BalletNut

More casting:

PROGRAM 1 Evening

2/8/2007, 8:00 p.m.

DIVERTIMENTO NO. 15

Conductor: George Cleve

Nicolas Blanc*, Ruben Martin, Hansuke Yamamoto

Tina LeBlanc

Vanessa Zahorian, Frances Chung, Elizabeth Miner, Rachel Viselli

-pause-

AUNIS

Pierre-François Vilanoba, Garrett Anderson, Pascal Molat

INTERMISSION

ARTIFACT SUITE

Piano: Michael McGraw

Katita Waldo, Ruben Martin

Tina LeBlanc, Gonzalo Garcia

Muriel Maffre

PROGRAM 2 Evening

2/9/2007, 8:00 p.m.

BLUE ROSE

Piano: Natal’ya Feygina

Violin: Roy Malan

Tina LeBlanc, Lorena Feijoo, Vanessa Zahorian

Pascal Molat, Pierre-François Vilanoba, Nicolas Blanc

INTERMISSION

THE DANCE HOUSE

Conductor: Martin West

Piano: Michael McGraw

Kristin Long, Pascal Molat

Rachel Viselli, Tiit Helimets

Elizabeth Miner*, Gennadi Nedvigin

INTERMISSION

FIREBIRD

Conductor: Martin West

Kaschei: James Sofranko

Firebird: Elana Altman

Prince: Moises Martin

Princess: Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun

art076, it tells the same story as the Fokine, but where the Fokine version is almost reminiscent of a 19th century story ballet, this one looks more fusion-y. Case in point: Fokine's Firebird wears a tutu, with her hair in a bun; Possokhov's wears a sequined unitard with a long orange wig. That about sums up the difference right there.

Hope that helps.

Some notes on Program 2, 3rd February 2007:

Blue Rose opened the evening's performances. Like so many of Helgi Tomasson's ballets, this one was pleasant enough, not boring, and well-danced. That said, it was rather an unexceptional piece of choreography, which seemed to blend together at times. This wasn't the fault of the performers (Tina LeBlanc, Lorena Feijoo, Vanessa Zahorian, Pascal Molat, Pierre-Francois Vilanoba, and Nicolas Blanc), who danced with spirit and energy. The music was well-performed as well by Natalya Feygina and Roy Malan.

David Bintley's The Dance House was the second ballet of the evening. It struck me as one of those ballets that one suspects has a deeper meaning, but I was unable to figure out what it was, other than a tribute to a dancer who died of AIDS. The dancing itself was commendable. Gonzalo Garcia gave a wonderful rendition of the choreography, as did Kristin Long and Gennadi Nedvigin (did I miss something, or is he spelling his name differently nowadays?). I also got my first look at Molly Smolen in this piece, and was not disappointed. She's a compact dancer with muscular, shapely legs who might be quite interesting in the classics. The corps looked very well-rehearsed as well.

The disappointment of the evening for me was the world premiere of Possokhov's Firebird. Call me a snob, but I really do prefer the Fokine version. Tiit Helimets, however, was quite good in this; he's a very powerful dancer, and it was nice to see him in something that involved more than simply partnering a ballerina (which he also does quite well). Yuan Yuan Tan in the title role was rather odd, but it's just as likely that that was the choreography and Sandra Woodall costume involving a bright orange wig and sequined unitard with a silk tail. Rachel Viselli's princess wasn't a weeping captive like Fokine's princess, but much more girlish and playful. Pascal Molat's Kaschei was, weirdly enough, more birdlike than Tan. The corps, again, looked very well-rehearsed, and the orchestra under Martin West sounded wonderful. Perhaps I would have liked this Firebird more if I hadn't seen the Fokine first.

As am I...and I will also do my best to post about what I saw.

My bad. Sorry about that, Leigh.

Program 1 Matinee

2/4/2007, 2pm

DIVERTIMENTO NO. 15

Conductor George Cleve

Pierre-François Vilanoba, Tiit Helimets, Moises Martin

Lorena Feijoo

Elana Altman, Sarah Van Patten, Molly Smolen, Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun

-pause-

AUNIS

Rory Hohenstein, Joan Boada, James Sofranko

INTERMISSION

ARTIFACT SUITE

Piano Margot Kazimirska

Katita Waldo, Ruben Martin

Tina LeBlanc, Gonzalo Garcia

Muriel Maffre

More casting:

PROGRAM 2 Matinee

2/3/2007, 2:00 p.m.

