PeggyR

... And Ratmansky's Piano Concerto? I wonder if that's part of the Shostakovich evening-length.

Highlights (well, 4 1/2 minutes of them) from the Awards. Brief glimpses of Bouder in ‘Square Dance’, and Ferri (those feet!) and Cornejo in ‘Cheri’.

Program for the Paris tour July 10 - 26, 2014 is announced: Helgi Tomasson : Chaconne pour Piano et deux Danseurs, The Fifth Season*, Trio*, George Balanchine : Agon, Allegro Brillante, The Four Temperaments, Jerome Robbins : Glass Pieces, In the Night, Alexei Ratmansky : From Foreign Lands*, Piano Concerto*, Christopher Wheeldon : Ghosts*, Within the Golden Hour*, Edwaard Liang : Symphonic Dances* Kenneth MacMillan : Concerto Mark Morris : Maëlstrom Liam Scarlett : nouvelle création* Hans van Manen : Solo *premières en France

Undoubtedly that's why he was so much fun to watch, if a trial for interviewers to control.

She was also good in Suspicion with Cary Grant. I have to dig up The Women, where I seem to remember her giving a fine performance too. In that era, her quivering, youthful innocence provided a nice contrast to the sass of actors like Barbara Stanwyck. RIP

O’Toole was given an honorary Oscar a few years ago (after having turned it down several years before). It's hard to believe anyone who turned in that many superb performances was never honored for a specific role, particularly any one of the first three listed. From his brief and charming acceptance speech:

Very sad news. Although he was understandably best known for Lawrence of Arabia, his very funny performance as the has-been swashbuckling actor Alan Swann in the 1982 My Favorite Year - with all his considerable charm (and those blue eyes) on ample display - was my personal favorite. A marvelous actor. Rest in peace, Mr. O'Toole.

Thank you so much for pointing out that the Nutcracker DVD is finally available from the PNB shop (I checked Amazon, but they only have the VHS). I taped it from the original broadcast, but neither the tape nor the tape player has survived the years, and I've really missed having this version available. (Also picked up the Maillot/Ballets de Monte Carlo R&J as an extra Christmas present to myself.)

Froustey as Kitri Not the highest extensions, not the biggest jumps, not the most stage devouring technique, but — talk about attack and personality. And while it’s hard to say from a video, she looks like an interestingly and intensely musical dancer. Can’t wait to see her on stage.

Make that 2013. SFB Nutcracker casting is starting to show up. Note production debuts of the Sugar Plum Fairy: Simone Messmer (12/13 matinee) and Mathilde Froustey (12/13 evening). * Denotes premiere in role for current production. All casting subject to change. Wednesday, December 11, 7 pm (Opening Night) Choreography: Helgi Tomasson Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Drosselmeyer: Damian Smith Queen and King of the Snow: Frances Chung, Jaime Garcia Castilla Sugar Plum Fairy: Vanessa Zahorian Grand Pas de Deux: Maria Kochetkova, Joan Boada Thursday, December 12, 7 pm Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli Queen and King of the Snow: Vanessa Zahorian, Taras Domitro Sugar Plum Fairy: Jennifer Stahl Grand Pas de Deux: Lorena Feijoo, Vitor Luiz Friday, December 13, 2pm Drosselmeyer: Yuri Possokhov Queen and King of the Snow: Koto Ishihara, Gennadi Nedvigin Sugar Plum Fairy: Simone Messmer* Grand Pas de Deux: Vanessa Zahorian, Taras Domitro Friday, December 13, 7pm Drosselmeyer: Yuri Possokhov Queen and King of the Snow: Dores Andre, Hansuke Yamamoto Sugar Plum Fairy: Mathilde Froustey* Grand Pas de Deux: Yuan Yuan Tan, Davit Karapetyan Sorry about the gray background; SFB is now only posting casts to their blog, and for some reason, the background turns out gray when I copy it. ETA Sorry, cross posting with Quiggin, plus I got the year wrong and I can't fix it!

Artist Ai Wei Wei will create a site-specific installation for Alcatraz.

