sf_herminator

Principal Casting for the entire run of Nutcracker has been posted:  CASTING: NUTCRACKER - San Francisco Ballet (sfballet.org)

Here is the principal casting for opening night Wednesday, December 13 at 7 PM:  

NUTCRACKER

• COMPOSER:  Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
• CHOREOGRAPHER:  Helgi Tomasson
• Conductor: Martin West

Queen and King of the Snow: Jasmine Jimison and Mingxuan Wang
Sugar Plum Fairy: Sasha De Sola
Grand Pas de Deux: Nikisha Fogo and Aaron Robison

Casting subject to change

I will be attending opening night (and other performances as well).

20 hours ago, pherank said:

This year, Nutcracker performances begin on Wednesday, December 13, running through the 30th:
https://www.sfballet.org/discover/press-center/press-releases/release/san-francisco-ballets-nutcracker-returns-to-the-war-memorial-opera-house-december-13-30/

Looks like Tamara Rojo decided to reduce the number of dates to gain time for other things in the 2024 season.

Actually, part of the reason Nutcracker is starting later than usual is San Francisco Opera.  The last performance of the Fall 2023 season for the Opera is on Saturday December 9 - Calendar | SFO (sfopera.com) - a mere 4 days before Nutcracker opens!!!

CASTING ALERT FOR SATURDAY 4/29 2 PM MATINEE

Dores Andre and Max Cauthorn will take the stage for the last time this afternoon before departing for Ballet Zurich.  Dores will dance the role of Juliet, while Max will be this afternoon's Mercutio.  Here is the full casting - CASTING: ROMEO & JULIET - San Francisco Ballet (sfballet.org) (Casting subject to change)

Conductor: Martin West

HOUSE OF CAPULET

• Lord Capulet: Val Caniparoli
• Lady Capulet: Jennifer Stahl
• Juliet: Dores André
• Nurse: Maggie Weirich
• Tybalt: Nathaniel Remez
• Rosaline: Kamryn Baldwin
• Juliet's Friends: Samantha Bristow, Thamires Chuvas, Mimi Lamar, Carmela Mayo, Seojeong Yun
• Capulet Men: Luca Ferrò, Lleyton Ho, Alexander Reneff-Olson, Jacob Seltzer, Jasper Stanford, Mingxuan Wang

HOUSE OF MONTAGUE

• Lord Montague: Adrian Ziesel
• Lady Montague: Katita Waldo
• Romeo: Isaac Hernández
• Benvolio: Max Cauthorn
• Montague Men: Esteban Cuadrado, Steven Morse, Henry Sidford, John-Paul Simoens

PEOPLE OF VERONA

• Prince of Verona: Martino Pistone
• Mercutio: Lonnie Weeks
• Paris: Myles Thatcher
• Friar Laurence: Ricardo Bustamante
• Harlots: Pemberley Ann Olson, Jamie Adele Stephens
• Acrobats: Lizzie Powell, Jacob Seltzer, Alexis Francisco Valdes

CITIZENS OF VERONA

Juliana Bellissimo, Samantha Bristow, Olivia Brothers, Jihyun Choi, Elizabeth Mateer, Swane Messaoudi, Tyla Steinbach, Victoria Wright, Angela Watson, Seojeong Yun, Rubén Cítores Nieto, Esteban Cuadrado, Chase Hanson, Lleyton Ho, Andris Kundzins, Mingxuan Wang, Davide Occhipinti, João Percilio da Silva, Alexander Reneff-Olson, John-Paul Simoens, Adrian Zeisel with Students of San Francisco Ballet School

Full casting for the opening night performance is now posted - https://www.sfballet.org/tickets/casting-romeo-juliet/

HOUSE OF CAPULET

• Lord Capulet: Ricardo Bustamante
• Lady Capulet: Jennifer Stahl
• Juliet: Jasmine Jimison
• Nurse: Anita Paciotti
• Tybalt: Luke Ingham
• Rosaline: Kamryn Baldwin
• Juliet's Friends: Thamires Chuvas, Carmela Mayo, Leili Rackow, Tyla Steinbach, Angela Watson
• Capulet Men: Lleyton Ho, Alexander Reneff-Olson, Jacob Seltzer, Myles Thatcher, Mingxuan Wang, Lonnie Weeks