BLUE ROSE

Piano: Natal’ya Feygina

Violin: Roy Malan

Kristin Long, Sarah Van Patten*, Rachel Viselli*

Joan Boada, Ruben Martin, Davit Karapetyan*

INTERMISSION

THE DANCE HOUSE

Conductor: Martin West

Piano:Michael McGraw

Vanessa Zahorian*, Rory Hohenstein*

Katita Waldo*, Pierre François Vilanoba

Frances Chung*, Hansuke Yamamoto*

INTERMISSION

FIREBIRD

Conductor: Martin West

Kaschei: James Sofranko*

Firebird: Elana Altman*

Prince: Moises Martin*

Princess: Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun*

PROGRAM 2 Evening

2/3/2007, 8:00 p.m.

BLUE ROSE

Piano: Natal’ya Feygina

Violin: Roy Malan

Tina LeBlanc, Lorena Feijoo, Vanessa Zahorian

Pascal Molat, Pierre-François Vilanoba, Nicolas Blanc

INTERMISSION

THE DANCE HOUSE

Conductor : Martin West

Piano: Michael McGraw

Tina LeBlanc, Gonzalo Garcia

Molly Smolen, Tiit Helimets

Kristin Long, Gennadi Nedvigin

INTERMISSION

FIREBIRD

Conductor: Martin West

Kaschei: Pascal Molat

Firebird: Yuan Yuan Tan

Prince: Tiit Helimets

Princess: Rachel Viselli

PROGRAM 2 Evening

2/6/2007, 8:00 p.m.

BLUE ROSE

Piano: Natal’ya Feygina

Violin: Roy Malan

Kristin Long, Lorena Feijoo, Rachel Viselli

Joan Boada, Pierre-François Vilanoba, Davit Karapetyan

INTERMISSION

THE DANCE HOUSE

Conductor: Martin West

Piano: Michael McGraw

Vanessa Zahorian, Gonzalo Garcia

Katita Waldo, Pierre-François Vilanoba

Frances Chung, Hansuke Yamamoto

INTERMISSION

FIREBIRD

Conductor: Martin West

Kaschei: Pascal Molat

Firebird: Yuan Yuan Tan

Prince: Tiit Helimets

Princess: Rachel Viselli

PROGRAM 2 Evening

2/7/2007, 7:00 p.m.

BLUE ROSE

Piano: Natal’ya Feygina

Violin: Roy Malan

Kristin Long, Sarah Van Patten, Vanessa Zahorian

Joan Boada, Ruben Martin, Rory Hohenstein

INTERMISSION

THE DANCE HOUSE

Conductor: Martin West

Piano: Michael McGraw

Tina LeBlanc, Pascal Molat*

Rachel Viselli, Tiit Helimets

Elizabeth Miner*, James Sofranko*

INTERMISSION

FIREBIRD

Conductor: Martin West

Kaschei: Garrett Anderson*

Firebird: Lily Rogers*

Prince: Ruben Martin*

Princess: Sarah Van Patten*

Post your impressions of Programs 1 and 2 in this thread.

Casting, from SFB's website:

PROGRAM 1 Opening Night

1/30/2007, 8:00 p.m.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 30—8:00 PM—OPENING NIGHT

DIVERTIMENTO NO. 15

Conductor : George Cleve

Nicolas Blanc*, Gennadi Nedvigin*, Jaime Garcia Castilla*

Kristin Long*

Vanessa Zahorian*, Frances Chung*, Katita Waldo*, Rachel Viselli*

-pause-

AUNIS

Rory Hohenstein*, Garrett Anderson*, James Sofranko*

INTERMISSION

Artifact Suite

Piano: Margot Kazimirska

Muriel Maffre, Pierre-François Vilanoba

Lorena Feijoo, Pascal Molat

Elana Altman

PROGRAM 1 Evening

1/31/2007, 7:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31—7:30 PM

DIVERTIMENTO NO. 15

Conductor : George Cleve

Pierre-François Vilanoba*, Tiit Helimets*, Moises Martin*

Lorena Feijoo*

Elana Altman*, Sarah Van Patten*, Molly Smolen*, Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun*

-pause-

AUNIS

Rory Hohenstein, Joan Boada*, James Sofranko

INTERMISSION

Artifact Suite

Piano: Margot Kazimirska

Katita Waldo, Ruben Martin

Tina LeBlanc, Gonzalo Garcia

Muriel Maffre

PROGRAM 2 Opening Night

2/1/2007, 8:00 p.m.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1 - 8:00 p.m. - OPENING NIGHT

