sf_herminator

On 1/23/2017 at 1:48 PM, pherank said:

 

Unfortunately, it looks like she may have more 'medical issues' - she posted a photo taken from the window of the Pacific Medical Center. I really hope she hasn't had another seizure.

Mathilde has shared what is going on with on Instagram:  

 

Casting for the first two nights of Program 1 & opening night for Program 2:

 

PROGRAM 1

Tuesday, January 24, 2017 - 7:30 pm

 

HAFFNER SYMPHONY

Choreography: Helgi Tomasson

Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Conductor: Martin West

Maria Kochetkova, Angelo Greco*

World Premiere

FRAGILE VESSELS

 

Choreography: Jiří Bubeníček

Music: Sergei Rachmaninov

Conductor: Martin West

First Movement

Sofiane Sylve*, Carlo Di Lanno*

Dores André*, Francisco Mungamba*

Mathilde Froustey*, Wei Wang*

Second Movement

Dores André*, Joseph Walsh*, Wei Wang*

Third Movement

Sofiane Sylve*, Carlo Di Lanno*

Mathilde Froustey*, Francisco Mungamba*, Wei Wang*

Dores André*, Joseph Walsh*

 

IN THE COUNTENANCE OF KINGS

 

Choreography: Justin Peck

Music and Original Orchestrations: Sufjan Stevens

Orchestration for San Francisco Ballet: Michael P. Atkinson

Conductor: Martin West

 

Quantus: Dores André

Electress: Frances Chung

Botanica: Jennifer Stahl

The Protagonist: Joseph Walsh

The Foil: Daniel Deivison-Oliveira

The Hero: Luke Ingham

 

Wednesday, January 25, 2017 - 7:30 pm

 

HAFFNER SYMPHONY

Choreography: Helgi Tomasson

Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Conductor: Martin West

Vanessa Zahorian, Taras Domitro*

 

FRAGILE VESSELS

 

Choreography: Jiří Bubeníček

Music: Sergei Rachmaninov

Conductor: Martin West

First Movement

Jennifer Stahl*, Carlo Di Lanno

Dores André, Francisco Mungamba

Mathilde Froustey, Wei Wang

Second Movement

Dores André, Joseph Walsh, Wei Wang

Third Movement

Jennifer Stahl*, Carlo Di Lanno

Mathilde Froustey, Francisco Mungamba, Wei Wang

Dores André, Joseph Walsh

 

IN THE COUNTENANCE OF KINGS

 

Choreography: Justin Peck

Music and Original Orchestrations: Sufjan Stevens

Orchestration for San Francisco Ballet: Michael P. Atkinson

Conductor: Martin West

 

Quantus: Dores André

Electress: Frances Chung

Botanica: Jennifer Stahl

The Protagonist: Joseph Walsh

The Foil: Daniel Deivison-Oliveira

The Hero: Luke Ingham

 

PROGRAM 2

Thursday, January 26, 2017 - 7:30 pm

 

SEVEN SONATAS

Choreography: Alexei Ratmansky

Music: Domenico Scarlatti

Pianist: Mungunchimeg Buriad

 

Mathilde Froustey, Joseph Walsh

Frances Chung, Angelo Greco*

Sofiane Sylve, Carlo Di Lanno

 

World Premiere

OPTIMISTIC TRAGEDY

 

Choreography:

Yuri Possokhov

Music: Ilya Demutsky

Conductor: Martin West

 

Lorena Feijóo*

Luke Ingham*, Taras Domitro*

 

PAS/PARTS 2016

 

Choreography: William Forsythe

Music: Thom Willems

 

Maria Kochetkova

Frances Chung

Dores André

Sasha De Sola

Julia Rowe

Sofiane Sylve

Jennifer Stahl

Skyla Schreter

Carlo Di Lanno

Francisco Mungamba

James Sofranko

Diego Cruz

Joseph Walsh

Wei Wang

Henry Sidford

 

*Denotes premiere in ballet

 

Link to casting:  https://www.sfballet.org/season/casting

Program 1 Info:  https://www.sfballet.org/season/repertory/program-01

Program 2 Info:  https://www.sfballet.org/season/repertory/program-02

 

 

7 minutes ago, its the mom said:

sf_herminator - This is not Pennsylvania Ballet.  Pennsylvania Ballet should be so blessed.  This is a school very close to the area where Vanessa grew up.

