Josette

RIP, Doris. Day.  I remember first seeing her on TV in the movie Tea for Two when I was growing up, and I have adored her ever since. 

19 hours ago, vipa said:

Interesting. I wonder how the ballet as a whole went. I found this little segment lacking in both musicality and clarity. 

I generally found her dancing lacking in any musical phrasing and musicality in the many times I saw her with San Francisco Ballet.  Though others greatly admire her, for me, she was  one-note, had two facial expressions, tension in her hands and neck, and her dancing was not interesting to watch and I would find my attention veering off to watch someone else on stage. I did enjoy her dancing during her first two years with SFB, then her apparent overstressing of technique became prioritized over her initial lyricism and incipient artistry during her first seasons and she often danced "tired."    I once saw her "Russianize" the second movement of Symphony in C, and I was groaning at the liberties taken where some of the steps were subtly changed and danced to a ponderous tempo. This clip is interesting because her arms are freer than they were a year ago, but the dancing lacks crispness as a whole for this segment of Theme and Variations.  But perhaps this is just a stage rehearsal.  

Los Angeles Opera is performing The Magic Flute through December 15, 2019, so that seemingly explains why there is no Nutcracker at the Music Center this December. 

2 hours ago, California said:

And if you are a fan of Nunez, she'll be doing Giselle with Hallberg the previous weekend at the LA Music Center:

https://www.musiccenter.org/tickets/events-by-the-music-center/Glorya-Kaufman-Dance/Subscriptions/subscribe/teatro-alla-scala/

No ABT at the Music Center in 2019-20 -- just Mariinsky and La Scala

https://www.musiccenter.org/tickets/events-by-the-music-center/Glorya-Kaufman-Dance/

Double dose in Southern California of Mariinsky and La Scala with Nunez. I've not been a fan of the Mariinsky or in the Bolshoi in Jewels in the past, and will try to keep an open mind.  San Francisco Ballet is dancing Jewels in spring of 2020.  It'll be interesting to see the Wuppertal Pina Bausch Tanztheater again.   Thanks, California.  I'm a subscriber and did not see an email. 

Great news! They've been dancing brilliantly all season!

Glad to see that Isabella DeVivo is getting to dance  Piano Concerto with Vitor Luiz, she has been stunning in everything I've seen her dance this season.   

As I've only talked with Mlle Froustey once, I am clueless as to any sides of her personality. 

Mathilde Froustey gave an utterly poignant, vulnerable, heartbreaking performance last night  - understated and deeply realized. I was in the second row, her eyes said everything that the Little Mermaid was feeling. 

I'm seeing that show. Wonderful casting. 

Thank you, Jane Simpson.  had not read the entire article from that link when I first saw it. Those performances will let us know who will be cast for Romeo and Juliet next season in SF. I think only Mathilde Froustey and Dores Andre remain as having danced in it the last time it was performed. Dores Andre performed Juliet when she was still a soloist and then was promoted to principal.  

Jane Simpson-Where was this announced? 

Bolle and Nunez are dancing in Onegin on July 31, Aug. 1 evening,  and Aug 2, according to the subscription package received in my mail.  Pretty exciting. 

Thanks so much, ksk04!

No, I did not.  I received an email and tried to access to renew and subscribe online, but it would not go through.  After calling the box office, I decided to wait for the packet via regular mail so I could digest everything.   Do you mean you could choose your particular seat or section?  I'm always trying to get as close to the stage as possible in O.C.

I plan on adding the Sunday matinee and Saturday evening series to my Friday evening series, as well as two Thursday nights.  I hope there is no overlapping of dates with whatever is programmed in the L.A. Music Center Dance Series. 

ABT was not at the Music Center this season, so I would expect them in 2020, as well as Miami City with The Nutcracker in early December. 

If it is the bridesmaid that got to dance a short solo, it was Julia Rowe.  I can always spot her from a distance and in a group because she moves so distinctly.  And that is Julia with the lighter brown hair on the far right ( vantage point of looking at the photo).

Wow, how did this happen? 

SFB has also left a Friday night open at the end of the season for a "retirement" performance.  This happened with Tina LeBlanc's special performance, and with Vanessa Zahorian and Davit Karapetyan in Swan Lake two years ago.

Oops, I'm going tomorrow and on Thursday, April 25.  I've noticed repeatedly that, nearly every season, SFB will  announce  its performance schedule and leave a blank Friday evening, and, when the performances for the particular ballet sell really well, SFB adds a Friday performance, and you can get a great ticket.   I was hoping that this would happen for The Little Mermaid, but it was obvious about a month ago that the performances were not selling the way that Swan Lake or Romeo and Juliet always do.  So no Friday performance was added on April 26.   

So, I will see opening night with Tan/Robison/Birkkjaer/De Sola/Wang and then Froustey/Di Lanno /Keesler/Freemantle with Nathaniel Remez in the important role of the Poet on the 26th.   

Van Patten would be a gorgeous Titania. I hope she will be back. 

I can see Yuan Yuan Tan as Titania. Also, Froustey.  The most beautiful part of that ballet is the divertissement pas de deux. Oberon has to move fast and execute brilliant batterie. I'm so looking forward to this next season. Arthur Miitchell created the role of Puck, so it's not necessarily a smaller man, unlike with Ashton's The Dream. 

As for Jewels, the Rublies female lead always seems to be the tiny principals at SFB, which does not happen in other companies. Greco is a shoo-in for Rubies.

I loved Hummingbird, so look forward to seeing it again. I'll never forget Feijoo in it. 

SFB finally posted another cast of leads for The Little Mermaid, and some of you will be very happy for Wan Ting Zhao as the Mermaid! So happy for her! 

Also cast are Luke Ingham as the Prince, Tiit Helimets as the Poet (he will be wonderful), Dores Andre as Henriette, and Ben Freemantle as the Sea Witch.  This is for the Saturday matinee.  Now we wait to see if a third cast will be announced.  

I love the clip of Madison, with Ben Freemantle so obviously beside himself with happiness as well.  

YES! I got the email also!  So happy for them!