BLUE ROSE

Piano: Natal’ya Feygina

Violin: Roy Malan

Tina LeBlanc, Lorena Feijoo, Vanessa Zahorian

Pascal Molat, Pierre-François Vilanoba, Nicolas Blanc

INTERMISSION

THE DANCE HOUSE

Conductor: Martin West

Piano: Michael McGraw

Tina LeBlanc, Gonzalo Garcia*

Rachel Viselli*, Tiit Helimets

Kristin Long, Gennadi Nedvigin

INTERMISSION

FIREBIRD

Conductor : Martin West

Kaschei: Pascal Molat*

Firebird: Yuan Yuan Tan*

Prince: Tiit Helimets*

Princess: Rachel Viselli*

PROGRAM 1 Evening

2/2/2007, 8:00 p.m.

DIVERTIMENTO NO. 15

Conductor: George Cleve

Davit Karapetyan*, Ruben Martin*, Hansuke Yamamoto*

Tina LeBlanc*

Vanessa Zahorian, Frances Chung, Elizabeth Miner*, Rachel Viselli

-pause-

AUNIS

Rory Hohenstein, Garrett Anderson, James Sofranko

INTERMISSION

Artifact Suite

Piano: Michael McGraw

Muriel Maffre, Pierre-François Vilanoba

Lorena Feijoo, Pascal Molat

Elana Altman

SFB has announced the casting and program for their opening night gala:

Opening Night Gala Evening

1/24/2007, 8pm

AUNIS

Music: Tape

Casting: Nicolas Blanc*, Pascal Molat*,

Pierre-François Vilanoba

PAS DE DEUX from

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY, ACT III

Conductor: Martin West

Casting: Vanessa Zahorian, Gonzalo Garcia*

LAST BREATH

Music: Tape

Casting: Davit Karapetyan

PAS DE DEUX from

7 FOR EIGHT

Piano: Michael McGraw

Casting: Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun, Pierre-François Vilanoba

FIVE BRAHMS WALTZES IN THE MANNER OF ISADORA DUNCAN

Piano: Roy Bogas

Casting: Molly Smolen

SOIRÉES MUSICALES

Conductor: Martin West

Casting: Kristin Long, Joan Boada*

-INTERMISSION-

PAS DE DEUX from GISELLE, ACT II

Conductor: Martin West

Viola: Paul Ehrlich

Casting: Lorena Feijoo, Tiit Helimets

PAS DE DEUX from AFTER THE RAIN

Violin: Roy Malan

Piano: Michael McGraw

Casting: Yuan Yuan Tan*, Damian Smith*

L’AIR D’ESPRIT

Conductor: Martin West

Casting: Tina LeBlanc, Gennadi Nedvigin*

BITTER TEARS

Baritone: Mark Crayton

Casting: Muriel Maffre*

4TH MOVEMENT & FINALE from SYMPHONY IN C

Conductor: Martin West

Casting: Sarah Van Patten*, Garrett Anderson*, Elana Altman*, Ruben Martin, Rachel Viselli*, Moises Martin*, Elizabeth Miner, Jaime Garcia Castilla* and corps de ballet

If anyone sees this, we'd love to hear about it!

The last time I saw Clarkson dance, I remember thinking she had a lovely smile.

What do others think?

::mod beanie on::

While the religious contexts of The Prodigal Son are indeed a fascinating topic of discussion, it is outside the scope of this forum to be discussing theological issues in and of themselves. Remember also that not everybody who participates in Ballet Talk practices Christianity.

Please keep the discussion related to Balanchine's ballet in order for this thread to stay open.

Thank you.

::mod beanie off::

Goodness, I hope this doesn't mean that the RB DVD is going out of print!

Ballet Nut -- you didn't GO?

Why not?

I saw it last year, and was unimpressed.

Wonderful review, Paul. Thank you for the link. I'm very sad to hear about von Buchau's passing; I always enjoyed reading her.

I can't speak for all Ballet Talkers, but the reason I didn't post anything about the Nutcracker run this year is that I didn't go. For others who did go, there could be any number of reasons for them not posting, which I won't speculate about.

Another reason activity is light right now is that we're in the middle of the time period between the end of the Nut season and the beginning of the repertory season, which is punctuated only by the highly-priced gala performance. If anyone sees that, do let us know!

It's that time of year again!

