PeggyR

Here's the link: http://www.sfballet.org/performancestickets/casting.asp Choreographer and composer information has been added. Addtional casts will be entered when information becomes available. Updated 1/29: added casting for matinee and evening 1/31 Program 2 Opening Night Thursday, January 29, 2009, 8pm NAKED Conductor: Gary Sheldon Choregraphy: Stanton Welch Composer: Poulenc (Concerto in D minor for Two Pianos) Piano: Roy Bogas Kristin Long, Pascal Molat Yuan Yuan Tan, Ruben Martin Frances Chung, Brett Bauer Nicole Grand, Hansuke Yamamoto Elizabeth Miner, Diego Cruz INTERMISSION IBSEN’S HOUSE Choregraphy: Val Caniparoli Composer: Dvorak (Piano Quintet in A Major, Op. 81) Conductor: Gary Sheldon Piano: Roy Bogas Violin: Roy Malan, Craig Reiss Viola: Paul Ehrlich Cello: David Kadarauch Lorena Feijoo, Quinn Wharton* Katita Waldo, Davit Karapetyan Clara Blanco, Luke Willis Courtney Elizabeth, Brett Bauer Nicole Grand, Anthony Spaulding INTERMISSION IN THE MIDDLE, SOMEWHAT ELEVATED Choreography: William Forsythe Composer: Thom Willems Music: Tape Sofiane Sylve*, Yuan Yuan Tan* Vanessa Zahorian*, Lorena Feijoo* Elana Altman*, Frances Chung* Pierre-François Vilanoba, Pascal Molat*, Joan Boada* Program 2 Matinee Saturday, January 31, 2009, 2pm NAKED Conductor: Gary Sheldon Piano: Roy Bogas, Michael McGraw Vanessa Zahorian, Hansuke Yamamoto Rachel Viselli*, Brett Bauer Jennifer Stahl*, Quinn Wharton* Dana Genshaft, Matthew Stewart* Clara Blanco, Benjamin Stewart* INTERMISSION IBSEN’S HOUSE Piano: Roy Bogas Violin: Roy Malan, Craig Reiss Viola: Paul Ehrlich Cello: David Kadarauch Pauli Magierek*, Aaron Orza Katita Waldo, Davit Karapetyan Clara Blanco, Luke Willis Shannon Roberts, Mateo Klemmayer Patricia Perez, Sean Orza* INTERMISSION IN THE MIDDLE, SOMEWHAT ELEVATED Music: Tape Kristin Long, Katita Waldo Maria Kochetkova*, Sarah Van Patten* Erin McNulty*, Courtney Elizabeth* Ruben Martin, James Sofranko*, Joan Boada Program 2 Evening Saturday, January 31, 2009, 8pm NAKED Conductor: Gary Sheldon Piano: Roy Bogas, Michael McGraw Kristin Long, Pascal Molat Yuan Yuan Tan, Ruben Martin Frances Chung, Brett Bauer Dana Genshaft, Hansuke Yamamoto Elizabeth Miner, Diego Cruz INTERMISSION IBSEN’S HOUSE Piano: Roy Bogas Violin: Roy Malan, Craig Reiss Viola: Paul Ehrlich Cello: David Kadarauch Lorena Feijoo, Quinn Wharton Dana Genshaft, Garen Scribner Clara Blanco, Luke Willis Courtney Elizabeth, Brett Bauer Patricia Perez, Anthony Spaulding INTERMISSION IN THE MIDDLE, SOMEWHAT ELEVATED Music: Tape Kristin Long, Katita Waldo Vanessa Zahorian, Lorena Feijoo Elana Altman, Frances Chung Ruben Martin, Pascal Molat, Joan Boada

