PeggyR

Enjoyed her commentary about some of the other dancers in the company. For example: Spot on. But my favorite comment (courtesy of Google Translate): It really sounds like she’s feeling a lot of conflict: return to Paris, which she loves,; stay here in San Francisco where she seems to have artistic fulfillment. Hard choices ahead.

Casts for the Spoleto engagement (no Zahorian or Messmer). In the event of injury or illness, casting is subject to change *Denotes dancer premiere in ballet FRIDAY, JULY 4—9:15PM—OPENING NIGHT FROM FOREIGN LANDS Choreographer: Alexei Ratmansky Composer: Moritz Moszkowski Russian: Sasha De Sola, Davit Karapetyan Frances Chung, Vitor Luiz Italian: Hansuke Yamamoto, Mathilde Froustey, Elizabeth Powell, Dores Andre German: Sofiane Sylve, Shane Wuerthner, Luke Ingham, Myles Thatcher Spanish: Frances Chung, Hansuke Yamamoto Mathilde Froustey, Vitor Luiz Polish: Sofiane Sylve, Sasha De Sola, Dores Andre, Elizabeth Powell Davit Karapetyan, Shane Wuerthner, Luke Ingham, Myles Thatcher INTERMISSION VARIATIONS FOR TWO COUPLES Choreographer: Hans van Manen Composer: Benjamin Britten, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Stefan Kovács Tickmayer, Aster Piazzolla Choreography: Hans van Manen Sofiane Sylve, Luke Ingham Sarah Van Patten, Carlos Quenedit PAUSE VOICES OF SPRING Choreographer: Sir Frederick Ashton Composer: Johann Strauss Maria Kochetkova, Davit Karapetyan* INTERMISSION 7 FOR EIGHT Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach Yuan Yuan Tan, Tiit Helimets Frances Chung, Gennadi Nedvigin Elizabeth Powell*, Pascal Molat Dores Andre, Jaime Garcia Castilla SATURDAY, JULY 5—9:15PM FROM FOREIGN LANDS Choreographer: Alexei Ratmansky Composer: Moritz Moszkowski Russian: Sasha De Sola, Davit Karapetyan Frances Chung, Vitor Luiz Italian: Hansuke Yamamoto, Mathilde Froustey, Elizabeth Powell, Dores Andre German: Sofiane Sylve, Shane Wuerthner, Luke Ingham, Myles Thatcher Spanish: Frances Chung, Hansuke Yamamoto Mathilde Froustey, Vitor Luiz Polish: Sofiane Sylve, Sasha De Sola, Dores Andre, Elizabeth Powell Davit Karapetyan, Shane Wuerthner, Luke Ingham, Myles Thatcher INTERMISSION VARIATIONS FOR TWO COUPLES Choreographer: Hans van Manen Composer: Benjamin Britten, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Stefan Kovács Tickmayer, Aster Piazzolla Sofiane Sylve, Luke Ingham Sarah Van Patten, Carlos Quenedit PAUSE VOICES OF SPRING Choreographer: Sir Frederick Ashton Composer: Johann Strauss Maria Kochetkova, Davit Karapetyan INTERMISSION 7 FOR EIGHT Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach Yuan Yuan Tan, Tiit Helimets Frances Chung, Gennadi Nedvigin Elizabeth Powell, Pascal Molat Dores Andre, Jaime Garcia Castilla SUNDAY, JULY 6—9:15PM FROM FOREIGN LANDS Choreographer: Alexei Ratmansky Composer: Moritz Moszkowski Russian: Sasha De Sola, Davit Karapetyan Frances Chung, Vitor Luiz Italian: Hansuke Yamamoto, Mathilde Froustey, Elizabeth Powell, Dores Andre German: Sofiane Sylve, Shane Wuerthner, Luke Ingham, Myles Thatcher Spanish: Frances Chung, Hansuke Yamamoto Mathilde Froustey, Vitor Luiz Polish: Sofiane Sylve, Sasha De Sola, Dores Andre, Elizabeth Powell Davit Karapetyan, Shane Wuerthner, Luke Ingham, Myles Thatcher INTERMISSION VARIATIONS FOR TWO COUPLES Choreographer: Hans van Manen Composer: Benjamin Britten, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Stefan Kovács Tickmayer, Aster Piazzolla Sofiane Sylve, Luke Ingham Sarah Van Patten, Carlos Quenedit PAUSE VOICES OF SPRING Choreographer: Sir Frederick Ashton Composer: Johann Strauss Maria Kochetkova, Davit Karapetyan INTERMISSION 7 FOR EIGHT Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach Yuan Yuan Tan, Tiit Helimets Frances Chung, Gennadi Nedvigin Elizabeth Powell, Pascal Molat Dores Andre, Jaime Garcia Castilla

I did an search and can’t find that this has been posted already. Interview and some nice photos.

