Josette

I saw it a few years ago danced by NYCB and before that by Los Angeles Ballet, as Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2, but don't have a firm memory of it aside from the corps groupings. It's always interesting to see the cast lists.

Is there any more to watch online of The Royal Ballet in Ballet Imperial?

That's lovely news, PeggyTulle. It is interesting that yet another former SFB corps dancer is doing so well in another company (thinking of Kristina Lind, Alexandre Cagnat, Misa Kuranaga, and Isaac Hernandez, with these last two back after establishing themselves as principal dancers elsewhere).

That's lovely news, PeggyTulle. It is interesting that yet another former SFB corps dancer is doing so well in another company (thinking of Kristina Lind, Alexandre Cagnat, Misa Kuranaga, and Isaac Hernandez, with these last two back after establishing themselves as principal dancers elsewhere).

The Royal Ballet was at the Music Center in July of 2019 and the performances were sold out and the audience enraptured. It was a wonderful two weekends.

Natasha Sheehen was not featured much after her first year in the company. She was a lovely dancer that first year. Promotions were announced by Tomasson at various times during the season's performances, usually with the official date pending the new rehearsal period in the summer. For example, I recall Esteban Hernandez's promotion very quickly after he danced The Prodigal Son - which I saw him in - but the promotion went into effect after the dancers' early summer break for the new season and contract. I would be distressed to see Jimison promoted without Isabella DeVivo also promoted to a much-deserved principal rank. DeVivo has the radiance of a principal dancer as well as exceptional musical phrasing and beauty which is evident to anyone who has seen her in the Bluebird pas de deux, the Rose in Nutcracker, Snow pas de deux in Nutcracker; she stole the show in Ratmansky's The Seasons in 2022; and was beautiful as Cinderella. Her classical technique is stunning and her exquisite pointe work, on display in Cinderella, is rivalled only by Frances Chung at SFB. And she has a beautiful, light jump. Soloist Lucas Erni is joining the ballet company directed by Bridget Breiner at Badishes Staatstheater Karlsruhe. He was terrific in everything he danced, had a charismatic stage presence, and will be missed.

Pre-Covid, Segerstrom brought us the Hamburg Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, the Royal Danish Ballet, La Scala Ballet, and the Stuttgart Ballet. At a certain point, Segerstrom seemed to lose interest or became oblivious as to what was going on internationally in major ballet companies, and started relying on a certain agent and we got Eifman Ballet (not a favorite of mine, but excellent dancers) and Les Ballets de Monte Carlo too many times. I have heard repeatedly from the Music Center Dance Association (or whatever it is currently called) that many ballet companies are currently making up contracts that could not be honored due to Covid and, so I am hopeful that things will improve in the 2024-2025 season. In spring of 2022, when Los Angeles had the extraordinary Hamburg Ballet, it involved a co-production with LA Opera that was set up several years in advance, and it was a godsend to have them here for two weeks and see those beautiful dancers. I saw St. Matthews' Passion five times and Bernstein Dances three times. Here in Southern California, we very much need a dose of Swan Lake as we are starved for classical ballet, and it does not have to be a Russian ballet company to be worth attending. I wish that an arrangement would be made to have San Francisco Ballet in Southern California for a weekend each year. Tamaro Rojo said in an interview that I attended in Los Angeles this past winter, that she hoped to create relationships with other cities to bring SFB to perform.

I just purchased the series and was told that you can only purchase a Saturday night series; otherwise, it's single tickets only.

I agree totally with you, California, about Aaron Robison, and am also happy to see Tiit Helimets now officially on the roster as a Principal Character Artist along with Pascal Molat and Joanna Berman - all three exceptional former principal dancers.

I am a subscriber and did not get any notice of this. I can finally see Shevchenko as Giselle! \

I saw three performances of the newly designed Cinderella two weekends ago in London. I thoroughly enjoyed the production and the beautiful dancers. I would see three more performances of it in a heartbeat.