Thanks, I did update it to Pennsylvania Ballet Academy.  I am always happy to see dancers passing on their knowledge to future generations.

I saw the announcement on FB

 

I also received an email.  I was not expecting this.  There are so many performances - both individually and together - I can remember.  I think for most people it would be Romeo & Juliet.  I am sad to see them go.  Merde to a great season and best wishes in their future roles with Pennsylvania Ballet Academy!!

Link to casting:  https://www.sfballet.org/season/casting

 

Very excited to see Wei Wang debut in the PDD with Lauren.  I remember the first time I ever saw Wei in Nutcracker in 2012, dancing the Chinese dance - definite WOW!!!  And he had the sweetest reaction when the audience applauded....

 

Also nice to see Pascal dancing Drosselmeyer!!

 

Here's additional casting (12/16-12/20):

 

Friday, December 16, 2016 - 2 pm
Conductor: Matilda Hofman
Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli
Queen and King of the Snow: Sasha De Sola, Daniel Deivson-Oliveira
Sugar Plum Fairy: Jennifer Stahl
Grand Pas de Deux: Lauren Strongin, Wei Wang*

Friday, December 16, 2016 - 7 pm
Conductor: Matilda Hofman
Drosselmeyer: Ricardo Bustamante
Queen and King of the Snow: Mathilde Froustey, Carlo Di Lanno
Sugar Plum Fairy: Jahna Frantziskonis*
Grand Pas de Deux: Sofiane Sylve, Tiit Helimets

Saturday, December 17, 2016 - 2 pm
Conductor: Martin West
Drosselmeyer: Ricardo Bustamante
Queen and King of the Snow: Lauren Strongin, Hansuke Yamamoto
Sugar Plum Fairy: Jennifer Stahl
Grand Pas de Deux: Julia Rowe*, Angelo Greco*

Saturday, December 17, 2016 - 7 pm
Conductor: Martin West
Drosselmeyer: Pascal Molat
Queen and King of the Snow: Lorena Feijoo, Jaime Garcia Castilla
Sugar Plum Fairy: Sasha De Sola
Grand Pas de Deux: Frances Chung, Joseph Walsh

Sunday, December 18, 2016 - 2 pm
Conductor: Martin West
Drosselmeyer: Pascal Molat
Queen and King of the Snow: Elizabeth Mateer*, Steven Morse
Sugar Plum Fairy: Julia Rowe
Grand Pas de Deux: Sarah Van Patten, Aaron Robison*

Sunday, December 18, 2016 - 7 pm
Conductor: Ming Luke
Drosselmeyer: Ruben Martin Cintas
Queen and King of the Snow: WanTing Zhao, Tiit Helimets
Sugar Plum Fairy: Sofiane Sylve
Grand Pas de Deux: Mathilde Froustey, Carlo Di Lanno

Tuesday, December 20, 2016 - 2 pm
Conductor: Martin West
Drosselmeyer: Ruben Martin Cintas
Queen and King of the Snow: Isabella DeVivo*, Max Cauthorn
Sugar Plum Fairy: Mathilde Froustey
Grand Pas de Deux: Koto Ishihara, Hansuke Yamamoto*

Tuesday, December 20, 2016 - 7 pm
Conductor: Ming Luke
Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli
Queen and King of the Snow: Sasha De Sola, Aaron Robison
Sugar Plum Fairy: Jennifer Stahl
Grand Pas de Deux: Lorena Feijoo, Carlos Quenedit

9 hours ago, pherank said:

 

I see now that ex-Pennsylvania Ballet dancer Elizabeth Mateer will be both Sugar Plum Fairy and Snow Queen (debut), and Jahna Frantziskonis will be debuting as SPF - good for Jahna. Julia Rowe and Angelo Greco will be dancing together in the Grand Pas (debuts). Toi toi toi.