Following her sojourn in Italy, the former (and much missed) SFB soloist is back in her hometown of San Francisco, working at a restaurant as a hostess and ... butcher’s assistant. http://instagram.com/p/pX2fVDpwoA/

Sadly, I have to agree. I’ll believe Messmer will be back when I actually see her on WMOH stage. By contrast, Froustey was on the roster as soon as the 2015 roster was put out, so her return was more or less a sure thing from the start.

Whatever the reasons, I’m just glad she’s staying. The inevitability of senior ballerinas retiring in the next few years makes a dancer like Froustey (and Messmer, had she remained) a valuable addition - assuming she stays beyond 2015, of course. She isn't perfect, but for me her qualities outweigh her deficiencies, and she seems to fit well into the company and the varied styles it dances (I'd be really curious to see her in something by, for instance, Wayne McGregor).

Just saw this. Aside from her dancing (and the chance to see a few snippets of Allegra Kent), my favorite parts were the home movies from her later years, when she had come to terms with what had happened. It was good to see her laughing and maturely beautiful in her long, gray hair. The photos of her that I assume were taken during the early years of her illness were heartbreaking: the disheveled hair and those haunted eyes…

The website has been updated, so I guess it's 'official', although you are right, sometimes additions are made. I noticed that, like last year, Nicole Ciapponi isn't listed on the website among the corps dancers, though she was added a week or so later; however, I never saw her cast for any performance I attended during the 2014 season.

The Dancers page on the SFB website has been updated, and Froustey is there, so it's official: she will be back for 2015. Good news that somewhat offsets the unfortunate loss of Simone Messmer.

New company members and promotions for the 2015 season. Congratulations to all. The actual pages showing company members have not been updated yet, but here’s the link to the principals page for future reference. (No official word yet about Froustey.)

San Francisco Ballet’s Myles Thatcher has been chosen as an emerging artist (dance) for the 2014-2015 Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative. His mentor will be Alexei Ratmansky. “Dance: Myles Thatcher (United States) Acknowledged for his versatility and talent as a rising star of classical ballet, American dancer and choreographer Myles Thatcher, 23, trained at the Harid Conservatory, Ellison Ballet and San Francisco Ballet, which he officially joined as part of the corps de ballet in 2010. He will now choreograph a piece for the San Francisco Ballet’s 2015 repertory season.” Link to New York Times article. Congratulations to Mr. Thatcher.

Oh no!!! I wonder what happened. She's made a lot of fans in her short time here. Very sad/bad news. Now for Froustey's decision.

I have to agree about this. I saw Feijoo, not Tan, but even with Feijoo's dramatic gifts, that section dragged. Scarlett is undeniably gifted, though; I hope we have a chance to see more of his work in the future. I wondered what happened to the pas de cinq. Very unfortunate about Messmer being injured; the more I see of her, the more I believe she has the potential to become one of the most interesting dancers in the company.

Luke Ingham has been promoted to principal. Congratulations to Mr. Ingham.

Here's the new lineup for the 2015 season. The Wheeldon, Kobborg and MacMillan are out completely for 2015. Program 1: Serenade/Balanchine Raku/Possokhov Lambarena/Caniparoli Program 2: Giselle Program 3: The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude/Forsythe Variations for Two Couples/ van Manen World Premiere/Thatcher Kingdom of the Shades/Makarova staging Program 4: Dances at a Gathering/Robbins Hummingbird/Scarlett Program 5: Don Quixote/Tomasson/Possokhov Program 6: Continuum/Wheeldon MOVED TO PROGRAM 7: World Premiere/Possokhov Piano Concerto #1 (from the triple bill)/Ratmansky ADDED: Shostakovich Trilogy/Ratmansky Program 7: Caprice/Tomasson Possokhov World Premiere Pas de deux from Concerto/MacMillan Les Lutins/Kobborg The Four Temperaments/Balanchine Program 8: Romeo & Juliet/Tomasson