Update 1/27: Added casting for January 30 Update 1/29: Added casting for February 1 Here's the link for updates: http://www.sfballet.org/performancestickets/casting.asp I've added choreographer and composer information. Additional casting will be added as information becomes available. Program 1 Opening Night Tuesday, January 27, 2009, 8pm PRISM Choreography: Helgi Tommasson Composer: Beethoven (Piano Concerto No. 1) Conductor: Martin West Piano: Roy Bogas 1st Movement: Kristin Long, Ruben Martin, Hansuke Yamamoto 2nd Movement: Sofiane Sylve*, Ivan Popov* 3rd Movement: Taras Domitro INTERMISSION World Premiere DIVING INTO THE LILACS Choreography: Yuri Possokhov Composer: Boris Tchaikovsky (who???) (Sinfonietta for String Orchestra) Conductor: Martin West 1st Movement: Ensemble 2nd Movement: Maria Kochetkova*, Pascal Molat* 3rd Movement: Yuan Yuan Tan*, Anthony Spaulding* 4th Movement: Lorena Feijoo*, Joan Boada* I Googled Boris T. and found some information: born 1925, died 1996; studied with Shostakovich and Miaskovsky; no relation to Pyotr Ilych. INTERMISSION THE FOUR TEMPERAMENTS Choreography: George Balanchine Composer: Hindemith (Theme with Four Variations for String Orchestra and Piano) Conductor: Martin West Piano: Roy Bogas 1st Theme: Lily Rogers, Daniel Deivison 2nd Theme: Elana Altman, Brett Bauer 3rd Theme: Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun, Anthony Spaulding Melancholic: Taras Domitro Sanguinic: Sarah Van Patten, Ruben Martin Phlegmatic: Pierre-François Vilanoba Choleric: Sofiane Sylve Program 1 Evening Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 7:30pm PRISM Choreography: Helgi Tommasson Composer: Beethoven (Piano Concerto No. 1) Conductor: Martin West Piano: Roy Bogas 1st Movement: Tina LeBlanc, Ruben Martin, Hansuke Yamamoto 2nd Movement: Sarah Van Patten, Pierre-François Vilanoba 3rd Movement: Taras Domitro INTERMISSION DIVING INTO THE LILACS Choreography: Yuri Possokhov Composer: Boris Tchaikovsky (Sinfonietta for String Orchestra) Conductor: Martin West 1st Movement: Ensemble 2nd Movement: Maria Kochetkova, Pascal Molat 3rd Movement: Yuan Yuan Tan, Anthony Spaulding 4th Movement: Lorena Feijoo, Joan Boada INTERMISSION THE FOUR TEMPERAMENTS Choreography: George Balanchine Composer: Hindemith (Theme with Four Variations for String Orchestra and Piano) Conductor: Martin West Piano: Roy Bogas 1st Theme: Charlene Cohen*, Daniel Deivison 2nd Theme: Jennifer Stahl, Brett Bauer 3rd Theme: Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun, Anthony Spaulding Melancholic: Pascal Molat Sanguinic: Vanessa Zahorian, Joan Boada Phlegmatic: Davit Karapetyan Choleric: Elana Altman Program 1 Evening Friday, January 30, 2009, 8pm PRISM Conductor: Martin West Piano: Roy Bogas 1st Movement: Vanessa Zahorian, Pascal Molat, Mateo Klemmayer* 2nd Movement: Sarah Van Patten, Brett Bauer 3rd Movement: Hansuke Yamamoto INTERMISSION DIVING INTO THE LILACS Conductor: Martin West 1st Movement: Ensemble 2nd Movement: Maria Kochetkova, Pascal Molat 3rd Movement: Yuan Yuan Tan, Anthony Spaulding 4th Movement: Lorena Feijoo, Joan Boada INTERMISSION THE FOUR TEMPERAMENTS Conductor: Martin West Piano: Roy Bogas 1st Theme: Lily Rogers, Daniel Deivison 2nd Theme: Elana Altman, Brett Bauer 3rd Theme: Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun, Anthony Spaulding Melancholic: Taras Domitro Sanguinic: Lorena Feijoo, Ruben Martin Phlegmatic: Ivan Popov Choleric: Sofiane Sylve Program 1 Matinee Sunday, February 01, 2009, 2pm PRISM Conductor: Martin West Piano: Roy Bogas 1st Movement: Vanessa Zahorian, Ruben Martin, Mateo Klemmayer 2nd Movement: Sofiane Sylve, Ivan Popov 3rd Movement: Taras Domitro INTERMISSION DIVING INTO THE LILACS Conductor: Martin West 1st Movement: Ensemble 2nd Movement: Maria Kochetkova, Pascal Molat 3rd Movement: Yuan Yuan Tan, Anthony Spaulding 4th Movement: Lorena Feijoo, Joan Boada INTERMISSION THE FOUR TEMPERAMENTS Conductor: Martin West Piano: Natal’ya Feygina 1st Theme: Charlene Cohen, Daniel Deivison 2nd Theme: Jennifer Stahl, Brett Bauer 3rd Theme: Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun, Anthony Spaulding Melancholic: Pascal Molat Sanguinic: Vanessa Zahorian, Joan Boada Phlegmatic: Davit Karapetyan Choleric: Lily Rogers*

