Josette

I just purchased a ticket for opening night. I cannot miss this cast!

Such a wonderful dancer!

I have a ticket for Thursday, April 25, and was hoping that they would add a performance on the presently vacant Friday, April 26, so I would get in two casts. I would love to see two of my favorite men in the company, Aaron Robison and Ulrik Birkjaer, in this ballet. This is spot-on casting.

Yes, there were two casts that performed as the Mermaid, Tan and SVP, whom I both saw, with SVP and Vanessa as the Princess. Feijoo was cast and was officially announced to dance the Mermaid with Madison Keesler as the Princess, but the casting was changed and they never performed the roles on stage.

I received an email from SFB today about how it was our last chance to see the six ballets of programs 5 and 6, as they would not be done next season (though some are being danced in London this summer). I also checked my emails and saw that they announced the 2018-2019 season on March 27, 2018, so the announcement for the 2019-2020 season should be imminent.

Terez: I know what you mean.

Good news!

I didn't take out a mortgage but I certainly agree with you,PeggyR, that it was well worth the manipulation of my schedule and extra expense to see Yasmine Naghdi on Saturday night! What a beautiful dancer she is: impeccable, strong classical line, expressive port de bras coming out of a lifted back, graceful, gracious, joyful, wonderfully musical. She was completely natural and interacted with her parents and the four Princes - who all looked genuinely happy to be there with her. She was extraordinary. The audience was berserk by the the end of the Rose Adagio. I also have to praise Wona Park with the brilliant Angelo Greco in the leads in the Saturday matinee. Her dancing was lovely: unflaggingly beautiful classical technique, with no apparent nerves or labor, and she never looks rushed no matter the tempo. There is nothing you could legitimately criticize and everything to laud, knowing that she is at the beginning of her professional career (it's her second season as a company member!). At the moment, her face does not register emotion, which left the vision scene pas de deux somewhat diluted in meaning, but her solos in the vision scene were exquisite with lovely carriage and port de bras. She is a wonder. I saw Froustey on Friday night. In the Rose Adagio, her perfect attitude derriere dropped in the second promenade when her weight went back and I cannot imagine how she managed to sustain a balance after that, but she did. For me, the most telling moment of the Rose Adagio is the should-be expressive bourree-ing section with port de bras, and Froustey was gorgeous in a section which some Auroras cannot fill with meaning. Her vision scene was breathtaking, reminding me of Irina Kolpakova due to her lightness and her filigreed, exquisite port de bras. She had the sense of mystery needed for the second act. In a line-up of excellent dancers, Isabella deVivo was a knock-out Enchanted Princess and Fairy of Serenity, and Julia Rowe was an exceptionally musical Diamond Fairy, hitting every accent but with grace and unrushed charm. Jasmine Jimison is someone to keep an eye on. Wan Ting Zhao has grown in authority and, unsurprisingly, looked like a principal dancer as the Lilac Fairy. Koto Ishihara seemed to relish dancing to the beautiful music of the Lilac Fairy's solo, she also has grown in beauty and presentation. The Princes were wonderful in their variation for four following the Rose Adagio. It was a wonderful weekend of ballet.

Laurent, your comments about the pointe shoes being worn today are spot on. The tips are platforms in comparison with what was available years ago, making multiple turns and long balances more obtainable by dancers.

The first time I saw The Sleeping Beauty, it was with Antoinette Sibley as Aurora at the Hollywood Bowl in The Royal Ballet's production. In the Rose Adagio, her third balance was held and held such that she skipped the fourth and last promenade. It did not come across as a circus stunt at all, but as youthful exuberance. She was glorious in the role and elegance personified. I was watching on stage as a student super. [One night it was Sibley and Dowell, the next it was Merle Park and Nureyev, and I got to take company class and watch all the rehearsals. It was utter heaven for me as a young dancer.]

I hope she finds some help through this training, but I am distracted by the tension in her hands during these exercises - especially her left hand.

Luke Ingham danced last year. I saw him step in for Carlo di Lanno at the last minute when Luke danced with Sasha De Sola. From what I am advised, I don't think this was an issue of stepping in this season, but of distribution: Casting subject to change. Luke was quite good and found a refreshing touch of humor in the hunt scene.

Due to the interesting new casting, I purchased a ticket to each of the Saturday performances for Park/Greco, Naghdi/Walsh, to add on to the Froustey/Ingham Friday night performance I already had planned.

I am relieved that SFB is careful not to cast dancers in roles that they are not ready for in classical ballets such as Sleeping Beauty. Aurora requires pure classical technique, epaulement, attention to port de bras, refined carriage, and an ability to differentiate stylistically among the three acts. It's a role you prepare, not learn. Wona Park has shown that she can get through a full-length ballet and she possesses a remarkable serenity and pristine classical technique. During World Ballet Day 2017, there was a segment with Helgi Tomasson's rehearsing the accomplished Ana Sophia Scheller in the Act III pas de deux, which indicated the detail that goes into the arduous role. Sheehan was on stage for Etudes, but did not appear at that time to be in the best shape. Plus, some of the SFB dancers should benefit from observing a Royal Ballet principal in their midst.