And then could she come and do it in London too, please? And a few other roles, while she's here... From our mouths to the Gods of Ballet ears!

It’s been so long since I’ve seen Les Sylphides (late ‘60s?) that I may be cross-pollinating roles and certainly missing some, but… San Francisco Ballet: Mazurka – Lorena Feijoo (alternate: Sofiane Sylve) Nocturne – Yuan Yuan Tan (no alternate here; just can’t picture anyone else, except, maybe, Feijoo) PDD – Sarah Van Patten (alternate: Maria Kochetkova) Poet: Gennadi Nedvigin (alternate: Davit Karapetyan, although I wouldn't say 'no' to stealing back either Vito Mazzeo or Isaac Hernandez for a performance or two) And another performance where Lorena Feijoo just dances everything (I bet she could, and brilliantly).

Mathilde Froustey Tweeted this: Suite en Blanc pas de trois with Froustey, Davit Karapetyan and Vitor Luiz. Not crazy about the choreography, but she's lovely.

If Prokofiev/Cinderella isn't really your cup of tea to begin with, then you are probably better off seeing a program that you know will move you. The production values for SFB's Cinderella are high, but I don't know that Wheeldon's choreography is so special that it must be seen to be believed. ;) I have to second Pherank on this. I doubt that Wheeldon's Cinderella, for all its virtues, would sustain multiple viewings in a short period of time. What I most remember about it are Basil Twist's wonderful tree, and the 'carriage' that takes Cinderella to the ball at the end of Act 1. I can't remember a scrap of the choreography, which isn't to say it was bad - not at all - just not very memorable. SFB's Giselle is an attractive production, and we have some good Gs and As. If you see several casts, I don't think you'll be bored. Enjoy!

Congratulations to all, especially Bay Area favorite, Yuan Yuan Tan. (I like the press release description of her as 'otherwordly': very apt.)

Abatt, I know you don't live in the Bay Area, but if you ever have a chance to see Van Patten's Giselle, don't miss it, especially if Helimets is her Albrecht. Their second act is simply breathtaking. And once again, I'm so glad Hansuke Yamamoto is being recognized for his consistently fine work.

I've long thought Yamamoto was sadly underrated; it's great that he's starting to get the recognition he deserves.