Here's the cast listing (sorry, I'm at work and don't have time to make it pretty). CastingOpening Night Gala Wednesday, January 21, 2009, 8pm Opening Night Gala Opening Night Wednesday, January 21, 2009, 8pm TARANTELLA Conductor: Martin West Piano: Michael McGraw Frances Chung*, Daniel Deivison* PAS DE DEUX from POLYPHONIA Piano: Michael McGraw Katita Waldo, Ivan Popov* TCHAIKOVSKY PAS DE DEUX Conductor: Martin West Tina LeBlanc, Isaac Hernandez CONFIDENCIAS Piano: Roy Bogas Lorena Feijoo* EXCERPT from GISELLE, ACT II Conductor: Martin West Yuan Yuan Tan, Ivan Popov EXCERPTS from DOUBLE EVIL Music: Tape Elana Altman, Pauli Magierek, Dores Andre, Maria Kochetkova Anthony Spaulding, James Sofranko, Pascal Molat, Garen Scribner INTERMISSION RAYMONDA PAS DE DEUX Conductor: Martin West Maria Kochetkova*, Joan Boada* PAS DE DEUX from IN THE MIDDLE, SOMEWHAT ELEVATED Music: Tape Sofiane Sylve*, Pierre-François Vilanoba PAS DE DEUX from LE CORSAIRE Conductor: Martin West Vanessa Zahorian, Taras Domitro MEN'S REGIMENT and FINALE from STARS AND STRIPES Conductor: Martin West Pascal Molat* Rachel Viselli*, Hansuke Yamamoto* Elizabeth Miner* Lily Rogers* * Designates premiere in a role. Casting subject to change.

If you're a foodie, and you don't mind something very low key and gentle, try the French/Danish 'Babette's Feast'. Based on a Karen Blixen novel set in a remote part of Denmark in the late 19th century, it tells the story of a French woman refugee from whatever was going on in France at that time who turns up on the doorstep of two elderly Danish sisters. Despite their own poverty, they take her in and for many years she cooks and cleans for them until an unexpected opportunity arises for her to repay the sisters' kindness. Surprises (and lots of food) are in store for everyone. A real charmer.

When I used to have season tickets to the opera, someone sitting a few rows away began unwrapping candy (or whatever) the second -- I mean the nano-second -- the curtain went up. The beginning of every performance, after every intermission. I have no idea what it was or what happened to the wrappers, but the noise, the NOISE went on for a good ten minutes every single time. Many an intermission was spent consulting with the other patrons in my row trying to figure out who the guilty party might be -- triangulations were involved -- but we never determined the offender (lucky for him/her: proposed solutions ranged from a quiet word before the next performance to BB guns under cover of darkness). Yes, the candy wrapper issue is relatively trivial, but learning/teaching respect for the environment, be it national park or theater, is not. In a perfect world, the complainant would have politely confronted the miscreants and explained their crime, they would have been eternally grateful for the enlightenment and forever ceased dropping candy wrappers on floor, street or meadow. However, on this planet erpollack's response seems reasonable given the possible consequences of confrontation. Maybe they learned a lesson, maybe not. At least nobody resorted to BB guns.

