slow time of posting more of the cast list for this program. Or is the 8th program always like this? I'll be attending the Sat 2p performance as well as opening night, and can't wait to see what that cast looks like. Guess I'll have to wait some more... I'm hoping to see Lauren Strongin as a stepsister, perhaps? Link to comment
Terez Posted April 24, 2017 Share Posted April 24, 2017 Oh, yay, more casting just posted, and a surprise: Dores André is no longer dancing as a stepsister on opening night (replaced by Ellen Rose Hummel), but as Cinderella on Sat 2p. And with Carlo Di Lanno. Wow - I didn't see that coming. Should be fun! I'm quite fond of all the dancers in that cast. And here is more casting... Saturday, April 29, 2017 - 2 pm Cinderella: Dores André Prince Guillaume: Carlo Di Lanno*^ Stepmother: Lauren Strongin* Stepsister Edwina: Jahna Frantziskonis* Stepsister Clementine: Julia Rowe Benjamin: Angelo Greco* Saturday, April 29, 2017 - 8 pm Cinderella: Yuan Yuan Tan Prince Guillaume: Luke Ingham Stepmother: Ludmila Bizalion* Stepsister Edwina: Elizabeth Powell Stepsister Clementine: Ellen Rose Hummel Benjamin: Hansuke Yamamoto Sunday, April 30, 2017 - 2 pm Cinderella: Frances Chung Prince Guillaume: Joseph Walsh Stepmother: Jennifer Stahl Stepsister Edwina: Sasha De Sola Stepsister Clementine: Dores André Benjamin: Taras Domitro Tuesday, May 2, 2017 - 7:30 pm Cinderella: Maria Kochetkova Prince Guillaume: Joseph Walsh Stepmother: Jennifer Stahl Stepsister Edwina: Sasha De Sola Stepsister Clementine: Ellen Rose Hummel Benjamin: Taras Domitro Link to comment
PeggyTulle Posted April 25, 2017 Share Posted April 25, 2017 No Sarah Van Patten. Bummer! Link to comment
Terez Posted April 25, 2017 Share Posted April 25, 2017 3 minutes ago, PeggyTulle said: No Sarah Van Patten. Bummer! Peggy - I know she's been rehearsing it w/Tiit Helimets and I'm inclined to think we'll see their names in the run. (Hope this passes speculation etiquette rules...) Link to comment
pherank Posted April 25, 2017 Share Posted April 25, 2017 (edited) Interesting that YYT and Masha plan to be back for this. Right now they're both with Davit in St. Petersburg: I do hope SVP gets her chance to dance the lead in Cinderella - fingers crossed. Edited April 25, 2017 by pherank Link to comment
Terez Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Wow, very cool pics! Thanks for posting, Pherank! Link to comment
pherank Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 New video from SFB about the costumes for Wheeldon's Cinderella - "Hear from Julian Crouch and Oliver Haller about the challenges of designing Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella©." I'm not sure how it is possible to copyright the name "Cinderella", in fact, I have to think it would not hold up in court. Perhaps the copywriter was being overzealous. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkLvsa7ygnw Link to comment
sandik Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 52 minutes ago, pherank said: "Hear from Julian Crouch and Oliver Haller about the challenges of designing Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella©." I'm not sure how it is possible to copyright the name "Cinderella", in fact, I have to think it would not hold up in court. Perhaps the copywriter was being overzealous. I have a feeling it's not "Cinderella" that's the copyright-able term, but "Christopher Wheeldon's Cinderella©," in the same way that we are supposed to refer to "George Balanchine's The Nutcracker®." Link to comment
pherank Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 1 hour ago, sandik said: I have a feeling it's not "Cinderella" that's the copyright-able term, but "Christopher Wheeldon's Cinderella©," in the same way that we are supposed to refer to "George Balanchine's The Nutcracker®." I'm sure you're right, Sandik. ;) Link to comment
Josette Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 Sarah Van Patten and Tiit Helimets are dancing the leads on May 4 and 7. I am so glad she's back in the role of Cinderella and not the Stepmother, which she danced last fall on tour. Link to comment
yodasan Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 Casting tonight apparently was changed to be Chung/Walsh in place of YYT/Ingham. Link to comment
PeggyTulle Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 More changes listed on the site. SVP on April 30th mat. Link to comment
pherank Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 (edited) SVP and Tiit Helimets are currently listed for these remaining dates: Sunday, April 30, 2017 - 2 pm May 4, 2017 - 7:30 pm Sunday, May 7, 2017 - 2 pm Frances Chung and Joseph Walsh were having to dance two nights in a row, so something unplanned for must have occurred. Edited April 30, 2017 by pherank Link to comment
