BalletNut

I just wanted to call your attention to the following changes in the upcoming season at SF Ballet, which are now reflected in the Sticky at the top of this forum:

*Magrittomania and Apollo have switched places. Magrittomania is now part of Program 3, and Apollo part of Program 2.

*The TBA in Program 2 will be a new ballet called Blue Rose, choreographed by Helgi Tomasson with music by Elena Kats-Chernin.

*Balanchine's Rubies will replace Who Cares? (also by Balanchine); Forsythe's Artifact Suite will replace Pas/Parts (also a Forsythe ballet). Artifact Suite would also be an SFB premiere.

*Other Dances has been added to the all-Robbins program, although the season listing on the website has it down as "Other Pieces." (The correct name is given elsewhere.) Whatever the webmasters think it's called, it's a company premiere. (I have a sneaking suspicion that Tomasson, his artistic staff, and the dancers are well aware of the proper name of this ballet.)

It will be interesting to see what other changes, if any, are in store for us. The Sticky on the 2006 Repertory Season will be updated as necessary, and I will note those changes in this thread.

Also, feel free to comment on these changes...

Which ballets did she dance in San Francisco?

Yes, that was Schorer, with Lamont.

Interesting, atm711, the proportions are roughly the same for a secretarial job I once held, where the hourly pay was $12, and balcony seats at SFB were roughly the same as that.

I guess a general lack of interest in and knowledge about the performing arts is indeed a major factor in the decline, then.

This is a very interesting question, and definitely appropriate for Ballet Talk. Perhaps money has something to do with both ends of this "decline." The types of tours undertaken in the Good Old Days would probably be prohibitively expensive for most companies, large or small, taking into account not only union issues but also travel costs, advertising, performance and rehearsal space, and transportation of costumes and scenery. Additionally, and unfortunately, many ballet companies on tour tend to charge quite a bit for tickets; when NYCB came to the Bay Area in the late 90s, the cheapest seats were around $35 a pop. Many "ordinary" people can't afford that anymore, especially those who have other expenses, and those who can are less likely to go as often, unless they're as gung-ho as those of us who post on this forum. I also wonder how much tickets cost for the old touring companies, and whether they were any more affordable to audiences Back Then, than ballet tickets are today.

I do think, however, that the attention span factor has something to do with this decline, unfortunately, as does a serious lack of quality arts education in this country. And whatever the truth may be, many of us tend to remember the past with a certain nostalgia.

I have the DVD of the Kirov Don Q (with Terekhova), and there aren't any extras in it that I know of.

Thank you for the link, Seabreeze, and welcome to Ballet Talk! Feel free to introduce yourself in our "Welcome" forum.

Claire Pascal, formerly of Maggiodanza, has joined SFB as a principal dancer.

One assumes Small Roland is Roland Petit.

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And Holy Camille Saens is Camille Saint-Saens?

(PS: I've moved this topic from Anything Goes, as it is more appropriate for this forum. --BN)

What a letdown that Boal wasn't able to perform. But it still sounds like it was a wonderful performance.

I see that Alina Somova is now listed as Aurora for the 14th. Esina is still the Lilac.

I'm almost tempted to buy tickets for that one, just to see what the fuss is all about. If I can afford them.

Not Hollywood per se, but I could see Muriel Maffre or Tina LeBlanc on Saturday Night Live. Back when it was funny, of course.

For some reason, the image of Renee Zellweger as Giselle has been haunting me since BalletNut started this thread.  Maybe Meryl Streep as her Myrtha?  And for Albrecht, Brad Pitt, although I'm not sure he could carry Act II.

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Zellweger would be...interesting, I guess. If Pitt is Albrecht, then perhaps Bathilde ought to be Angelina Jolie? Or maybe Jennifer Aniston is a more appropriate choice. Or would she be Giselle? I'm not sure she could carry it dramatically, though. Not that I follow such things, of course.

Which non-dancing celebrities do you think would make good ballet dancers? How would you cast them?

Ex: Marilyn Manson as Carabosse, Lucille Ball as Swanilda...

I seem to remember hearing of a Nutcracker where Drosselmeyer is some kind of pedophile, and his relationship with Clara is more-than-platonic.

While I'm sorry to hear of his retirement, I'm glad I'll be able to look back on my memory of him partnering Bussell in Cinderella at the Met when the Royal came to NYC in 1997, I believe.