BUMMER!!!!!!! Ditto...I'm seeing three SLs and two Jewels; somebody is going to have some explaining to do if she doesn't turn up in one of them! Edited to add: I'm glad that serious injury from 2007 isn't the way her career ended. At least she's able to retire as a dancer should: healthy and still delighting her fans so we can give her a proper farewell. It's still a bummer, though.

Thank you for bringing Delgado to light. In the La Sylphide and Giselle Act II clips, she was truly a lithograph come to life -- absolutely enchanting. Makes you realize what a rarity a truly 'romantic' ballerina is these days. What I wouldn't give to see her in the complete ballets. By contrast, in Diana and Acteon and Esmeralda I thought she looked tentative and much less at ease than she does in the romantic ballets. Clearly she's not a highly technical dancer (and more power to her). Slightly OT, but what happened to Aurora's entrance and Rose Adagio choreography? Not to mention sending somebody wearing pointe shoes down a long, steep flight of steps (no hand rail or 'spotter' that I could see).

The article is so brief, it really doesn't say exactly what the objections were to the BW's Nutty Nutcracker. Did people object to what was done, or to the fact that anything was done? I mean, come on; if rubber chickens are involved, it couldn't be all bad.

Looks like I'm the only Royal Ballet voter so far. I'd love to see the 1949 opening night in New York, Fonteyn as Aurora.

I think he was mentioned a couple of years ago on this thread, but I have to add my vote for John Kriza.

Thanks; that was interesting. I especially enjoyed the ads for American Hotrod and American Chopper superimposed over the pink satin pointe shoes. Must be an interesting audience they're aiming for.

I have to agree about Wheeldon's memorable 'Within the Golden Hour', although for me the whole SFB New Works Festival had to count as a highlight, despite the 'beige' nature of some of the new ballets. It was worth nine misses (or interesting near misses) to come up with one work like the Wheeldon. And while I know it's an unfair way to judge anyone, based on what has been posted on Ballet Talk and what I've seen on YouTube, another highlight would be not seeing Somova in her Bay Area appearances in 2008.

Note that Taras Domitro is scheduled for 12/23 matinee, 12/26 evening, 12/27 evening. Here's the link: http://www.sfballet.org/performancestickets/casting.asp Monday, December 22, 2008, 2pm Conductor: Nathan Fifield Drosselmeyer: Jorge Esquivel Queen and King of the Snow: Dores Andre*, Anthony Spaulding Sugar Plum Fairy: Frances Chung Grand Pas de Deux: Vanessa Zahorian, Tiit Helimets Monday, December 22, 2008, 7pm Conductor: Martin West Drosselmeyer: Damian Smith Queen and King of the Snow: Frances Chung, Hansuke Yamamoto Sugar Plum Fairy: Lorena Feijoo Grand Pas de Deux: Katita Waldo, Ivan Popov Tuesday, December 23, 2008, 2pm Conductor: Martin West Drosselmeyer: Damian Smith Queen and King of the Snow: Vanessa Zahorian, Taras Domitro* Sugar Plum Fairy: Rachel Viselli Grand Pas de Deux: Clara Blanco, Nicolas Blanc Tuesday, December 23, 2008, 7pm Conductor: David LaMarche Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli Queen and King of the Snow: Elana Altman, Brett Bauer Sugar Plum Fairy: Kristin Long Grand Pas de Deux: Maria Kochetkova, Gennadi Nedvigin Wednesday, December 24, 2008, 11am Conductor: David LaMarche Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli Queen and King of the Snow: Frances Chung, Anthony Spaulding Sugar Plum Fairy: Elana Altman Grand Pas de Deux: Rachel Viselli, Tiit Helimets Wednesday, December 24, 2008, 4pm 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: Tina LeBlanc, Joan Boada Friday, December 26, 2008, 2pm Conductor: Martin West Drosselmeyer: Jorge Esquivel Queen and King of the Snow: Katita Waldo, Hansuke Yamamoto Sugar Plum Fairy: Maria Kochetkova Grand Pas de Deux: Kristin Long, Joan Boada Friday, December 26, 2008, 7pm Conductor: David LaMarche Drosselmeyer: Damian Smith Queen and King of the Snow: Vanessa Zahorian, Taras Domitro Sugar Plum Fairy: Rachel Viselli Grand Pas de Deux: Maria Kochetkova, Davit Karapetyan Saturday, December 27, 2008, 2pm Conductor: Martin West Drosselmeyer: Damian Smith Queen and King of the Snow: TBA Sugar Plum Fairy: Tina LeBlanc Grand Pas de Deux: Katita Waldo, Ivan Popov Saturday, December 27, 2008, 7pm Conductor: Martin West Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli Queen and King of the Snow: Vanessa Zahorian, Taras Domitro Sugar Plum Fairy: Maria Kochetkova Grand Pas de Deux: Sarah Van Patten, Pierre-François Vilanoba Sunday, December 28, 2008, 2pm Conductor: David LaMarche Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli Queen and King of the Snow: Frances Chung, Hansuke Yamamoto Sugar Plum Fairy: Tina LeBlanc Grand Pas de Deux: Vanessa Zahorian, Tiit Helimets Sunday, December 28, 2008, 7pm Conductor: David LaMarche Drosselmeyer: Jorge Esquivel Queen and King of the Snow: Katita Waldo, Ivan Popov Sugar Plum Fairy: Frances Chung Grand Pas de Deux: Maria Kochetkova, Davit Karapetyan