Program and casts for the farewell performance: SUNDAY, MAY11—7:00PM—SPECIAL FAREWELL PERFORMANCE Excerpts from THE FIFTH SEASON Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson Composer: Karl Jenkins Conductor: Martin West Frances Chung, Davit Karapetyan Mathilde Froustey, Davit Karapetyan, Ruben Martin Cintas, Damian Smith Yuan Yuan Tan, Damian Smith VARIATIONS FOR TWO COUPLES Choreographer: Hans van Manen Composers: Benjamin Britten, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Stefan Kovács Tickmayer, Aster Piazzolla Conductor: Martin West Sofiane Sylve, Luke Ingham Sarah Van Patten, Carlos Quenedit* “THE MAN I LOVE” from WHO CARES? Choreography: George Balanchine Music and Lyrics: George and Ira Gershwin, arranged by Hershey Kay Conductor: Martin West Simone Messmer, Ruben Martin Cintas Pas de Deux from AFTER THE RAIN Choreographer: Christopher Wheeldon Composer: Arvo Pärt Conductor: Martin West Yuan Yuan Tan, Damian Smith INTERMISSION VIDEO PRESENTATION IN THE NIGHT Choreographer: Jerome Robbins Composer: Frédéric Chopin Conductor: Martin West Dores Andre, Ruben Martin Cintas Sofiane Sylve, Tiit Helimets Lorena Feijoo, Damian Smith

They may not bump anything - just add a 9th program that could be shorter in length, or overlap with another program. Personally I like it when the programs overlap because it gives me a better chance to see 2 programs. How about placing a short program between 4 and 5 and overlapping with 4? Not sure how well that would work: subscribers have already ordered/paid for an 8-program season. If a couple of performances are added outside the subscription series, a lot of subscribers will be left out (and not happy). If a whole program is added to the subscription, they will have to go back to subscribers for more money. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

Best news in a long time. I wonder what (if anything) will be bumped to accommodate the Trilogy. Now to start saving the pennies for multiple performances.

Liam Scarlett's new ballet, Hummingbird, premieres on April 29. Here's a short interview with Scarlett and some rehearsal footage. http://bcove.me/epehy1n3

San Francisco Ballet will precede their July 2014 appearance at the Les Etés de la Danse in Paris with performances at the Spoleto Festival, July 4-6. Ballets will include Ratmansky’s From Foreign Lands, Van Manen’s Variations for Two Couples, Voices of Spring by Frederick Ashton, and Helgi Tomasson’s 7 for Eight.

Opening night cast only for Program 8. Sofiane Sylve in Agon!!! PROGRAM 8 THURSDAY, MAY 1—8:00PM—OPENING NIGHT AGON Choreographer: George Balanchine Composer: Igor Stravinsky Conductor: Martin West Sofiane Sylve, Tiit Helimets* Taras Domitro*, Jennifer Stahl*, Grace Shibley* Frances Chung*, Jaime Garcia Castilla*, Hansuke Yamamoto* INTERMISSION BRAHMS-SCHOENBERG QUARTET Choreographer: George Balanchine Composer: Johannes Brahms, orchestrated by Arnold Schoenberg Conductor: Martin West Mathilde Froustey*, Carlos Quenedit* Maria Kochetkova*, Vitor Luiz* Frances Chung*, Taras Domitro* Sarah Van Patten*, Davit Karapetyan* INTERMISSION GLASS PIECES Choreographer: Jerome Robbins Composer: Philip Glass Conductor: Ming Luke Sasha De Sola, Hansuke Yamamoto Jennifer Stahl, Gaetano Amico Dores Andre, Shane Wuerthner Yuan Yuan Tan, Damian Smith