Terez Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 On 4/29/2017 at 10:09 PM, yodasan said: Casting tonight apparently was changed to be Chung/Walsh in place of YYT/Ingham. Yikes. I feel for the people who went specifically to see YYT/Ingham. Then again, that's the nature of any casting. I always steel myself when the announcer speaks before the production to announce a casting change. I saw Frances/Joseph on Fri pm and Dores/Carlo on Sat matinee. Of the two, I'd name the former as more successful, although there was no bad dancing in any of the two performances. Initially thought I liked Jennifer Stahl the most as the stepmother, but then grew to really appreciate how Lauren Strongin offered a subtler, more nuanced interpretation that better fit Wheeldon's ideas that she wasn't "evil" so much as vaguely unlikeable, narcissistic, needy, etc. Fun to observe, too, how mother-daughter fed off each other (the older, more evil daughter, who still managed to be pretty evil). Sasha De Sola was a pitch-perfect Edwina on Fri pm. Both nights, Benjamin was brilliantly depicted (Taras Domitro, Fri; Angelo Greco, Sat 2p). And I was crazy about the four Fates throughout, in both productions. I'm surprised they don't draw unequivocal and universal praise. They never felt like too much to me. And, well, the opening of Act III is so hilarious and brilliant, it easily outshone the rest of Act III. Great production, just loved the music, and for the most part, found Wheeldon's choreography to be fresh, inventive, ever-changing. Although, strangely, the pas de deux seemed to be the least inventive part of the choreography. The final Act III closing pas de deux was devoid of any dramatic tension and felt oddly surplus. I guess happy endings are a challenge to choreograph to, LOL! Link to comment
Helene Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 45 minutes ago, Terez said: but then grew to really appreciate how Lauren Strongin offered a subtler, more nuanced interpretation that better fit Wheeldon's ideas that she wasn't "evil" so much as vaguely unlikeable, narcissistic, needy, etc. That's exactly what I felt about Lesley Rausch's performance of the Stepmother in the Maillot "Cendrillon" that PNB did earlier this year. It really drilled home even more how wrong the cheap shot that Maillot gives the Father at the end is, when the Father should be looking at himself in the mirror. Link to comment
sandik Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 1 hour ago, Helene said: That's exactly what I felt about Lesley Rausch's performance of the Stepmother in the Maillot "Cendrillon" that PNB did earlier this year. It really drilled home even more how wrong the cheap shot that Maillot gives the Father at the end is, when the Father should be looking at himself in the mirror. Agree with this -- Maillot was making a point about artifice and authenticity, but he could have done it in a much more thoughtful way. Link to comment
pherank Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 On 4/28/2017 at 10:40 PM, sandik said: I have a feeling it's not "Cinderella" that's the copyright-able term, but "Christopher Wheeldon's Cinderella©," in the same way that we are supposed to refer to "George Balanchine's The Nutcracker®." Imagine how excited I was to be able to post the copyrighted phrase, "George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®"! Not only that, but the advertisement is for the new George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®. "The Music Center brings back a holiday tradition to Los Angeles with a world premiere of the new George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® by Miami City Ballet. The holiday classic, with Balanchine’s iconic choreography, features all-new sets and costumes by Cuban-American artist/designer power couple Isabel and Ruben Toledo." Chris Wheeldon can only dream of "the new" Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella©... Link to comment
PeggyTulle Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 YYT is no longer listed on the casting page:( Link to comment
pherank Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 16 minutes ago, PeggyTulle said: YYT is no longer listed on the casting page:( I have a bad feeling she may have a minor injury - probably from the St. Petersburg gala trip. She did just post this photo from an onstage dinner (in SF) for Vanessa and Davit: https://www.instagram.com/p/BTk8O-TgGlA/?taken-by=tanyuanyuansf Link to comment
Helene Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 1 hour ago, pherank said: Chris Wheeldon can only dream of "the new" Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella©... Link to comment
sandik Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 2 hours ago, pherank said: Imagine how excited I was to be able to post the copyrighted phrase, "George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®"! Not only that, but the advertisement is for the new George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®. "The Music Center brings back a holiday tradition to Los Angeles with a world premiere of the new George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® by Miami City Ballet. The holiday classic, with Balanchine’s iconic choreography, features all-new sets and costumes by Cuban-American artist/designer power couple Isabel and Ruben Toledo." While I'd be very curious to see the new designs, I agree that the restrictions on language are really annoying. We are supposed to refer to the work as "George Balanchine's The Nutcracker®" and while I can generally work that into a review or a feature once, it's just too awkward for multiple uses. Link to comment
Josette Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Well, I am disappointed, as the Saturday YYT matinee is recast. It will be the fifth time that I have seen this Cinderella, and the third time with Frances Chung, who is a wonderful dancer, but I was looking forward to YYT. Link to comment
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