In terms of ballet, what were the best things about 2006? The worst?

I'll start.

My first highlight would have to be Tina LeBlanc's amazing Swan Lake at SFB towards the beginning of the year (I'm wanting to say January). Despite not having the ideal body type for the role, she pulled out all the stops and gave a wonderfully nuanced performance with subtle differences between Odette and Odile.

Another highlight for me was SFB's all-Robbins program, which was wonderfully put together. Even Dybbuk was enjoyable, despite the fact that I panned it last time, while Glass Pieces was simply exhilerating.

Lowlight #1 was Wheeldon's Quaternary, with an abrasive score and repetitive choreography that seemed to drag on and on, despite some commendable dancing.

My other lowlight was POB's performance of Rubies in its otherwise excellent DVD production of Jewels. Too prissy for my taste; it seemed the dancers just didn't get it.

What are your highlights and lowlights for the past year?

Even more casting:

2/26/2006,2pm

Conductor: Robert Wood

Drosselmeyer: Ashley Wheater

Queen and King of the Snow: Elizabeth Miner, Jamie Garcia Castilla

Sugar Plum Fairy: Muriel Maffre

Grand Pas de Deux: Kristin Long, Joan Boada

Nutcracker Evening

12/26/2006, 7pm

Conductor : Martin West

Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli

Queen and King of the Snow: Katita Waldo, Damian Smith

Sugar Plum Fairy: Kristin Long

Grand Pas de Deux: Tina LeBlanc, Gonzalo Garcia

Nutcracker Matinee

12/27/2006, 2pm

Conductor: Gary Sheldon

Drosselmeyer: Ashley Wheater

Queen and King of the Snow: Yuan Yuan Tan, Ruben Martin

Sugar Plum Fairy: Vanessa Zahorian

Grand Pas de Deux: Sarah Van Patten, Moises Martin

Nutcracker Evening

12/27/2006, 7pm

Conductor: Gary Sheldon

Drosselmeyer: Jorge Esquivel

Queen and King of the Snow: Kristin Long, Joan Boada

Sugar Plum Fairy: Sarah Van Patten

Grand Pas de Deux: Katita Waldo, Ruben Martin

Nutcracker Matinee

12/28/2006, 2pm

Conductor : Martin West

Drosselmeyer: Jorge Esquivel

Queen and King of the Snow: Elana Altman, Moises Martin

Sugar Plum Fairy: Elizabeth Miner

Grand Pas de Deux: Tina LeBlanc, Guennadi Nedviguine

Nutcracker Evening

12/28/2006, 7pm

Conductor: Robert Wood

Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli

Queen and King of the Snow: Katita Waldo, Damian Smith

Sugar Plum Fairy: Elana Altman

Grand Pas de Deux: Muriel Maffre, Tiit Helimets

Nutcracker Matinee

12/29/2006, 2pm

Conductor: Martin West

Drosselmeyer: Ashley Wheater

Queen and King of the Snow: Elizabeth Miner, Hansuke Yamamoto

Sugar Plum Fairy: Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun

Grand Pas de Deux: Vanessa Zahorian, Ruben Martin

Nutcracker Evening

12/29/2006, 7pm

Conductor: Gary Sheldon

Drosselmeyer: Jorge Esquivel

Queen and King of the Snow: Muriel Maffre, Tiit Helimets

Sugar Plum Fairy: Molly Smolen

Grand Pas de Deux: Rachel Viselli, Gonzalo Garcia

More casting:

Nutcracker Matinee

12/19/2006, 2pm

Conductor: David LaMarche

Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli

Queen and King of the Snow: Elizabeth Miner, Pascal Molat

Sugar Plum Fairy: Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun

Grand Pas de Deux: Rachel Viselli, Tiit Helimets

Nutcracker Evening

12/19/2006, 7pm

Conductor: Martin West

Drosselmeyer: Jorge Esquivel

Queen and King of the Snow: Sarah Van Patten, Pierre-François Vilanoba

Sugar Plum Fairy: Kristin Long

Grand Pas de Deux: Frances Chung*, Guennadi Nedviguine

Nutcracker Matinee

12/20/2006, 2pm

Conductor: David LaMarche

Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli

Queen and King of the Snow: Katita Waldo, Damian Smith*

Sugar Plum Fairy: Rachel Viselli

Grand Pas de Deux: Kristin Long, Joan Boada

Nutcracker Evening

12/20/2006, 7pm

Conductor: Martin West

Drosselmeyer: Ashley Wheater

Queen and King of the Snow: Vanessa Zahorian, Gonzalo Garcia

Sugar Plum Fairy: Muriel Maffre

Grand Pas de Deux: Yuan Yuan Tan, Tiit Helimets

Nutcracker Matinee

12/21/2006, 2pm

Conductor: Martin West

Drosselmeyer: Jorge Esquivel

Queen and King of the Snow: Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun, Pierre-François Vilanoba

