PeggyTulle

The 27th PM was updated:

Saturday, April 27, 2019 – 8:00 pm

Choreography: John Neumeier
Music: Lera Auerbach
Conductor: Martin West

The Little Mermaid: WanTing Zhao
Prince / Edvard: Luke Ingham
Poet / Hans Christian Andersen: Nathaniel Remez
Princess / Henriette: Dores Andre
Sea Witch: Benjamin Freemantle

On 4/14/2019 at 12:23 PM, Josette said:

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.  

YES!!! So excited for WanTing!

Congrats to them all! I am a little surprised about Esteban, though. I thought Benjamin Freemantle was going to get the nod first! 

59 minutes ago, sf_herminator said:

Also:  Sea Witch:  Wei Wang

Casting is subject to change.

https://www.sfballet.org/season/casting 

Thanks! That wasn't up when I looked earlier.

Friday, April 19, 2019 – 8:00 pm

Choreography: John Neumeier
Music: Lera Auerbach
Conductor: Martin West

The Little Mermaid: Yuan Yuan Tan
Prince / Edvard: Aaron Robison
Poet / Hans Christian Andersen: Ulrik Birkkjaer
Princess / Henriette: Sasha De Sola
Sea Witch: Wei Wang

Opening Night casting is up:

Friday, April 19, 2019 – 8:00 pm

Choreography: John Neumeier
Music: Lera Auerbach
Conductor: Martin West

The Little Mermaid: Yuan Yuan Tan
Prince / Edvard: Aaron Robison
Poet / Hans Christian Andersen: Ulrik Birkkjaer
Princess / Henriette: Sasha De Sola

I saw Tan and SVP; I remember Feijoo being cast, but don't remember if she ever danced it. SVP and Vanessa Zahorian both danced the princess, and IIRC, Madison Keesler learned the role as an understudy a long time ago but never performed it.

I'd love to see WanTing Zhao as TLM.

Mathilde Froustey posted some IG clips earlier this week rehearsing TLM title role (in her stories, so no longer linkable). Any other early casting news?

Casting update for tonight: Thamires Chuvas replaces Jahna Frantziskonis as the enchanted princess. Jahna will now debut as the princess on 3/16 eve performance.

Also, I swear Ami Yuki was originally listed for a debut as the Lilac Fairy, but now that's gone from the casting sheet.

22 minutes ago, pherank said:

Although it's interesting that there's (presumably) time to teach Naghdi in the Tomasson/Possokhov variations.

And this is where I am left baffled. There have to have been SFB dancers that know the variations. And they already know the production. Maybe it's politics and not wanting to give too many junior dancers a prime role? But with Natasha Sheehan knowing the role (or most of it) and not getting a chance, and tons of able dancers on the roster, albeit not principals, this last-minute guesting leaves me feeling uneasy.

Ludmila Bizalion danced Lilac last year. Wonder if she'll be cast again...? 

Huh. I feel like there are some amazingly able soloists ripe for Aurora. Imports can be nice, but not thrilled about it.

On 3/1/2019 at 5:08 PM, pherank said:

I can see WanTing Zhao as Aurora.
I wonder if Lizzy Powell has all the necessary techniques down for this part? She might be able to pull it off.

WanTing would be lovely, as would Isabella DeVivo and Julia Rowe. 

Also, Sasha posted she is dancing March 9,March 14 (eve), and March 17 mat. 

4 hours ago, pherank said:

Reading between the lines, SFB seems to be saying that there aren't resources (or the hours) to prepare a number of debuts in Sleeping Beauty, so 3 people will be working really hard, but that leaves one opportunity.

Wona posted in the IG comments that she is dancing Aurora March 12 and March 16 matinee... 

I was hoping that Natasha Sheehan would get a crack at Aurora. A few years ago, Helgi seemed to be over the moon with her. I know she was injured around Nutcracker, but surprised how little we've seen from her over the past year or so.

19 hours ago, pherank said:

Hear! hear!

What I find kind of curious is that the Associate A.D. position seems to be a new thing. Have there been "Assistant" A.D.s at NYCB? "Associate" implies a step up, but I wonder how Whelan's duties will differ from an assistant's.
SFB has been using two Assistant A.D.s for some time. There's just so much to be done. The Assistants invariably go off to lead their own companies somewhere in the ballet world... 

EDIT: Peck's new position is something I wonder about too. His greatest value to the company has been as resident choreographer, so how does becoming Artistic Advisor aid the company? I presume he's given greater power to do something, but what exactly?

SFB doesn't have assistant ADs, it has assistants TO THE AD. It's my understanding that this is a role similar to ballet master, but with greater responsibilities...?

21 hours ago, theo said:

MCB is participating in Ballet Across America at the Kennedy Center.  Tomorrow tickets go on sale for KC members.  So, I decided to look at the MCB roster and  saw that Simone Messmer is no longer there. Anybody know anything? Did I miss something?

She was featured on IG in rehearsal just last month:

Isabella Walsh announced on Instagram that she is joining Dutch National Ballet for the rest of the season. 

14 hours ago, sf_herminator said:

He has actually already performed Prince Desire.  His Princess Aurora was Natasha Sheehan.  In this link to the cover story you can scroll down and see a picture of them from last year's student matinee:  https://www.pointemagazine.com/natasha-sheehan-ballet-2627550597.html?utm_campaign=RebelMouse&socialux=facebook&share_id=4356430&utm_medium=social&utm_content=Pointe&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR281Tv_uHrVxbKDgt1_fLm0S-5A-NHxnW2SD2cLBrDXVxrklYQJJ-vrstU.  

I hope both he and Natasha get cast for a regular ticketed performance! 

7 hours ago, PeggyR said:

 I wonder if he’ll get a crack at Sleeping Beauty.

Casting Wang as Aurora would be refreshing;)

I wonder if the program 2 change is due to SVP and Frances being sidelined...? 

10 hours ago, pherank said:

Simply an interesting post from Tiit Helimets on Instagram (and there are comments to read from Tiit and others):

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtPHs22gIRd/

The post is no longer there... 

11 hours ago, pherank said:

I wonder if that has something to do with Elizabeth Powell learning/rehearsing the Little Mermaid role. 

Was it clear she was learning the lead? The photo she posted on IG had a LM hashtag, but there are lots of mermaids in the underwater scenes. 

1 hour ago, Terez said:

Why no Lauren Strongin yet? Is she injured? 

I was wondering that, too. Also no Sarah Van Patten...

On 10/23/2018 at 2:11 PM, pherank said:

Program I—Wed, Oct 31 at 8pm
....

Thank you!