HOUSE OF MONTAGUE

• Lord Montague: Rubén Cítores Nieto
• Lady Montague: Katita Waldo
• Romeo: Angelo Greco
• Benvolio: Max Cauthorn
• Montague Men: Esteban Cuadrado, Davide Occhipinti, Henry Sidford, John-Paul Simoens

Prince of Verona: Martino Pistone

Mercutio: Esteban Hernández

Paris: Stephen Morse

Friar Laurence: Jim Sohm

Harlots: Isabella DeVivo, Ellen Rose Hummel

Acrobats: Julia Rowe, Cavan Conley, Wei Wang

CITIZENS OF VERONA

Juliana Bellissimo, Olivia Brothers, Jihyun Choi, Elizabeth Mateer, Swane Messaoudi, Pemberley Ann Olson, Tyla Steinbach, Jamie Adele Stephens, Maggie Weirich, Seojeong Yun, Esteban Cuadrado, Luca Ferrò, Lleyton Ho, Andris Kundzins, João Percilio da Silva, Nathaniel Remez, Alexander Reneff-Olson, John-Paul Simoens, Jasper Stanford, Mingxuan Wang, Adrian Zeisel with Students of San Francisco Ballet School

The digital program book for Romeo & Juliet is available:  2023 PROGRAM BOOKS - San Francisco Ballet (sfballet.org)

Daniel Deivison-Oliveira will be the artist in the Meet the Artist interview on Friday 4/21:  Meet the Artist Interviews - San Francisco Ballet (sfballet.org)

Initial thoughts:

• Great to see more female choreographers
• Mere Mortals is a bold choice, but looking forward to see something different
• Have to search for the Christian Lacroix designs, but very happy that Midsummer is returning to the stage
• Love that we are getting some British Icons
• Wishing for Bolero and Colorforms on the Encore A program, which is still to be announced
• Swan Lake will include guest artists - really curious to see who they will be....

The new season has been announced via video:  23–24 SEASON - San Francisco Ballet (sfballet.org)

I will give comments later, but following are some highlights:

• Mere Mortals - an evening length work by choreographer Aszure Barton with music by Floating Points
• The return of Helgi Tomasson's Swan Lake
• The return of Balanchine's A Midsummer Night's Dream - with updated costume and set designs by celebrated French designer Christian Lacroix (originally created for Paris Opera Ballet)
• British Icons:  Ashton's Marguerite and Armand, plus MacMillan's Song of the Earth
• Dos Mujeres - Arielle Smith's Carmen, plus Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's Broken Wings
• next@90 Curtain Call:  Possokhov's Violin Concerto, Blanc's Gateway to the Sign, and Rowe's Madcap
• Plus a second Encore program (called Encore A) to be announced

More details:  23–24 SEASON - San Francisco Ballet (sfballet.org)

From Max Cauthorn's IG:  https://www.instagram.com/p/Cqq00IePF0H/

2 minutes ago, Josette said:

SFB just announced that principal dancers Dores Andre and Max Cauthorn are leaving SFB at the end of this season to join Zurich Ballet, directed by Cathy Marston. 

Here is the IG post:  San Francisco Ballet (@sfballet) • Instagram photos and videos

Here is the link to the digital program book:  https://www.sfballet.org/tickets/2023-season/program-books/

Principal Casting CASTING: ROMEO & JULIET - San Francisco Ballet (sfballet.org) has been posted for Romeo & Juliet - the last program of the 2023 Rep Season:

Friday, April 21, 8:00 PM

• Romeo: Angelo Greco
• Juliet: Jasmine Jimison

Saturday, April 22, 2:00 PM

• Romeo: Joseph Walsh
• Juliet: Misa Kuranaga

Saturday, April 22, 8:00 PM

• Romeo: Isaac Hernández
• Juliet: Dores André

Sunday, April 23, 2:00 PM

• Romeo: Aaron Robison
• Juliet: Nikisha Fogo

Tuesday, April 25, 2:00 PM

• Romeo: Joseph Walsh
• Juliet: Misa Kuranaga

Wednesday, April 26, 2:00 PM

• Romeo: Aaron Robison
• Juliet: Nikisha Fogo

Thursday, April 27, 8:00 PM

• Romeo: Angelo Greco
• Juliet: Jasmine Jimison

Saturday, April 29, 2:00 PM

• Romeo: Isaac Hernández
• Juliet: Dores André

Saturday, April 29, 8:00 PM

• Romeo: Angelo Greco
• Juliet: Jasmine Jimison

Sunday, April 30, 2:00 PM

• Romeo: Aaron Robison
• Juliet: Yuan Yuan Tan

*CASTING SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Conversation with Soloist Isabella DeVivo, who will be stepping into the gold slippers of Cinderella for the first time:  https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/dance/sf-ballet-cinderella-isabella-devivo-17813622.  