Partial casting for Program 7. PROGRAM 7 TUESDAY, APRIL 29—8:00PM—OPENING NIGHT THE FIFTH SEASON Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson Composer: Karl Jenkins Conductor: Martin West Frances Chung, Davit Karapetyan Sarah Van Patten, Carlos Quenedit* Yuan Yuan Tan, Damian Smith INTERMISSION World Premiere HUMMINGBIRD Choreographer: Liam Scarlett Composer: Philip Glass Conductor: Martin West Frances Chung*, Gennadi Nedvigin* Yuan Yuan Tan*, Luke Ingham* Maria Kochetkova*, Taras Domitro* INTERMISSION SUITE EN BLANC Choreographer: Serge Lifar Composer: Edouard Lalo Conductor: Martin West Sasha De Sola, Jaime Castilla, Shane Wuerthner Koto Ishihara Dores Andre, Esteban Hernandez, Francisco Mungamba, Wei Wang, Max Cauthorn Mathilde Froustey Davit Karapetyan Sarah Van Patten, Tiit Helimets Sofiane Sylve WEDNESDAY, APRIL30—7:30PM THE FIFTH SEASON Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson Composer: Karl Jenkins Conductor: Martin West Lorena Feijoo, Vitor Luiz Mathilde Froustey*, Daniel Deivison-Oliveira* Sarah Van Patten, Tiit Helimets INTERMISSION HUMMINGBIRD Choreographer: Liam Scarlett Composer: Philip Glass Conductor: Martin West Frances Chung, Gennadi Nedvigin Yuan Yuan Tan, Luke Ingham Maria Kochetkova, Taras Domitro INTERMISSION SUITE EN BLANC Choreographer: Serge Lifar Composer: Edouard Lalo Conductor: Martin West Mathilde Froustey, Vitor Luiz, Taras Domitro Sasha De Sola Frances Chung, Esteban Hernandez, Francisco Mungamba, Wei Wang, Max Cauthorn Sarah Van Patten Joan Boada Yuan Yuan Tan, Davit Karapetyan Maria Kochetkova

Sorry about that! Here's the entire email.

Two principal dancers will be retiring at the end of the 2014 season: Damian Smith and Rubén Martín Cintas. Smith’s retirement had been announced previously, but Martín Cintas is a bit of a surprise (to me, anyway). That's three male principals gone in two years (Pierre-Francois Villanoba retired at the end of last season). Now the speculation begins: who will replace them? Only subscribers can access the page right now, but here’s an excerpt from the subscriber email:

Casts for the entire run of Program 6 (see link above): FRIDAY, APRIL 4—8:00PM—OPENING NIGHT—PROGRAM 6 MAELSTROM Choreographer: Mark Morris Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven Sarah Van Patten, Pascal Molat Frances Chung, Gennadi Nedvigin Jennifer Stahl*, Jeremy Rucker* Sasha De Sola*, Steven Morse* Julia Rowe*, James Sofranko Alexandra Meyer-Lorey*, Hansuke Yamamoto* Shannon Rugani*, Wei Wang* INTERMISSION World Premiere CAPRICE Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson Composer: Camille Saint-Saens Conductor: Martin West Maria Kochetkova*, Davit Karapetyan* Yuan Yuan Tan*, Luke Ingham* INTERMISSION THE RITE OF SPRING Choreographer: Yuri Possokhov Composer: Igor Stravinsky Conductor: Martin West Jennifer Stahl, Luke Ingham James Sofranko, Benjamin Stewart Shane Wuerthner, Myles Thatcher, Hansuke Yamamoto Koto Ishihara*, Shannon Rugani, Sasha De Sola SUNDAY, APRIL 6—2:00PM MAELSTROM Choreographer: Mark Morris Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven Conductor: Martin West Sarah Van Patten, Pascal Molat* Frances Chung, Gennadi Nedvigin Jennifer Stahl, Jeremy Rucker Sasha De Sola, Steven Morse Julia Rowe, James Sofranko Alexandra Meyer-Lorey, Hansuke Yamamoto Shannon Rugani, Wei Wang INTERMISSION CAPRICE Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson Composer: Camille Saint-Saens Conductor: Martin West Frances Chung*, Taras Domitro* Sarah Van Patten*, Tiit Helimets* INTERMISSION THE RITE OF SPRING Choreographer: Yuri Possokhov Composer: Igor Stravinsky Conductor: Martin West Dores Andre, Carlos Quenedit James Sofranko, Benjamin Stewart Shane Wuerthner, Myles Thatcher, Hansuke Yamamoto Koto Ishihara, Shannon Rugani, Sasha De Sola WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9—7:30PM MAELSTROM Choreographer: Mark Morris Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven Conductor: Martin West Sarah Van Patten, Pascal Molat Frances Chung, Gennadi Nedvigin Jennifer Stahl, Jeremy Rucker Sasha De Sola, Steven Morse Julia Rowe, James Sofranko Alexandra Meyer-Lorey, Hansuke Yamamoto Shannon Rugani, Wei Wang INTERMISSION CAPRICE Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson Composer: Camille Saint-Saens Conductor: Martin West Mathilde Froustey*, Vitor Luiz* Yuan Yuan Tan, Luke Ingham INTERMISSION THE RITE OF SPRING Choreographer: Yuri Possokhov Composer: Igor Stravinsky Conductor: Martin West Dores Andre, Carlos Quenedit James Sofranko, Benjamin Stewart Shane Wuerthner, Myles Thatcher, Hansuke Yamamoto Koto Ishihara, Shannon Rugani, Sasha De Sola THURSDAY, APRIL 10—8:00PM MAELSTROM Choreographer: Mark Morris Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven Dores Andre, Joan Boada Simone Messmer, Jaime Garcia Castilla Jennifer Stahl, Jeremy Rucker Sasha De Sola, Steven Morse Julia Rowe, James Sofranko Alexandra Meyer-Lorey, Hansuke Yamamoto Shannon Rugani, Wei Wang INTERMISSION CAPRICE Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson Composer: Camille Saint-Saens Conductor: Martin West Frances Chung, Taras Domitro Sarah Van Patten, Tiit Helimets INTERMISSION THE RITE OF SPRING Choreographer: Yuri Possokhov Composer: Igor Stravinsky Conductor: Martin West Jennifer Stahl, Luke Ingham James Sofranko, Benjamin Stewart Shane Wuerthner, Myles Thatcher, Hansuke Yamamoto Koto Ishihara, Shannon Rugani, Sasha De Sola SATURDAY, APRIL 12—2:00PM MAELSTROM Choreographer: Mark Morris Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven Dores Andre, Joan Boada Simone Messmer, Jaime Garcia Castilla Jennifer Stahl, Jeremy Rucker Sasha De Sola, Steven Morse Julia Rowe, James Sofranko Alexandra Meyer-Lorey, Hansuke Yamamoto Shannon Rugani, Wei Wang INTERMISSION CAPRICE Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson Composer: Camille Saint-Saens Conductor: Martin West Mathilde Froustey, Vitor Luiz Simone Messmer*, Tiit Helimets INTERMISSION THE RITE OF SPRING Choreographer: Yuri Possokhov Composer: Igor Stravinsky Conductor: Martin West Lorena Feijoo*, Vitor Luiz Max Cauthorn*, Luke Willis Shane Wuerthner, Myles Thatcher, Hansuke Yamamoto Koto Ishihara, Shannon Rugani, Sasha De Sola SATURDAY, APRIL 12—8:00PM MAELSTROM Choreographer: Mark Morris Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven Sarah Van Patten, Pascal Molat Frances Chung, Gennadi Nedvigin Jennifer Stahl, Jeremy Rucker Sasha De Sola, Steven Morse Julia Rowe, James Sofranko Alexandra Meyer-Lorey, Hansuke Yamamoto Shannon Rugani, Wei Wang INTERMISSION CAPRICE Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson Composer: Camille Saint-Saens Conductor: Martin West Maria Kochetkova, Davit Karapetyan Yuan Yuan Tan, Luke Ingham INTERMISSION THE RITE OF SPRING Choreographer: Yuri Possokhov Composer: Igor Stravinsky Conductor: Martin West Dores Andre, Carlos Quenedit James Sofranko, Benjamin Stewart Shane Wuerthner, Myles Thatcher, Hansuke Yamamoto Koto Ishihara, Shannon Rugani, Sasha De Sola TUESDAY, APRIL 15 – 8:00PM MAELSTROM Choreographer: Mark Morris Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven Sarah Van Patten, Pascal Molat Frances Chung, Gennadi Nedvigin Jennifer Stahl, Jeremy Rucker Sasha De Sola, Steven Morse Julia Rowe, James Sofranko Alexandra Meyer-Lorey, Hansuke Yamamoto Shannon Rugani, Wei Wang INTERMISSION CAPRICE Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson Composer: Camille Saint-Saens Conductor: Martin West Maria Kochetkova, Davit Karapetyan Yuan Yuan Tan, Luke Ingham INTERMISSION THE RITE OF SPRING Choreographer: Yuri Possokhov Composer: Igor Stravinsky Conductor: Martin West Lorena Feijoo, Vitor Luiz Max Cauthorn, Luke Willis Shane Wuerthner, Myles Thatcher, Hansuke Yamamoto Koto Ishihara, Shannon Rugani, Sasha De Sola