 

 

So happy to see Julia and Angelo will be dancing the PDD.  I haven't seen Angelo yet, but a really big fan of Julia.  

 

I thought Jahna danced SPF last year - I found last season's discussion thread:  

 

On 11/2/2016 at 11:00 AM, Helene said:

Marina Harss has written an article on Korbes in "The New York Times."  I didn't realize that she was four months pregnant when she danced her final performance with the company!

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/03/arts/dance/the-ballerina-who-got-away-comes-back.html?_r=0

 

As noted in the article above and the following article, Carla Korbes was going to dance in Wheeldon's After the Rain PDD for Benjamin Millepied's LA Dance Project:

 

http://hauteliving.com/2016/12/benjamin-millepied-dishes-on-the-la-dance-projects-homecoming/625416/

 

I was down in LA for a few days and luckily was able to get a couple of tickets for Saturday's performance.  Imagine my surprise when I opened the program and saw who Carla's partner was -  Batkhurel Bold!!!  Here is a review from the LA Times:

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-la-dance-project-review-20161211-story.html

 

I had seen Bold before in Tide Harmonic, but this was my first time seeing Carla.  They were simply wonderful!!

18 hours ago, pherank said:

I can't help but notice that Kochetkova has managed to skate free of all but one performance. But I suppose there will be more chances coming. She does not love dancing The Nutcracker, but it can be said that she doesn't require a warm up period for the 2017 season as many of the dancers do.

 

Yes, there will be more performances to be announced.  Nutcracker will be onstage through Thursday 12/29.  I would expect to see other dancers and hopefully more debuts.

Casting for performances 12/10-12/15 has been posted:  https://www.sfballet.org/casting?source=26030&utm_source=mail2&utm_campaign=17_Nutcracker_Casting_1210-15&cmp=1&utm_medium=email

 

Nice to see the return of Sarah Van Patten & Jaime Garcia Castilla.  Also nice to see new dancers Aaron Robison & Elizabeth Mateer.  Lastly, how exciting for the role debuts of Mathilde Froustey (Snow Queen), Norika Matsuyama (Snow Queen), Francisco Mungamba (Snow King), and Isabella DeVivo (Sugar Plum Fairy)

NUTCRACKER

Choreography: Helgi Tomasson
Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Conductor: Martin West

Saturday, December 10, 2016 - 7 pm
Snow Queen: Mathilde Froustey*
Snow King: Carlo Di Lanno
Sugar Plum Fairy: Sofiane Sylve
Grand Pas de Deux: Vanessa Zahorian
Grand Pas de Deux: Davit Karapetyan

Sunday, December 11, 2016 - 2 pm
Snow Queen: Sarah Van Patten
Snow King: Carlos Quenedit
Sugar Plum Fairy: Julia Rowe
Grand Pas de Deux: Dores André
Grand Pas de Deux: Luke Ingham

Sunday, December 11, 2016 - 7 pm
Snow Queen: Lorena Feijoo
Snow King: Jaime Garcia Castilla
Sugar Plum Fairy: Mathilde Froustey
Grand Pas de Deux: Sasha De Sola
Grand Pas de Deux: Taras Domitro

Tuesday, December 13, 2016 - 2 pm
Snow Queen: Dores André
Snow King: Luke Ingham
Sugar Plum Fairy: Elizabeth Mateer*
Grand Pas de Deux: Sarah Van Patten
Grand Pas de Deux: Aaron Robison*

Tuesday, December 13, 2016 - 7 pm
Snow Queen: Norika Matsuyama*
Snow King: Hansuke Yamamoto
Sugar Plum Fairy: Sasha De Sola
Grand Pas de Deux: Sofiane Sylve
Grand Pas de Deux: Tiit Helimets