Best wishes to Cope on his future endeavors.

These are very punny.

Here's another one:

Pas de deux=father of two (from the show Are You Being Served?)

Keep 'em coming!

This topic really doesn't have a pointe, other than to keep us all on our toes.

Your turn.

Elana Altman is now listed as a Soloist on SFB's roster. She's always stood out to me, and I'm glad she's been promoted. I'm also glad that there are more soloists; for a while, there seemed to be a shortage in that rank.

Congratulations!

I'd like to add my heartfelt thanks to Anna Marie Holmes for taking the time to provide such thoughtful and informative answers to all of our questions.

And thank you to Helene and Mme. Hermine for making this Q&A session possible!

Now, a follow-up question for Ms. Holmes, if I may be so bold:

You mentioned your plans for future stagings of this production, such as adding a character dance for Medora. Are there any concrete plans yet for it to be staged elsewhere, or to be "re-staged" where it has already been performed?

The Miner picture is also in the Spring 2005 Backstage, the subscriber newsletter/magazine. That issue has several stunning photos itself, such as the Dybbuk picture on the back cover and Boada and Viselli in 7 for Eight.

Oddly enough, I haven't received my brochure yet...

In abstract terms:

The way the human body can accomplish illusions that appear to defy "nature" as well as emphasizing it: for example, jumps that defy gravity, but use it to great effect in landings. The way that something so obviously difficult can be made to appear so effortless. And, of course, the aesthetic appeal and harmony of the entire experience, as well as the unique world created by the language of classical ballet.

More concretely:

I think it's pretty. :blush:

I like the Shades scene as well, especially the "background" choreography for the pas de deux between Nikiya and Solor.

Serenade is another favorite, as is the male corps in Prodigal Son, especially when they link arms back-to-back and skitter around like insects.

I also enjoy the choreography for the "stars" or fairy corps in Ashton's Cinderella, specifically the two waltzes.

In the same vein as Hans' question, if changes have been made from the "original", what has been changed, and what is the reason behind those changes?

(The use of the term "original" can be interpreted however you like. )

For San Francisco:

After promoting Chidozie Nzerem, Amanda Schull, and Pauli Magierek out of the corps and hiring Alexandra Ansanelli as a principal, I would schedule the following ballets:

Program 1 is the company premiere of Makarova's full-length La Bayadere. (Kingdom of Shades is already in the rep.)

Cast: Lorena Feijoo as Nikiya, Boada as Solor, and Yuan Yuan Tan as Gamzatti. Alternate cast: Ansanelli as Nikiya, Gonzalo Garcia as Solor, Sarah Van Patten as Gamzatti.

Program 2 is a mixed bill with Dances at a Gathering, a world premiere by someone well-versed in ballet, and In The Middle, Somewhat Elevated.

Cast for D@G: Pink--Ansanelli, Mauve--Yuan Yuan Tan, Yellow--Kristin Long, Green--Muriel Maffre, Blue--Sarah Van Patten; Brown--Gonzalo Garcia, Green--Ruben Martin, Purple--Chidozie Nzerem, Brick--Hansuke Yamamoto, Blue--Jaime Garcia Castilla

Only saw a snippet of the Forsythe, so not sure how to cast it, and the world premiere is up to the choreographer

Program 3 is a revival of Ashton's La Fille Mal Gardee, with 4 wonderful alternating casts: LeBlanc and Garcia; Ansanelli and Blanc; Zahorian and Nedviguine; Feijoo and Boada.

Program 4 is all-Balanchine.

Square Dance: Tina LeBlanc, Gonzalo Garcia

Serenade: Tan, Frances Chung, Magierek, Stephen Legate, Nzerem

Stars and Stripes: Other than Ansanelli as Liberty Bell, I'm not sure how I'd cast it, but I'd like to see SFB do the full ballet (They did the finale a couple of years ago).

Program 5 is an all-Mark Morris bill: Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes, Maelstrom, and Sandpaper Ballet.

Program 6 is an international Jewels extravaganza somewhat like what the Mariinsky did a couple of years ago, with guest artists in the leads.

Emeralds: Ayupova, Kolb, Cojocaru, Kobborg.

Rubies: Ansanelli (who isn't really a guest artist because I got her to join SFB ), Woetzel, Kowroski.

Diamonds: Zakharova, Uvarov

Wow, that was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Especially the rule about only six programs!