I am so excited to finally see Maia Mahkateli live on stage, after seeing her only online. Broken Wings will be premiered by San Francisco Ballet in 2024. It will be interesting to see the two works on several occasions and with different casts and companies.

Yes. I have tickets for all three performances. The Music Center”s CEO announced it at a donor event last fall before tickets were on sale and added that Smirnova would be dancing a performance, which I would assume would not be opening night.

I started attending San Francisco Ballet regularly in 2008. I believe that Tiit Helimets is the last in that wonderful group of principal dancers to have retired from SFB, though Taras Domitro is still dancing.

Rojo may have some dancers she wants to hire and this gives them the opportunity to experience the company.

Under Roster Changes 2023, I mention that I saw him as Benvolio and as Benjamin in Cinderella this season.

I just learned that the Sunday matinee was soloist Hansuke Yamamoto’s last performance with SFB. He is an audience favorite as well as one of mine. I’m so glad that I saw him this season as Benjamin in Cinderella and Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet. The announcement is shown in the cast list online and also says that Anita Pacciotti is retiring. She has had a long career with SFB as a dancer and ballet mistress.

We are most fortunate to have her with SFB. Her Juliet was brilliant. It was the most distinctive interpretation of the four SFB Juliets. She established Juliet's personality from the first scene and it made me realize how many generic Juliets I have watched over the years, who do good work but, aside from their personal appearance, are not particularly unique. Her powerful dancing also enhanced and made its own statement in the Act Three scenes with her father and Paris as a strong-willed, frankly rebellious Juliet, whose decisions create her own destiny, which I think goes along with the play. And I need to add that she has a beautiful rapport with Aaron Robison, as he is a tall, strong, and passionate Romeo and they work really wonderfully together.

It was a wonderful weekend.

I have read for months that the coronation was to be significantly scaled down from Queen Elizabeth's coronation. I just checked again online and read that the scaling down is due to the "UK's cost of living crisis". See, e.g., https://www.livemint.com/news/world/king-charles-last-minute-decision-for-coronation-causes-logistical-challenges-11679980502140.html. The coronation is funded by the British government, i.e., British taxpayers.

There was another powerful and moving performance at the Sunday matinee with Nikisha Fogo and Aaron Robison, who were compelling, passionate, and brilliant in all ways. And we also had the charismatic Cavan Conley as Mercutio, the fierce Alexander Reneff-Olson as Tybalt, the poignant Maggie Weirich as the Nurse, and Mingxuan Wang as Benvolio finally seen in a role where we can marvel at how accomplished he is. Overall and individually, it was a superb, unforgettable performance from everyone. The intertwined emotional chemistry between Nikisha and Aaron felt REAL - they were so deeply in love that the outcome was inevitable. The swordfight scene between Romeo-Aaron and Tybalt-Alexander was electrifying, followed by Romeo-Aaron's emotional despair. I cannot come up with enough superlatives about this Romeo and Juliet and would tell anyone to run to the Opera House and see it. I also have to say what a beautiful Act III Dores Andre gave us. She and Nikisha were the Juliets the most transformed by events leading up to Juliet's Act III. Having attended these first four performances, I felt that the energy level was palpably higher as a whole at the Saturday matinee in comparison with opening night (except for Max Cauthorn, who was outstandingly natural and likeable as Benvolio on Friday), and the energy level remained high in the performances on the Saturday matinee and evening and Sunday matinee performances.

This afternoon’s Romeo and Juliet was extraordinary, beautiful, emotional, one of the best performances overall I have ever seen of any Romeo and Juliet.

The matinee with Misa Kuranaga and Joseph Walsh is starting in 15 minutes. I agree that Jasmine Jamison gave an excellent portrayal of Juliet and was impressive and altogether touching in Act III. Congratulations to her!

Now we wait to see the company roster of dancers for next season.

Everyone loves Serenade. It is sublime.