Wednesday, December 14, 2016 - 2 pm
Snow Queen: Frances Chung
Snow King: Joseph Walsh
Sugar Plum Fairy: Mathilde Froustey
Grand Pas de Deux: Lorena Feijoo
Grand Pas de Deux: Carlos Quenedit

Wednesday, December 14, 2016 - 7 pm
Snow Queen: Vanessa Zahorian
Snow King: Taras Domitro
Sugar Plum Fairy: Norika Matsuyama
Grand Pas de Deux: Maria Kochetkova
Grand Pas de Deux: Vitor Luiz

Thursday, December 15, 2016 - 2 pm
Snow Queen: Koto Ishihara
Snow King: Francisco Mungamba*
Sugar Plum Fairy: Isabella DeVivo*
Grand Pas de Deux: Frances Chung
Grand Pas de Deux: Joseph Walsh

Thursday, December 15, 2016 - 7 pm
Snow Queen: WanTing Zhao
Snow King: Tiit Helimets
Sugar Plum Fairy: Elizabeth Mateer
Grand Pas de Deux: Vanessa Zahorian
Grand Pas de Deux: Davit Karapetyan

Here's a pic from PNB's Instagram page of Saturday's cast with William Forsythe:  

 

2 hours ago, Helene said:

Josette:  do you know who the other five PNB dancers are?  I looked at the cast lists from March 2015 when PNB performed Vertiginous as part of its "Vertiginous Thrill of Forsythe" program, and half of them have either left the company (Bouchard, Adomaitis, Frantziskonis) or are still not back from injury/surgery (Samuelson and Davis).  The remaining five are Dylan Wald -- sf_herminator, was one of the PNB dancers in front of you a tall blond? -- Angelica Generosa -- just promoted to Soloist -- Elizabeth Murphy, Rachel Foster, and Price Suddarth.  They were in two different casts, while the cast you saw on Friday was an intact cast.

 

Leta Biasucci had an injury during season's opening program after making a brilliant debut in Third Movement of "Symphony in C":  I'm glad to hear she's better.  She's a remarkable dancer, who's been dancing above rank since she joined PNB.

I found a link to casting here:  http://www.musiccenter.org/about/Our-Programs/1617-Season/Celebrate-Forsythe/  If you scroll down a bit there is a section on the right 'Engagement Casting' which will pull up the PDF of casting for each performance.  So dancing tonight are Rachel Foster, Angelica Generosa, Elizabeth Murphy, Ezra Thomson, and Dylan Wald.  The Friday cast will dance again on Sunday afternoon.  

 

Helene - Yes, the dancers in front of me were Dylan (actually he was off to the side with Angelica), Ezra, and Elizabeth.  I had previously met Dylan when he (along with Elle Macy & Steven Loch) came to see SFB during the Onegin run.  I had complimented Ezra on his performance as Mercutio (and forgot to tell him I also saw him in Waiting at the Station) and Ezra was flattered.  He told me he was really excited about Cendrillon.  I told them I was planning to come up for Director's Choice.  Dylan asked me if I was coming again.  I said unfortunately no - but this was before I knew that they would be dancing tonight.   I am tempted, but not sure if I want to make the trek up to LA again (I am staying in Orange County - it took me two hours to drive up to the performance last night!!  But it should really not take more than one hour....).

I was fortunate enough to see the program tonight.  Here was the order:

 

San Francisco Ballet: Pas/Parts 2016

Pause
Pacific Northwest Ballet: The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude

Intermission
Houston Ballet: Artifact Suite

Note:  recorded music was used except for the second half of Artifact Suite, which is always performed to a live pianist.

(I will only comment on PNB here since it is the PNB forum....)

Dancing in tonight's performance of Vertiginous:

Leta Biasucci, Carrie Imler, Margaret Mullin, Benjamin Griffiths, Jonathan Porretta

 

I thought everyone was great tonight.  My favorite was Leta Biasucci - there was just something about her that really drew my eye to her.  

