sf_herminator

Join in viewing the livestream of SFB's Company Ballet Class - https://www.sfballet.org/sf-ballet-company-class-live-stream/ Today (Thursday 3/26) Tina Le Blanc will lead the class. It will begin at 1 PM PDT.

SFB had a live stream of virtual ballet class led by Felipe Diaz. Not sure how long the link will be up, but check it out:

Posted on the SFB website: https://www.sfballet.org/a-message-regarding-the-covid-19-virus/ UPDATE: MARCH 17, 2020 With the health and safety of our patrons, community, artists, and workforce as our first priority, San Francisco Ballet remains responsive to changing conditions surrounding COVID-19. In compliance with the City of San Francisco’s March 16 public health order requiring all residents in six counties to stay home starting Tuesday, March 17 through Tuesday, April 7 except for essential needs, I want to share with you that unfortunately, San Francisco Ballet has suspended all remaining performances of the 2020 Season. This includes Jewels (April 15 – 21) and Romeo & Juliet (May 1 – 10). This decision follows previous announcements confirming the suspension of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Program 05, and Program 06 (March 7 – April 5) due to the limitation of public gatherings through April 30th. This suspension also includes all public education and special events that were previously scheduled for March and part of April. During this time, we will continue to provide updates via email, as well as on our website and social media channels. Please note: due to the closure of our offices, SF Ballet Ticket and Patron Services will not be available by phone, but will be available for your inquiries via email at tickets@sfballet.org. All of us at San Francisco Ballet are deeply touched by the outpouring of concern and support from so many of you. Please know that during these extraordinary times, we are exploring ways to stay connected with our valued patrons, and remain in close discussion with the arts sector to find ways we can bring live performances back to the community. TICKET HOLDERS OF CANCELED PERFORMANCES For those of you who have missed, or will miss, your performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Program 05, Program 06, Jewels, and/or Romeo & Juliet, we are happy to offer you two options: We sincerely hope you will consider donating your tickets back to SF Ballet as a tax-deductible contribution. In this crisis, we need your support more than ever. If you have already donated or requested a credit for your tickets, you do not need to make a selection again, thank you. You may opt to receive a credit for the face value of your ticket(s). This credit may be used toward the 2021 Season, through May 9, 2021. Please note this does not include Nutcracker or special event related performances. Please click the button below and complete the form. In addition, Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson wants to be sure that our valued patrons do not miss out on what is truly a magnificent production – therefore, we are happy to inform you that A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be included as part of the 2021 Repertory Season.

I really hate to post this, but SFB has posted to their FB page that the remainder of the 2020 Season has been suspended. I am sure that it was a difficult decision, but even if the company were allowed to return on April 7 (?), that would only be one week to get Jewels ready. Here is the post:

And here is the IG post from SFB: This link to a cute video (featuring Sarah Van Patten as Helena & Julia Rowe as Lead Butterfly) about hand washing on the SFB FB also provides info: https://www.facebook.com/sfballet/videos/vb.27923251292/1619286308221173/?type=2&theater

It appears to be a performance with the Saturday night cast, which was to include Sasha De Sola as Titania. It's not specified in the SFB IG post, but Sasha De Sola & Benjamin Freemantle posted on their IG accounts. Other dancers posted on IG stories, but alas unable to link to the posts. I have not yet received any email how this can be accessed for ticket holders but will provide info when available. I'll also check the SFB board for more info (haven't been on BA for a few days....)

Programs 5&6 now cancelled - https://www.sfballet.org/a-message-regarding-the-covid-19-virus/

Yes, Programs 5 & 6 are cancelled - https://www.sfballet.org/a-message-regarding-the-covid-19-virus/ I expected this after Governor Newsom announced the recommendation about events with over 250 people. Hamilton, The Last Ship, & Harry Potter also cancelled performances.