During the blizzard at the 12/17 matinee, one of the snowflakes took a spill (she kept going though, so no apparent damage done, thank goodness). It wasn't really visible on screen, but at the live performances I've seen there had to be at least two inches of the stuff on the floor. Despite the hazards, that scene is spectacular in the theater; it's blunted on screen because you can't see the sparkle and glitter. I found this funny picture of the SFB website (scroll down to the 'Pic of the Week': http://www.sfballetblog.org/ Here's the photo as a standalone, in case it disappears from the website: Captioned: Dancers take cover from the "snow" after the curtain comes down on the first act of Nutcracker (2006 © Erik Tomasson) http://www.sfballetblog.org/wp-content/upl...et006_small.jpg

Ok. That's it. I'm moving to Canada.

Love the idea of 'beige' ballets -- and you don't even need to be a synesthete! Helgi Tomasson's 'Blue Rose' would qualify as my 'beige'. Pretty costumes, pretty music, lots of tricky-looking lifts presumably interspersed by pretty steps, but I just couldn't keep my eyes open. (The only other ballet that has ever put me to sleep was 'The Dybbuk', but that wasn't beige, that was awful.) It was like watching an advanced ballet class I had seen -- or taken -- dozens of times before.

During the blizzard at the 12/17 matinee, one of the snowflakes took a spill (she kept going though, so no apparent damage done, thank goodness). It wasn't really visible on screen, but at the live performances I've seen there had to be at least two inches of the stuff on the floor. Despite the hazards, that scene is spectacular in the theater; it's blunted on screen because you can't see the sparkle and glitter.

I suspect Suze Orman in toe shoes would do more good than e-mails

If you miss Ballet Shoes on TV, it's available on DVD in the US; I got it through Netflix. It's a real charmer.