As a delayed comment, I saw performances on February 14 and 15, including the premiere (excluding the Gala) of Etudes, and Sasha De Sola had a personal triumph. Her dancing was pure, perfect classicism and looked effortness; she was all radiant romanticism in the "sylph" pas de deux ; she sparkled with joy throughout, and looked lovingly at her partners. She was a prima ballerina at its finest, without hauteur. I watched her with wonder at her growth as a performer over the years. Angelo Greco was also splendid his in bravura role, giving his all as he unfailing does, and looked adorably happy to be on stage for his audience. Joe Walsh started off slightly tentative as registered on his face, but quickly was in great form. On Feb. 15: As for Appassionata, I am always delighted to see Ulrik Birkkjaer is on stage, and thought he brought out the best in Dores Andre, who did not have her "hard" face on for this ballet. She has limited facial expression, but is clean technically in classical and contemporary works. Ulrik's interplay with her made the second session pas de deux meaningful. Lizzy Powell was beautiful; she is blossoming this season in all her new solo work. For me, watching the Peck work a second time was a chore, despite my admiration for the dancers. The pas de deux with Isabella de Vivo contained classical steps, executed with clean classical technique, but in tennis shoes. It was if Peck figured the only way to make this work stand out from the other new works last season was to put everyone in tennis shoes.

Mingxuan Wang as Bluebird - at last! I would love to see Yasmine Naghdi, but she is not dancing on a night, Wednesday and presumably Saturday, when I am free. This weekend I watched a video in when she was rehearsing the Act III pas de deux with RB director Kevin O'Hare and she looked beautiful. I hope someone will report here about the performance. That is thrilling news and a great privilege that Wei Wang will be guesting with the RB. He was so moving in Frankenstein.

Thank you, Dreamer and its the mom for your comments, as I had to be back in L.A. on Sunday so could only see two casts. I was so happy to get to see this work in Chicago, and I hope it finds its way to another venue in North America so I can see it again. I found the work so compelling and loved seeing the absolute focus, commitment, and emotional investment of the dancers.

What a difference James Streeter made as Albrecht! He was wonderful.

A soloist dancing two full-length ballets in her second year with the company! What a remarkable dancer Park is!

Happy to see Carlo Di Lanno will be back on stage in full action. I am going on March 15. I saw all casts last season, and Froustey gave a fully-realized performance and was beautiful in all three acts.

Dreamer, I agree with you about Hernandez. I didn't even think much of his technique, let alone of its being devoid of fluidity or meaning, as the other three principals - and everyone else on stage - were expressive. Having bought my ticket last August when I was in Chicago, I was in the front row, where I could see the faces, and I was wondering how the shadowy lighting registered from farther back. Hernandez, whom I watched in his years in the corps and as a soloist at SFB, has not shown much progress in learning to exhibit or project emotion on stage. Cirio, in contrast, was a burning ember/ a panther, unfolding a full characterization of a man whose traits we can recognize, plus Cirio has a natural phrasing and musicality that takes my breath away. He has found the right ballet company for himself. I have been a fan of his since seeing him in Plato's Symposium, and it was thrilling to see him last night. Cojocaru was no surprise as I was fortunate to have see her in Neumeier's Liliom and Midsummer's Night Dream, and I have the deepest respect for her lack of histrionics, her introspection, her ability to project straight from her interior and with a heartbreaking vulnerability, and the beauty of her dancing. I was impressed with Khan's development of the Myrtha-Giselle relationshipi n Act II and how it was portrayed last night by and between Cojocaru and the outstanding Quagebeur. Last, it was lovely to see the dancers' genuine happiness at the standing ovation given them. According to ENB's FB page, the filmed version will be available in the U.S. later in March. It appears to have Rojo, Streeter, and Cirio in the leads.

Just posted a short comment under the Giselle/Cinema category, which should probably be moved here, about opening night. I'm glad to be going tonight as well to see James Streeter, given JMcN's comment above. Cojocaru, Cirio, and Quagebeur gave searing performances.

Only have a moment to say that the performance last night was riveting. Jeffrey Cirio was extraordinary as Hilarion - he made the right move leaving ABT for ENB. I am also going tonight. Many Joffrey dancers and director Ashley Wheater attended; as well as Gennadi Nedvigin, Atlanta Ballet director and former, beloved SFB principal dancer; and Chicago's mayor, Rahm Emanuel, with bodyguards.

Many men are dancing well above the level of Polunin's present abilities.

Dreamer, thanks so much for posting the casting. I am attending Feb 28 and March 1. I am interested in seeing Hernandez as I saw him many times when he was in the corps and as a soloist with San Francisco Ballet. I am thrilled to be seeing Cojocaru, as well as Cirio, whom I have also seen in the Royal Balllet and ABT, respectively, as well as dancers new to me.