The website has been updated with information for ticketholders: https://www.sfballet.org/a-message-regarding-the-covid-19-virus/ From the announcement: UPDATE: MARCH 10, 2020 San Francisco Ballet continues to explore recovery response options in light of the mandatory closing of the War Memorial Opera House from March 6 through March 20, 2020 in response to the COVID-19 directive issued by the City of San Francisco. At this time, all other San Francisco Ballet and San Francisco Ballet School events and activities not taking place at the War Memorial Opera House are scheduled to proceed as planned. Any changes will be posted to our website or sent to you directly by email. These unprecedented circumstances pose severe financial repercussions for our community and SF Ballet. As a non-profit arts organization, ticket sales only account for 50% of what it takes to support a world-class ballet company. Our patrons are our livelihood and the primary source of joy for our dancers. We value you immensely and thank you for your continued support. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM TICKET HOLDERS For those of you who missed your performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, we are happy to offer you two options: We hope you will consider donating the cost of your ticket back to the organization which will help support our artists and ongoing operations during this challenging time. You may opt to receive a credit for the face value of your ticket(s). This credit may be used toward any regularly scheduled performance for the remainder of the 2020 Season, or the 2021 Season, through May 9, 2021. Please note this does not include Nutcracker or special event related performances. Please click the button below and complete the form.

I was at tonight's opening (and now only) performance of A Midsummer NIght's Dream. Why did it take so long to bring it back after 30+ years?? The entire company was wonderful. In addition to the already posted cast (Yuan Yuan Tan as Titania, Joseph Walsh as Oberon, Esteban Hernandez as Puck, Wona Park as Lead Butterfly, Angelo Grecp/Misa Kuranaga as Act 2 Divertissement), we had Helena-Mathilde Froustey, Hermia-Dores Andre, Lysander-Benjamin Freemantle, Demetrius-Ulrik Birkjaer, Theseus-Luke Ingham, Titania's Cavalier-Tiit Helimets, and Bottom-Alexandre Cagnat. The entire company was in wonderful form. Yuan Yuan was a really lovely Titania, Esteban a very spirited Puck. I have never seen Jennifer Stahl dance with so much verve. I am just so disappointed that we will not be able to see any more performances now that there is an order to close all performance venues for the next two weeks. I may most more but I am just gutted right now about the decision to close the venues. I feel the most badly for the dancers who worked so hard for these performances - and not there won't be any more this season. I posted pics of the program cover, cast sheet, and the view from my seat on FB which I have made public (just this post) so you should be able to see - https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10221456940523087&set=pcb.10221456942923147&type=3&theater. Here is a link to the War Memorial website with the closure announcement - https://sfwarmemorial.org/notices.

I found out about the closure during the intermission. I was working the pop-up table when my fellow volunteer said 'so I guess tonight's performance is the opening and closing one' and said 'WHAT??!?!?' - then she showed me a text from her friend with a link to the announcement on https://sfwarmemorial.org/notices/. My heart really goes out to the dancers who worked so hard to bring this performance to life. It was a wonderful performance (I will post more in the Midsummer Night's thread) and I was really looking forward to more. I hope that Midsummer will be part of next season. This also wipes out the SF Symphony performances I was going to next Friday.... Plus - it had made me rethink my Seattle trip....

No - the press release states she is joining as Ballet Master & Principal Dancer (and so is former ABT dancer Marcelo Gomes).

Here is the link to the press release - scroll to page 3 of the document: https://www.semperoper.de/fileadmin/semperoper/bilder/presse/pressefotos_pk_2020-21/Pressemappe_PK_2020-21_en.pdf SFB has posted this on their FB page:

Another dancer posting a pic from rehearsal.... https://www.instagram.com/p/B9KFxoygniHBzCL2l9Dip4BR4yzAJyn0sCdOgg0/

Casting for the entire run is now posted - https://www.sfballet.org/tickets/casting/ Notable debuts in the last performance on Sunday 3/15 (which I will miss since I have a ticket for the Trocks in Berkeley): Sasha Mukhamdeov as Titania and Max Cauthorn as Oberon. Other notable debuts for Hippolyta: Ami Yuki on Sunday 3/8 and Kimberley Marie Olivier on Wednesday 3/11. Update 3/2: Diego Cruz is now listed for Puck on Sunday 3/15

Sunday casting now available - plus addition of Lead Butterfly (see above for previous days) - https://www.sfballet.org/tickets/casting/ Casting subject to change Sun, March 8 at 2:00 pm Composer: Felix Mendelssohn Choreographer: George Balanchine Conductor: Martin West Chorus: Volti Singers: Gabrielle Haigh, Alice Del Simone Puck: Lucas Erni* Oberon: Wei Wang*† Titania: Jennifer Stahl* Lead Butterfly: Jahna Frantziskonis*‡ Hippolyta: Ami Yuki* Pas de Deux: Wona Park*, Benjamin Freemantle*†