 

During intermission, I was in line for the bar and looked up to realize there were other PNB dancers in front of me 

At the end of the performance, all the dancers came out for bows, and then William Forsythe joined the dancers on stage.  It was a great moment and a great night of dancing!!!

 

I would be curious to know if any other dancers are performing or if these dancers are in all three performances this weekend.

2 hours ago, Emma said:

Casting has been announced on the Kennedy Center site.  The leads will be Kochetkova and Walsh, André and Ingham, and Chung and Quenedit.  I'm not very familiar with SFB dancers.  Any thoughts?

2 hours ago, Helene said:

I love all of the women.  I envy anyone who gets to watch them.

 

I've only seen Joseph Walsh as a Meliton in Ben Stevenson's "Nutcracker" when Walsh was at Houston Ballet, which isn't much of a help.

 

2 hours ago, apollosmuse said:

That's a debut for Doris Andre, which is always exciting!

 

Personally, I'd probably go for the Kotchetkova/Walsh casting--the ballet premiered on Masha and Joan Boada and I think she's excellent in the role, plus, I adore Joe Walsh-- but as Helene said, all the casts should be great. 

 

I agree with Helene - any of the women would be wonderful.

 

Kochetkova debuted the role first in SF, with Joan Boada as Prince Guillaume.  This would be a debut for Walsh, and the first time the two have danced a full length together (AFAIK).  They have danced together in Serenade and DAAG.  Walsh was a wonderful Franz (to Andre's Swanilda last season) and I have no doubt he will be great as Guillaume.

 

Andre has danced Clementine (the sweet stepsister).  This is her debut as Cinderella.  Ingham has danced Prince Guillaume with both Yuan Yuan Tan and Chung.  Andre and Ingham debuted as Romeo & Juliet in 2015 (which blew me away).

 

Chung danced Clementine in the first SF performance, then debuted as Cinderella a few nights later.  Her first Guillaume was Ingham, and then the following season danced with Davit Karapetyan.  I can't remember if Quenedit has danced Guillaume before.  

 

If I had to pick one, I would probably go with Chung.  But any one would be a great choice.

A piece about Arthur PIta, who is creating a work for Program 5, has been posted on the blog:

http://sfballetblog.org/2016/08/who-is-arthur-pita/

I saw the DVD of The Metamorphosis with Edward Watson - it was spectacular!!  So I was really curious to see what he would do with SFB.

Mathilde Froustey posted this peek on her Instagram:

This looks to be a very exciting piece and I can't wait to see it!!!!!

Last week, Vanessa Zahorian, Davit Karatpetyan, and Lorena Feijoo were dancing at the Ballet Stars Gala in Taipei. Vito Mazzeo (former SFB but now Dutch National principal dancer) was also performing.

Here are a couple of posts from Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BFv3WVXoVvP/?taken-by=vzahorian

https://www.instagram.com/p/BFwFH2CTdr5/?taken-by=vitomazzeo

Lorena hasn't danced much the past few seasons, has she? I feel like she's another one, like Jaime, that we rarely see anymore.

This season Lorena performed in Forsythe's Pas/Parts, Liam Scarlett's Fearful Symmetries, Robbins' Dances at a Gathering (Green), Possokhov's Swimmer, and Ratmansky's Seven Sonatas.

• Only one apprentice from 2015-2016 is joining the company--the website has already been updated, so I'm not sure off the top of my head who the other apprentices were/where they're going. Does anybody have more info?

Chisako Oga posted on her Instagram that she is joining Cincinnati Ballet: https://www.instagram.com/p/BFKkoNmBq6P/?taken-by=coga715

I think Frantziskonis is a special case (there won't be a flood of dancers leaving for SFB), and mostly because SF had something PNB didn't have: her brother (whom she names as her best friend). That was a strong pull. And I believe they are now roommates in SF.

Jahna posted this short vid on her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BFK6uczQbYM/?taken-by=jahnagram

I had the chance to speak with them briefly after yesterday's Onegin performance. I complimented Jahna on her performance as Olga - really I should have complimented her on the entire season.