Sugar Plum Fairy: Sarah Van Patten

Grand Pas de Deux: Katita Waldo, Ruben Martin

Nutcracker Evening

12/21/2006, 7pm

Conductor: David LaMarche

Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli

Queen and King of the Snow: Elana Altman, Moises Martin

Sugar Plum Fairy: Molly Smolen

Grand Pas de Deux: Muriel Maffre, Pierre-François Vilanoba

Nutcracker Matinee

12/22/2006, 2pm

Conductor: Robert Wood

Drosselmeyer: Ashley Wheater

Queen and King of the Snow: Elizabeth Miner, Pascal Molat

Sugar Plum Fairy: Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun

Grand Pas de Deux: Molly Smolen, Tiit Helimets

Nutcracker Evening

12/22/2006, 7pm

Conductor: Martin West

Drosselmeyer: Ashley Wheater

Queen and King of the Snow: Yuan Yuan Tan, Ruben Martin

Sugar Plum Fairy: Frances Chung

Grand Pas de Deux: Tina LeBlanc, Gonzalo Garcia

Nutcracker Matinee

12/23/2006, 2pm

Conductor: Robert Wood

Drosselmeyer : Val Caniparoli

Queen and King of the Snow: Sarah Van Patten, Pierre-François Vilanoba

Sugar Plum Fairy: Elana Altman

Grand Pas de Deux : Vanessa Zahorian, Davit Karapetyan

Nutcracker Evening

12/23/2006, 7pm

Conductor : Martin West

Drosselmeyer: Ashley Wheater

Queen and King of the Snow: Kristin Long, Joan Boada

Sugar Plum Fairy: Muriel Maffre

Grand Pas de Deux: Yuan Yuan Tan, Tiit Helimets

Nutcracker Matinee

12/24/2006, 11am

Conductor: Gary Sheldon

Drosselmeyer: Jorge Esquivel

Queen and King of the Snow: Muriel Maffre, Tiit Helimets

Sugar Plum Fairy: Vanessa Zahorian

Grand Pas de Deux: Katita Waldo, Ruben Martin

Nutcracker Evening

12/24/2006, 4pm

Conductor: Martin West

Drosselmeyer: Ashley Wheater

Queen and King of the Snow: Vanessa Zahorian, Gonzalo Garcia

Sugar Plum Fairy: Tina LeBlanc

Grand Pas de Deux: Kristin Long, Joan Boada

If you're seeing SFB's Nutcracker this year, we'd love to hear about it!

The first casting has gone up for SF Ballet's Nutcracker performances:

Nutcracker Opening Night

12/14/2006, 7pm

Conductor: Martin West

Drosselmeyer: Ashley Wheater

Queen and King of the Snow: Kristin Long, Joan Boada*

The Sugar Plum Fairy: Vanessa Zahorian

Grand Pas de Deux: Yuan Yuan Tan, Tiit Helimets

Nutcracker Matinee

12/15/2006, 2pm

Conductor: Martin West

Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli

Queen and King of the Snow: Frances Chung*, Jaime Garcia Castilla

The Sugar Plum Fairy: Molly Smolen*

Grand Pas de Deux: Rachel Viselli*, Davit Karapetyan

Nutcracker Evening

12/15/2006, 7pm

Conductor: David LaMarche

Drosselmeyer: Jorge Esquivel

Queen and King of the Snow: Muriel Maffre, Tiit Helimets

Sugar Plum Fairy: Frances Chung

Grand Pas de Deux: Tina LeBlanc, Gonzalo Garcia

Nutcracker Matinee

12/16/2006, 2pm

Conductor: Martin West

Drosselmeyer: Jorge Esquivel

Queen and King of the Snow: Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun, Pierre-François Vilanoba