Here are some updates to SFB's Nutcracker casting from tonight's performance through Sunday, 12/21 evening (and I sincerely apologize for heaping abuse upon the SFB webperson for lack of updates ) Thursday, December 18, 2008, 7pm Conductor: Gary Sheldon Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli Queen and King of the Snow: Frances Chung, Anthony Spaulding Sugar Plum Fairy: Kristin Long (was Van Patten) Grand Pas de Deux: Vanessa Zahorian, Pierre-Francois Vilanoba (was Karapetyan) Friday, December 19, 2008, 2pm Conductor: Nathan Fifield Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli Queen and King of the Snow: Vanessa Zahorian, Pascal Molat Sugar Plum Fairy: Elana Altman (was Viselli) Grand Pas de Deux: Kristin Long (was Kochetkova), Gennadi Nedvigin Friday, December 19, 2008, 7pm Conductor: Martin West Drosselmeyer: Jorge Esquivel Queen and King of the Snow: Frances Chung, Anthony Spaulding (was Van Patten/Vilanoba) Sugar Plum Fairy: Sofiane Sylve Grand Pas de Deux: Lorena Feijoo, Ivan Popov Saturday, December 20, 2008, 2pm NO CHANGES Conductor: Nathan Fifield Drosselmeyer: Jorge Esquivel Queen and King of the Snow: Elana Altman, Brett Bauer Sugar Plum Fairy: Frances Chung Grand Pas de Deux: Rachel Viselli, Tiit Helimets Saturday, December 20, 2008, 7pm Conductor: Martin West Drosselmeyer: Damian Smith Queen and King of the Snow: Katita Waldo, Ivan Popov Sugar Plum Fairy: Sofiane Sylve Grand Pas de Deux: Kristin Long, Gennadi Nedvigin (was Zahorian/Karapetyan) Sunday, December 21, 2008, 2pm Conductor: Martin West Drosselmeyer: Damian Smith Queen and King of the Snow: Vanessa Zahorian, Pascal Molat (was Chung/Spaulding) Sugar Plum Fairy: Rachel Viselli (was Altman) Grand Pas de Deux: Frances Chung (was Van Patten), Pierre-François Vilanoba Sunday, December 21, 2008, 7pm NO CHANGES Conductor: Nathan Fifield Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli Queen and King of the Snow: Katita Waldo, Hansuke Yamamoto Sugar Plum Fairy: Kristin Long Grand Pas de Deux: Lorena Feijoo, Ivan Popov

Wednesday, December 17, 2008, Matinee A snowflake fell, a French dancer got the twirler caught in her headdress, the GPdD foutees wandered around the stage (they were probably looking for someplace warm; it's coooooold out here). Originally I hadn't intended to comment on this routine performance, but I have to gush a little about Tina LeBlanc, who danced the Sugar Plum Fairy. Last season she didn't show up on any of my series performances (I think she was injured part of the time), so this was my first chance to get a good look at her. Based on what I saw today, LeBlanc is the kind of dancer who makes me glad somebody invented ballet all those years ago. She isn't ultra skinny, her extensions don't poke holes in the ceiling, she doesn't have legs up to her armpits. What she does have is that stage encompassing 'star' quality that even some of SFB's otherwise fine principals lack. And don't get me started on her superb ballon, or her open and expressive upper body (something you don't realize a lot of dancers don't have until you see somebody who does). I'm so grateful to have finally been able to experience her magic. :flowers:

Paul: Thank you for that stunning video. I feel like having a good cry over what ballet has lost with the passing of Sibley and Dowell's generation of dancers. They can teach, but is anyone learning?

Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 2pm Conductor: Martin West Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli Queen and King of the Snow: Yuan Yuan Tan, Tiit Helimets Sugar Plum Fairy: Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun Grand Pas de Deux: Lorena Feijoo, Ivan Popov Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 7pm Conductor: Gary Sheldon Drosselmeyer: Damian Smith Queen and King of the Snow: Yuan Yuan Tan, Tiit Helimets Sugar Plum Fairy: Kristin Long Grand Pas de Deux: Tina LeBlanc, Joan Boada Wednesday, December 17, 2008, 2pm Conductor: Gary Sheldon Drosselmeyer: Damian Smith Queen and King of the Snow: Vanessa Zahorian, Pascal Molat Sugar Plum Fairy: Tina LeBlanc Grand Pas de Deux: Clara Blanco, Nicolas Blanc Wednesday, December 17, 2008, 7pm Conductor: Martin West Drosselmeyer: Jorge Esquivel Queen and King of the Snow: Rachel Viselli, Mateo Klemmayer Sugar Plum Fairy: Sofiane Sylve Grand Pas de Deux: Yuan Yuan Tan, Tiit Helimets Thursday, December 18, 2008, 2pm Conductor: Martin West Drosselmeyer: Jorge Esquivel Queen and King of the Snow: Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun, Brett Bauer Sugar Plum Fairy: Lorena Feijoo Grand Pas de Deux: Yuan Yuan Tan, Tiit Helimets Thursday, December 18, 2008, 7pm Conductor: Gary Sheldon Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli Queen and King of the Snow: Frances Chung, Anthony Spaulding Sugar Plum Fairy: Sarah Van Patten Grand Pas de Deux: Vanessa Zahorian, Davit Karapetyan Friday, December 19, 2008, 2pm Conductor: Nathan Fifield Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli Queen and King of the Snow: Vanessa Zahorian, Pascal Molat Sugar Plum Fairy: Rachel Viselli Grand Pas de Deux: Maria Kochetkova, Gennadi Nedvigin Friday, December 19, 2008, 7pm Conductor: Martin West Drosselmeyer: Jorge Esquivel Queen and King of the Snow: Sarah Van Patten, Pierre-François Vilanoba Sugar Plum Fairy: Sofiane Sylve Grand Pas de Deux: Lorena Feijoo, Ivan Popov Saturday, December 20, 2008, 2pm Conductor: Nathan Fifield Drosselmeyer: Jorge Esquivel Queen and King of the Snow: Elana Altman, Brett Bauer Sugar Plum Fairy: Frances Chung Grand Pas de Deux: Rachel Viselli, Tiit Helimets Saturday, December 20, 2008, 7pm Conductor: Martin West Drosselmeyer: Damian Smith Queen and King of the Snow: Katita Waldo, Ivan Popov Sugar Plum Fairy: Sofiane Sylve Grand Pas de Deux: Vanessa Zahorian, Davit Karapetyan Sunday, December 21, 2008, 2pm Conductor: Martin West Drosselmeyer: Damian Smith Queen and King of the Snow: Frances Chung, Anthony Spaulding Sugar Plum Fairy: Elana Altman Grand Pas de Deux: Sarah Van Patten, Pierre-François Vilanoba Sunday, December 21, 2008, 7pm Conductor: Nathan Fifield Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli Queen and King of the Snow: Katita Waldo, Hansuke Yamamoto Sugar Plum Fairy: Kristin Long Grand Pas de Deux: Lorena Feijoo, Ivan Popov * Designates premiere in a role. Casting subject to change.

I had planned to go standing room for this one just to get a look at him; glad I didn't bother (no disrespect to the rest of the cast, but they're known quantities; I'm very curious to see Domitro). Who replaced him? I've got tickets for the 17th and 26th. Oddly, if you look at the website for casting as of this writing, the lists for the 11th through 14th are still there with this at the top: "No Casting is available at this time. Please check back a few days before a performance." Well, it IS 'a few days before', where are the casts? Very annoying, despite the inevitable changes. Edited to add: Finally, casts are up through 12/21 http://www.sfballet.org/performancestickets/casting.asp. Here's the 'not to be missed' one for me: Sunday, December 21, 2008, 2pm Conductor: Martin West Drosselmeyer: Damian Smith Queen and King of the Snow: Frances Chung, Anthony Spaulding Sugar Plum Fairy: Elana Altman Grand Pas de Deux: Sarah Van Patten, Pierre-François Vilanoba Chung is one of my favorite soloists; my first chance to see newly promoted soloist Spaulding somewhere besides at the back of the corps; and Van Patten is always worth seeing.

I'm not sure if it's ok to post this; please delete if inappropriate. Meredith Monk's "Book of Days" is now available on DVD for $20. This is the full-length, 74 minute version (the one shown on PBS was truncated by about 15 or 20 minutes) and is paired with another of Ms. Monk's works, "Ellis Island" (23 minutes). Follow this link for ordering information: http://www.meredithmonk.org/