Here's a pic after Wednesday's performance Jahna posted on her Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BFA7AkgQbb1/?taken-by=jahnagram

Anyone get a chance to see the first two casts?

Yes, I went on Sunday for Luke/YY and tonight (Tues) for Vitor/Maria.

First off, I have to say the ballet has grown on me. I remember seeing it back in 2011 and 2012 when SFB first performed it and thought it was just OK. Seeing it again this year both casts have been wonderful. Luke and Vitor were wonderful partners to YY and Maria, especially in the Act 1 & Act 3 PDD. I am also happy to report that both Lensky/Olga casts (Joseph Walsh and Jahna Frantziskonis on Sunday, Lonnie Weeks and Norika Matsuyama on Tues) were also excellent. With tonight's performance, Joan Boada as Prince Gremin closed his career with SFB in fine form.

I will be seeing Onegin again on Thursday (Carlo, Mathilde, and Ben debuting as Onegin, Tatiana, and Lensky), Friday (Sasha's debut as Olga) and Sunday (Gennadi's final performance).

Jahna Frantziskonis will be making her debut as Olga in John Cranko's Onegin on Sunday 5/1:

https://www.sfballet.org/tickets/casting

So looking forward to this!!!

Wow, what an opportunity! Let us know all about it

Just got home from today's performance of Onegin. The ballet is better than I remember, and everyone was spectacular. Of course, I know you all want to know how Jahna was. I have to say that of all the performances I have seen of Olga, Jahna is my favorite. I really think she was able to show what a fun loving character Olga is and then later show the anguish at the fate of Lensky (the dashing Joseph Walsh). And her dancing was wonderful as well.

There were a few PNB dancers in attendance as well. I had a feeling there would be when I saw the following Instagram posts:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BE14IV1I9BM/?taken-by=waldylan

https://www.instagram.com/p/BE4r2a5I9Js/?taken-by=waldylan

https://www.instagram.com/p/BE2DgrNka8P/?taken-by=stevizzle57968

I had the chance to speak with them before and after the performance and we all agreed she was wonderful!!

Jahna will dance again on Wednesday night.

Casting for the entire run of Onegin now posted: https://www.sfballet.org/tickets/casting

Some exciting debuts (in addition to Lauren Strongin, Jahna Frantziskonis and Norika Matsuyama as Olga, Lonnie Quinn as Lensky, and Joan Boada as Gremin):

• Carlo DiLanno/Mathilde Froustey as Onegin/Tatiana
• Benjamin Fremantle as Lensky
• Sasha De Sola as Olga

Also of note: Gennadi will dance his final performance with SFB as Lensky during the final performance of the season on Sunday 5/8.

In the event of injury or illness, casting is subject to change.

^Premiere in role
+Premiere in SF Ballet production

Onegin - Wednesday, May 04, 2016 - 7:30pm

I remember Boada back in the 90's in Havana. I'm glad he had a prosperous career in America. Now...MCB teaching position maybe..?

Joan was the Meet the Artist Interview on Sunday 4/10 prior to the performance. Unfortunately, I did not go. Luckily, SFB has posted a podcast of the interview. He states that he is going to be working with Magaly Suarez (a former teacher of his in Cuba and mother of Principal Dancer Taras Domitro). She has a school in Florida and Joan will be working with her there.

Link to Joan's Interview podcast: http://podcast.sfballet.org/2016/2016-04-10_MTA.mp3

(mention of his future plans are at the 8:30 mark)

Link to all Meet the Artist podcasts: https://www.sfballet.org/interact/listen/meet_the_artist_podcasts.

Casting now up for the first three performances of Onegin (six more to go....). It's really exciting to see some corps dancers getting the chance to dance Olga and Lensky. Merde to everyone!!!

Onegin - Saturday, April 30, 2016 - 8pm—Opening Night

Jahna Frantziskonis will be making her debut as Olga in John Cranko's Onegin on Sunday 5/1:

https://www.sfballet.org/tickets/casting

So looking forward to this!!!