Pointes of View video with Misa Kuranaga and Isaac Hernandez is now available:  

Link to the digital program book:  2023 PROGRAM BOOKS - San Francisco Ballet (sfballet.org)

Casting for Opening Night (Tuesday 3/14) of The Colors of Dance - CASTING: THE COLORS OF DANCE - San Francisco Ballet (sfballet.org)

7 FOR EIGHT

Conductor: Martin West

Piano: Mungunchimeg Buriad

• First Movement
  • Yuan Yuan Tan, Aaron Robison
• Second Movement
  • Norika Matsuyama, Cavan Conley
• Third Movement
  • Ellen Rose Hummel, Carmela Mayo
  • Lucas Erni
• Fourth Movement
  • Cavan Conley, Luca Ferrò
  • Norika Matsuyama, Carmela Mayo
• Fifth Movement
  • Lucas Erni
• Sixth Movement
  • Yuan Yuan Tan, Aaron Robison
• Seventh Movement
  • Ensemble

COLORFORMS

Conductor: Martin West

• JASMINE JIMISON
• SASHA DE SOLA, AARON ROBISON
• MISA KURANAGA
• CAVAN CONLEY, ESTEBAN HERNÁNDEZ
• ISABELLA DEVIVO, STEVEN MORSE
• MAGGIE WEIRICH, DAVIDE OCCHIPINTI

BLAKE WORKS I

• I Need a Forest Fire
  • Sasha De Sola, Nikisha Fogo, Jasmine Jimison
  • Kamryn Baldwin, Thamires Chuvas, Isabella DeVivo, Gabriela Gonzalez, Blake Johnston, Swane Messaoudi, Nicole Moyer, Lauren Parrott, Leili Rackow
  • Max Cauthorn, Diego Cruz, Lucas Erni, Luca Ferrò, Esteban Hernández, Lleyton Ho, Alexis Francisco Valdes, Joseph Walsh
• Put That Away and Talk to Me
  • Isabella DeVivo, Jasmine Jimison, Esteban Hernández
• The Colour in Anything
  • Nikisha Fogo, Isaac Hernández
• I Hope My Life
  • Sasha De Sola, Nikisha Fogo, Joseph Walsh, Max Cauthorn
  • Ensemble
• Waves Know Shores
  • Isabella DeVivo, Diego Cruz, Alexis Francisco Valdes
  • Thamires Chuvas, Gabriela Gonzalez, Lauren Parrott, Lucas Erni, Luca Ferrò
• Two Men Down
  • Joseph Walsh, Isaac Hernández, Max Cauthorn, Lucas Erni, Esteban Hernández
  • Ensemble
• Forever
  • Sasha De Sola, Max Cauthorn

*CASTING SUBJECT TO CHANGE

A quick post:  Last night Giselle returned triumphantly to the War Memorial Opera House stage.  Last seen in 2015, Giselle still hits all the right notes.  The Willis in Act 2 left no doubt that no other company can touch them.  Sasha was heartbreaking in Act 1 and luminous in Act 2.  Aaron was a worthy Albrecht.  Nathaniel was able to handle the balancing act of Hilarion.  Nikisha was a beautiful Myrtha.  Can't wait to see the other casts.

Last night, Wei Wang was the artist in the Meet the Artist interview.  He talked about how he landed at San Francisco Ballet School (thank to an aunt in Sacramento), his partnership with Wona Park, and how he prepared for the role of Albrecht.  It was great to hear all this as he was slated to debut this afternoon.

ALERT:  I just checked this afternoon's casting - Jasmine Jimison and Esteban Hernandez are now dancing this afternoon's Giselle.  Originally, Wona Park and Wei Wang were scheduled.  I hope they will still be able to dance on Wednesday night.  Also wonder who will dance tomorrow afternoon.....

