Josette

Need to clarify: In my previous post above, the "?" should have been "Yuan Yuan Tan." Thanks to everyone for their comments for the SFB season. It's a pleasure reading them.

Hi, Pherank- Have you had the opportunity to watch the rehearsal in SFB's portion of World Ballet Day, where Possokhov was working with the RAkU cast including? Possokhov was incredible, going deeply into the technical and emotional aspects of the ballet.

I went to the February 6th performance of Giselle with Yuan Yuan Tan and David Karapetyan as the leads, Sofiane Sylve as Myrtha, and Ruben Martin Cintas as Hilarion. Though I enjoyed the performance by the company as a whole, I did not find Yuan Yuan Tan's performance moving. I say this with some regret, because I think she a uniquely gifted and beautiful dancer/actress. However, for me, there was no characterization (or projection) in the first act to make Giselle a real person, and the second act lacked the power of Giselle's deep, unconditional love and forgiveness that sustains and then redeems Albrecht. She certainly danced the second solo in the first act's Tomasson pas de deux with stunning musicality and beauty, but the heart of Giselle did not make it to the stage. I found myself watching Shannon Rugani as Bathilde (excellent characterization) instead of watching Giselle, because I could see what Bathilde was thinking, which made her interesting. Albrecht, David Karapetyan, danced superbly, as always, and was fully there for his Giselle. It is always an occasion to see Sofiane Sylve on stage, she danced brilliantly and with depth. I have to mention three of the dancers in the first act pas de cinq who were a delight for their dancing and stage presence: Esteban Hernandez, Mingxuan Wang, and Norika Matsuyama. Ms. Matsuyama was a revelation - she danced beyond technique with a plush grace.

I was at the February 5th performance of Serenade, RAkU, and Lambarena. I was delighted to see Vanessa Zahorian on stage again. Ms. Zahorian obliterated the technical demands of the Russian Girl in Serenade and danced with great speed, lightness, and beauty. It was a pleasure seeing Kristina Lind dance one of the principal parts with such grace. I thought Tiit Helimets had the right compelling presence in his role in the last section and he partnered the dancers superbly. I have to agree with Pherank that it was distracting to see the gorgeous Sofiane Sylve taking a bit too much time pulling her hair down. (When I saw Yuan Yuan Tan dance the Waltz Girl with great spirituality a few years back, her hair became a minor distraction during the last dancing passage before the fall to the earth because it was becoming loose.) I've seen RAkU five times previously with Yuan Yuan Tan, its creator. This work seems to have its detractors but I have always found Yuan Yuan Tan subtle, exquisite, and devastatingly moving, making the ballet well worth seeing five times. Koto Ishihara danced the lead and she gave a remarkable performance for a young soloist. She had the femininity, vulnerability, and flexibility that the role requires, and had obviously absorbed everything she could from thorough coaching. It made me wonder how Yuan Yuan Tan would have performed the role with Ms. Ishihara's level of experience. Ms. Ishihara also had the valuable support of Pascal Molat in the role he created - he was extraordinary. Lambarena was a good closing ballet with the entire cast dancing with verve.

In fact, Lorena is not listed as dancing in Serenade or Lambarena anymore. Shannon Rugani will be dancing one of the Lambarena performances.

On the SFB casting, Mathilde Froustey is now shown as dancing Giselle instead of Lorena Feijoo on Tuesday, Feb. 10..

Thanks for your report, PeggyR. It's wonderful to hear how Frances Chung continues to develop as an artist.

Koto Ishihara is doing RAkU in the performances immediately preceding and following YuanYuan Tan's Giselle on Friday. Casting is up for all performances through February 10.

As Yuan Yuan Tan is dancing Giselle on Friday, Feb. 6, there is likely to be a different cast for RAkU on Feb. 5 and at least one of the two RAkU performances on Saturday, February 7. I am attending the Feb. 5 RAkU. We shall see.