Casts for the mixed rep. http://www.sfballetblog.org/2013/10/nyc-casting-2013/ PROGRAM A: OPENING NIGHT – Wednesday, October 16, 2013 – 8:00PM New York Premiere Trio Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson Composer: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Conductor: Martin West Vanessa Zahorian, Vitor Luiz Sarah Van Patten, Tiit Helimets, Anthony Spaulding Maria Kochetkova, Gennadi Nedvigin INTERMISSION New York Premiere Ghosts Choreographer: Christopher Wheeldon Composer: C.F. Kip Winger Conductor: Martin West Yuan Yuan Tan, Damian Smith Sofiane Sylve, Tiit Helimets, Shane Wuerthner INTERMISSION New York Premiere Borderlands Choreographer: Wayne McGregor Composer: Joel Cadbury and Paul Stoney Conductor: Martin West Maria Kochetkova, Jaime Garcia Castilla Sarah Van Patten, Pascal Molat Frances Chung, Carlos Quenedit Sofiane Sylve, Anthony Spaulding* Koto Ishihara, Lonnie Weeks Elizabeth Powell, Francisco Mungamba Program C: OPENING NIGHT – Thursday, October 17 – 8:00PM New York Premiere From Foreign Lands Choreographer: Alexei Ratmansky Composer: Moritz Moszkowski Conductor: Martin West Russian: Vanessa Zahorian, Davit Karapetyan Frances Chung, Gennadi Nedvigin Italian: Pascal Molat, Sarah Van Patten, Dana Genshaft, Dores Andre German: Sofiane Sylve, Shane Wuerthner, Luke Ingham, Luke Willis Spanish: Frances Chung, Pascal Molat Sarah Van Patten, Gennadi Nedvigin Polish: Sofiane Sylve, Vanessa Zahorian, Dores Andre, Dana Genshaft Davit Karapetyan, Shane Wuerthner, Luke Ingham, Luke Willis INTERMISSION New York Premiere Beaux Choreographer: Mark Morris Composer: Bohuslav Martinů Conductor: Martin West Harpsichord: Bradley Moore Henry Sidford*, Pascal Molat, Benjamin Stewart Jeremy Rucker, Ruben Martin Cintas, Gennadi Nedvigin Sean Bennett, Luke Willis*, Dustin Shane Spero PAUSE New York Premiere Classical Symphony Choreographer: Yuri Possokhov Composer: Sergei Prokofiev Conductor: Martin West Maria Kochetkova, Hansuke Yamamoto Frances Chung, Carlos Quenedit Dores Andre, Jaime Garcia Castilla New York Premiere Symphonic Dances Choreographer: Edwaard Liang Composer: Sergei Rachmaninov Conductor: Martin West Yuan Yuan Tan, Luke Ingham Sofiane Sylve, Tiit Helimets Maria Kochetkova, Vitor Luiz Program C: Friday, October 18 – 8:00PM From Foreign Lands Choreographer: Alexei Ratmansky Composer: Moritz Moszkowski Conductor: Ming Luke Russian: Sasha De Sola, Davit Karapetyan Maria Kochetkova, Vitor Luiz Italian: Pascal Molat, Sarah Van Patten, Dana Genshaft, Dores Andre German: Simone Messmer, Shane Wuerthner, Luke Ingham, Luke Willis Spanish: Maria Kochetkova, Pascal Molat Sarah Van Patten, Vitor Luiz Polish: Simone Messmer, Sasha De Sola, Dores Andre, Dana Genshaft Davit Karapetyan, Shane Wuerthner, Luke Ingham, Luke Willis INTERMISSION Beaux Choreographer: Mark Morris Composer: Bohuslav Martinů Conductor: Ming Luke Harpsichord: Bradley Moore Henry Sidford, Pascal Molat, Benjamin Stewart Jeremy Rucker, Ruben Martin Cintas, James Sofranko Sean Bennett, Luke Willis, Dustin Shane Spero PAUSE Classical Symphony Choreographer: Yuri Possokhov Composer: Sergei Prokofiev Conductor: Ming Luke Vanessa Zahorian, Gennadi Nedvigin Frances Chung, Carlos Quenedit Clara Blanco, Jaime Garcia Castilla INTERMISSION Symphonic Dances Choreographer: Edwaard Liang Composer: Sergei Rachmaninov Conductor: Martin West Yuan Yuan Tan, Luke Ingham Sofiane Sylve, Tiit Helimets Maria Kochetkova, Vitor Luiz

San Francisco Ballet's principal dancer Sofiane Sylve tweeted this video, which apparently has won a first prize (well, she says 'price'), though she doesn't say where. I have no idea what's going on here, but Ms. Sylve could probably make walking across the street in a thunderstorm while carrying three bags of groceries look like a work of art, so maybe it doesn't really matter what's going on.

Do these people understand that a good orchestra and conductor will adapt to individual dancers, thus enhancing the dancer's (the 'product's') performance, something a recording or computer cannot do? And I'm curious how dancers feel about being referred to as a 'product'. Silly me, I thought they were 'artists'.

It's great to see this underrated (in my opinion) dancer being given the national recognition she deserves. Thanks for the link.

Has anyone seen this? Opinions? While I very much admired aspects of Neumeier's ‘The Little Mermaid’, I still think it could be cut in half without damage to the story telling. Last season I missed ‘Nijinsky’, but the local reviews were not very favorable. Just wondering if it’s worth giving up a ‘Giselle’ to see this one.

Thank you so much, Paul, for the Semenyaka clip. I prefer Semenyaka' clapping variation too. She seems more comfortable with the character dance aspects, giving the performance an earthiness Tereshkina's rather 'grand ballerina' lacked.

Now that's what I expect from a Mariinsky ballerina. The third variation just left me awestruck. At 3:07 and 3:12 she did arabesque fondus that have to be the most exquisite I've ever seen. Flawless. Thank you, Helene, for remaining trance-free long enough to post this.