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

Complete casting for the Opening Night Performance has been posted:  https://www.sfballet.org/tickets/casting-giselle/

Merde to everyone tonight!!  I will be there!!

Pointes of View for Giselle is now available.  Mary Wood in conversation with Principal Dancer Jennifer Stahl (Myrtha) and Corps de Ballet member Nathaniel Remez (Hilarion).

FB - https://fb.watch/iPIN1iAK9C/,

YT - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BMb48kVje0

The Program Book for Giselle is available in digital format:  https://www.sfballet.org/tickets/2023-season/program-books/

Myrtha has been added to the casting. - https://www.sfballet.org/tickets/casting-giselle/  These are the dancers who will portray Myrtha:  Jennifer Stahl, Dores Andre, Nikisha Fogo, WanTing Zhao, and Sasha Mukhamedov.  Here is the updated casting:

Friday, February 24, 8:00 PM

• Giselle: Sasha De Sola
• Albrecht: Aaron Robison
• Myrtha: Nikisha Fogo

Saturday, February 25, 2:00 PM

• Giselle: Wona Park
• Albrecht: Wei Wang
• Myrtha: Sasha Mukhamedov

Saturday, February 25, 8:00 PM

• Giselle: Misa Kuranaga
• Albrecht: Angelo Greco
• Myrtha: Jennifer Stahl

Sunday, February 26, 2:00 PM

• Giselle: Jasmine Jimison
• Albrecht: Esteban Hernández
• Myrtha: Dores André

Tuesday, February 28, 7:30 PM

• Giselle: Sasha De Sola
• Albrecht: Aaron Robison
• Myrtha: Nikisha Fogo

Wednesday, March 1, 7:30 PM

• Giselle: Wona Park
• Albrecht: Wei Wang
• Myrtha: Sasha Mukhamedov

Thursday, March 2, 7:30 PM

• Giselle: Misa Kuranaga
• Albrecht: Angelo Greco
• Myrtha: Jennifer Stahl

Saturday, March 4, 2:00 PM

• Giselle: Jasmine Jimison
• Albrecht: Esteban Hernández
• Myrtha: Dores André

Saturday, March 4, 8:00 PM

• Giselle: Sasha De Sola
• Albrecht: Aaron Robison
• Myrtha: WanTing Zhao

Sunday, March 5, 2:00 PM

• Giselle: Misa Kuranaga
• Albrecht: Angelo Greco
• Myrtha: Jennifer Stahl

*Casting is subject to change

1 hour ago, Phrenchphry11 said:

Wow, I've never seen Jasmine Jimison dance, but that's very exciting that she's casted (for multiple performances!)

Also, has Sasha De Sola performed the role before?  I have a feeling she'll be excellent in it.

This season will be Sasha's first time dancing Giselle.  In 2015, she danced Myrtha - I was fortunate to see her on a Saturday afternoon.  She was wonderful in the role. 

Here is a post from her IG when she was rehearsing Giselle last year:  https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck6G0FRpH2Z/

Principal Casting (Giselle & Albrecht) has been posted - CASTING: GISELLE - San Francisco Ballet (sfballet.org)

Remember, casting is subject to change.

Friday, February 24, 8:00 PM

• Giselle: Sasha De Sola
• Albrecht: Aaron Robison

Saturday, February 25, 2:00 PM

• Giselle: Wona Park
• Albrecht: Wei Wang

Saturday, February 25, 8:00 PM

• Giselle: Misa Kuranaga
• Albrecht: Angelo Greco

Sunday, February 26, 2:00 PM

• Giselle: Jasmine Jimison
• Albrecht: Esteban Hernández

Tuesday, February 28, 7:30 PM

• Giselle: Sasha De Sola
• Albrecht: Aaron Robison

Wednesday, March 1, 7:30 PM

• Giselle: Wona Park
• Albrecht: Wei Wang

Thursday, March 2, 7:30 PM

• Giselle: Misa Kuranaga
• Albrecht: Angelo Greco

Saturday, March 4, 2:00 PM

• Giselle: Jasmine Jimison
• Albrecht: Esteban Hernández

Saturday, March 4, 8:00 PM

• Giselle: Sasha De Sola
• Albrecht: Aaron Robison

Sunday, March 5, 2:00 PM

• Giselle: Misa Kuranaga
• Albrecht: Angelo Greco

On 1/17/2023 at 3:05 PM, Phrenchphry11 said:

Well, something came up last-minute, so I'm bummed to miss the Gala this week. I can't wait to read the reports though!