The Sugar Plum Fairy: Tina LeBlanc

Grand Pas de Deux: Sarah Van Patten, Moises Martin*

Nutcracker Evening

12/16/2006, 7pm

Conductor: David LaMarche

Drosselmeyer: Ashley Wheater

Queen and King of the Snow: Yuan Yuan Tan, Ruben Martin

Sugar Plum Fairy: Rachel Viselli

Grand Pas de Deux: Vanessa Zahorian, Davit Karapetyan

Nutcracker Matinee

12/17/2006, 2pm

Conductor: Martin West

Drosselmeyer: Ashley Wheater

Queen and King of the Snow: Elana Altman*, Moises Martin

The Sugar Plum Fairy: Sarah Van Patten*

Grand Pas de Deux: Molly Smolen*, Tiit Helimets

Nutcracker Evening

12/17/2006, 7pm

Conductor: David LaMarche

Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli

Queen and King of the Snow: Vanessa Zahorian*, Gonzalo Garcia*

Sugar Plum Fairy: Elana Altman*

Grand Pas de Deux: Muriel Maffre, Pierre-François Vilanoba

I once saw a video called "Baryshnikov dances Balanchine" or something like that, where Baryshnikov and some ABT and NYCB dancers performed Apollo and Who Cares, but I don't remember who the dancers were. Maybe someone else knows?

I remember somebody humming along with the orchestra at a performance of Sleeping Beauty...or was it Nutz? I've tried to block it from my memory.

Then there are the ubiquitous seat-kickers and ladies marinating themselves in perfume.

San Francisco Ballet has announced that Muriel Maffre will leave the company at the end of the upcoming season. Here is the press release:

SAN FRANCISCO, Friday, October, 20, 2006—San Francisco Ballet Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson today announced that Principal Dancer Muriel Maffre plans to leave San Francisco Ballet following the 2007 Repertory Season, in order to pursue other interests. Maffre, who joined SF Ballet as a principal dancer in 1990, intends to remain active in the arts and culture scene in San Francisco.

“Muriel is a rare and extraordinary artist who has added so much to the Company throughout her incredible tenure with San Francisco Ballet,” said Tomasson. “It has been a privilege to watch her talent develop and while we will miss her, we wish her the very best in her future endeavors.”

Born in Enghein-les-Bains, France, Maffre received her ballet training from the Paris Opéra Ballet School and the Paris National Conservatory of Music and Dancing, where she graduated with a Premier Prix with honors. Prior to joining San Francisco Ballet, Maffre danced with the Hamburg Ballet and Ballet de Monte Carlo. She is a Gold medalist from the 1st International Ballet Competition (Paris), and the recipient of two Isadora Duncan Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Individual Performance (for performances during San Francisco Ballet’s 1990 and 2002 Repertory Seasons). Maffre holds a B.A. in Performing Arts from St. Mary’s College of Moraga, California.

Maffre’s repertory includes leading roles in Swan Lake, La Sylphide, The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Don Quixote, and Nutcracker. In addition, she has performed and created principal roles in works by many notable choreographers including Sir Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Mark Morris, Alexei Ratmansky, Jerome Robbins, Antony Tudor, and Stanton Welch. She has toured extensively and made guest appearances in eminent theaters throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Russia, and South America. In 2002, Maffre received critical acclaim for her revival performance of Michel Fokine’s The Dying Swan for the Company’s Opening Night Gala.

In April 2006, Muriel collaborated with U.C. Berkeley professor and conceptual artist Ken Goldberg on a solo, Ballet Mori, danced to the movement of the earth, which was presented as part of San Francisco Ballet’s season, during the San Francisco 1906 Earthquake Centennial. Most recently, Muriel created a multi-media dance and puppetry staging of Igor Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat for Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival’s summer season.

Maffre will perform in Tomasson’s Nutcracker, and throughout the 2007 Repertory Season. For more information on Nutcracker or the 2007 Repertory Season, please visit www.sfballet.org.

For some reason, I'm reminded of the meeting a few years ago between the artistic directors of some of the world's top companies, ostensibly to bounce ideas off each other; was it at this meeting that it was discovered that there was a lot of overlap in what was being performed by each company (eg, everyone was doing Sleeping Beauty that year)?

I mention this because it might be a possible outcome from having a central organization that there might be instances of every company in the world performing the same things at the same time, possibly in the same way. Distinctions between company styles and repertoires might be lost.

However, being able to promote and fund classical ballet is, of course, always a good idea.

Absolutely not!

Imagine that you're casting your ideal performance of Balanchine's Jewels, and can cast any dancer you choose in any role you think they'd be best in. Who do you cast in which section (Emeralds, Rubies, Diamonds) and why?