I believe that Lorena Feijoo danced RAkU during its first season, before her pregnancy.

Thanks, PeggyR! I've also noticed Francisco Mungamba, who has the carriage of a prince and a clean, beautiful technique. Hope he's in the cast I see of The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude. I'm happy to hear that Vanessa Zahorian is back and obviously in good form. For the Défilé, did they start with the students and go through the ranks to end with the principals? Did it seem that the order of principals ended with the most senior of the principal ballerinas?

The SFB Giselle casting has been updated with Hilarion and Myrtha, showing that Dores Andre is dancing Myrtha at the Chung performance. I am seeing Tan-Karapetyan-Sylve. They have posted only the initial two performances of the first mixed bill. I hope that someone will post their thoughts about the Gala tomorrow night.

The Giselle principal casting is also posted on the SFB website. Frances Chung is getting a Giselle! She danced Myrtha in previous seasons.

Thanks for posting the clips, PeggyR. He's a wonderful dancer!

I think some of the casting has been revised, and the SFB has a few other dates of casting now listed. Beautiful Julia Rowe is slated to dance the Sugar Plum Fairy, who leads the Waltz of Flowers, as is newcomer Norika Matsuyama, who I believe was seen dancing Cupid during the World Ballet Day rehearsal of Don Quixote Dryad Scene. Clara Blanco is back on stage after being out last season. As is stated on another topic heading, Joseph Walsh has been promoted to principal dancer.

Thanks, Apollosmuse for letting us know about this being Pascal Molat's last season. He is a wonderful Mercutio. Also, I didn't know that Mlle Froustey had a blog. I enjoyed reading about her working with Makarova on La Bayadere, Kingdom of Shades.

I agree with Pherank that this was a lot of fun to watch. Helgi Tomasson seemed so happy. The SFB four hours is available until 1:00 p.m. this Saturday and then it will be condensed due to licensing issues according to SFB on its facebook page. I enjoyed watching the differences in each of the five different company classes, and was happy to have a four-hour orientation to the Australian Ballet, which I will see in Los Angeles next week. SFB's Vanessa Zahorian and soloist Dana Genshaft, who were out last year, are both seen in company class. For some unknown reason, Sarah Van Patten and Tiit Helimets were not participating. Davit Karapetyan and Frances Chung did a brilliant rehearsal of Don Q Act III pas de deux, and the first rehearsal starts with initial Don Q's Dryad scene with the corps de ballet and Maria Kochetkova and Sofiane Sylve. I was happy to spot Julia Rowe rehearsing in the back in William Forsythe's The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, learning the soloist role that Sasha de Sola was doing for the rehearsal. I saw on the Bolshoi's website that they will keep their entire four hours intact for permanent viewing. This was a terrific event. My personal favorite of the 20 hours is the Royal Ballet's rehearsal with Liam Scarlett rehearsing his new work, The Age of Anxiety. It should not be missed.

I agree with you, Barbara.

I remember her as Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty. Her vision scene was particularly beautiful.

There's a report in French on French station RFI discussing the SFB season in Paris, including short interviews with principal dancers Pascal Molat and Lorena Feijoo: http://www.rfi.fr/emission/20140715-le-festival-etes-danse-paris/

I recall staged bows as being the norm.

Link for a short video of contemporary dance with Mathilde Froustey and the superb Jaime Garcia Castilla as her partner: http://www.facebook.com/mathilde.froustey.7 You can access it also from her facebook page. SFB's performances in Paris start tonight.

Pherank, Paris Opera Ballet does Ashton's La Fille Mal Gardee, and that is the excerpt with Froustey and Thibault.

Congratulations to Tiit!! (He also has one of the most delightful dancer facebook pages.)

Someone would purchase a ticket to Swan Lake specifically to see the ballerina do quadruple turns with flapping "swan arms?" Brava to Ms. Seo for stepping in to dance this ballet in an emergency situation.