The program looks interesting (aside from not a ton of virtuosic classical pdds!), but I definitely echo what others are saying.  Seems like most of the principals are featured, but there's a LOT of the Hernandez brothers, and very little of the up-and-coming soloists.  Julia Rowe and Isabella DeVivo were both dancers I had expected to eventually make it to principal, so it feels like a shame they aren't featured.  It definitely seems that things are changing with the new administration.  I don't want to be too tied to the old way of doing things, but I hope this doesn't portend attrition over the coming year.

Since Sheehan came up, I don't think I saw her at all last season.  Is she injured?  I saw her a few years ago in Sleeping Beauty and was blown away, but I've seen hardly anything of her since.

Casting change alert:  Julia Rowe will now dance with Esteban Hernandez in the excerpts from both Haffner Serenade and Bolero (only posting changes below but you can go to the link https://www.sfballet.org/tickets/casting/)

I. Third Movement from HAFFNER SERENADE (World Premiere)

JULIA ROWE, ESTEBAN HERNÁNDEZ

Gabriela Gonzalez, SunMin Lee, Elizabeth Mateer, Carmela Mayo

Luca Ferrò, Lleyton Ho, Joshua Jack Price, Nathaniel Remez

X. Excerpt from BOLERO (World Premiere)

WONA PARK, JOSEPH WALSH

JULIA ROWE, ESTEBAN HERNÁNDEZ

SASHA MUKHAMEDOV, DANIEL DEIVISON-OLIVEIRA

Juliana Bellissimo, Gabriela Gonzalez, SunMin Lee, Elizabeth Mateer, Carmela Mayo

Luca Ferrò, Joshua Jack Price, Nathaniel Remez, John-Paul Simoens, Hansuke Yamamoto

Casting is now posted for the gala performance: https://www.sfballet.org/tickets/casting/

I. Third Movement from HAFFNER SERENADE (World Premiere)

KATHERINE BARKMAN, ESTEBAN HERNÁNDEZ

Gabriela Gonzalez, SunMin Lee, Elizabeth Mateer, Carmela Mayo

Luca Ferrò, Lleyton Ho, Joshua Jack Price, Nathaniel Remez

II. Balcony Pas de Deux from ROMEO & JULIET

DORES ANDRÉ, ISAAC HERNÁNDEZ

III. POSTSCRIPTUM (World Premiere)

YUAN YUAN TAN, AARON ROBISON

IV. Excerpt from MADCAP (World Premiere)

The Clown: TIIT HELIMETS

The Oracle: JENNIFER STAHL

The Juggled: MAX CAUTHORN, ALEXIS VALDES, WEI WANG

Thamires Chuvas, Parker Garrison, Jasmine Jimison, Davide Occhipinti, Leili Rackow, Henry Sidford, Tyla Steinbach, Jamie Adele Stephens

V. DOUBLE STOP

WANTING ZHAO, LUKE INGHAM

Eric Sung, Cello

VI. Pas de Deux from GISELLE, Act II

MISA KURANAGA, ANGELO GRECO

Yi Zhou, Viola

VII. “The Colour in Anything” from BLAKE WORKS I

NIKISHA FOGO, ISAAC HERNÁNDEZ

VIII. Pas de Deux from CINDERELLA, Act II

SASHA DE SOLA, JOSEPH WALSH

IX. Excerpt from GATEWAY TO THE SUN (World Premiere)

MAX CAUTHORN

JENNIFER STAHL, LUKE INGHAM

Eric Sung, Cello

X. Excerpt from BOLERO (World Premiere)

WONA PARK, JOSEPH WALSH

KATHERINE BARKMAN, ESTEBAN HERNÁNDEZ

SASHA MUKHAMEDOV, DANIEL DEIVISON-OLIVEIRA

Juliana Bellissimo, Gabriela Gonzalez, SunMin Lee, Elizabeth Mateer, Carmela Mayo

Luca Ferrò, Joshua Jack Price, Nathaniel Remez, John-Paul Simoens, Hansuke Yamamoto

*CASTING SUBJECT TO CHANGE

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