Casting now up for Saturday performances - https://www.sfballet.org/tickets/casting/ Ulrik is back!!! Esteban also dancing Oberon on Saturday night after dancing Puck on Friday night!! As always, casting is subject to change. Sat, March 7 at 2:00 pm Composer: Felix Mendelssohn Choreographer: George Balanchine Conductor: Ming Luke Chorus: Volti Singers: Gabrielle Haigh, Alice Del Simone Puck: Lonnie Weeks*† Oberon: Angelo Greco* Titania: Sarah Van Patten*† Lead Butterfly: Isabella DeVivo*Hippolyta: WanTing Zhao*†Pas de Deux: Frances Chung*†, Ulrik Birkkjaer* Sat, March 7 at 8:00 pm Composer: Felix Mendelssohn Choreographer: George Balanchine Conductor: Martin West Chorus: Volti Singers: Gabrielle Haigh, Alice Del Simone Puck: Cavan Conley* Oberon: Esteban Hernandez* Titania: Sasha De Sola*† Lead Butterfly: Julia Rowe* Hippolyta: Sasha Mukhamedov*† Pas de Deux: Sofiane Sylve*‡, Carlo Di Lanno*‡ *Denotes role debut in current production ‡Denotes role debut at San Francisco Ballet †Denotes debut in current production

I can report that Sasha Mukhamedov danced the same parts as Jennifer Stahl in both Sandpaper Ballet and The Big Hunger. As posted somewhere else, in her MTA interview she stated she will be dancing the tall girl in Rubies which she also did at Dutch National. I was looking around the site and it was nice to discover that in the Dancers section they now list their rep here at SFB and (if applicable) at other companies. Here is a link to Ms. Mukhamedov's page: https://www.sfballet.org/artist/sasha-mukhamedov/ Fingers crossed that updates to casting will include other significant roles such as you list above.

Opening Night Casting is up!!! https://www.sfballet.org/tickets/casting/ As always, casting is subject to change. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM Fri, March 6 at 8:00 pm Composer: Felix Mendelssohn Choreographer: George Balanchine Conductor: Martin West Chorus: Volti Singers: Gabrielle Haigh, Alice Del Simone Puck: Esteban Hernandez*† Oberon: Joseph Walsh*† Titania: Yuan Yuan Tan*† Lead Butterfly: Wona Park*† Hippolyta: Jennifer Stahl*† Pas de Deux: Misa Kuranaga‡, Angelo Greco*† *Denotes role debut in current production ‡Denotes role debut at San Francisco Ballet †Denotes debut in current production

I have seen two performances of Program 3 - opening night on Thursday 2/13 and Tuesday 2/18. I really enjoyed this program - but will admit the new Trey McIntyre will not be loved by everyone. Opening this program was the return of Edwaard Liang's The Infinite Ocean. This premiered during 2018's Unbound Festival and was definitely one of my favorite upon first viewing. Seeing it again this year does not change my opinion. The music is an original composition by British composer Oliver Davis and is choreographed on two principal couples and four corps couples. There is debate on which Pas de Deux is better - Sofiane Sylve & Tiit Helimets in the second section of the piece or Yuan Yuan Tan & Carlo DiLanno in the fifth section. The same couples danced on both nights. The World Premiere of Trey McIntyre's The Big Hunger was the second piece, which was choreographed to Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 2. It's a grand piece of music - and I thought the choreography matched very well. There are three principal couples - the first two are male/female and the last couple is male/male. There are also a corps of eight men. The costuming - or more specifically the wigs - will certainly cause some debate. My thought - in putting wigs on the corps men and the second and third couples (with the first couple also donning wigs in the last section when they return to the piece), Trey was playing with gender roles/gender identity. But the wigs can be a bit distracting. The male corps come onstage in the first section donning bright pink pageboy wigs. The second couple enters in the second section in the same wigs. When the third couple comes appears, they are donning blue/green wigs. Additionally, they are wearing long trench coats - which when they are spinning around look more like dresses. I won't say anymore - I think anyone's interpretation should be their own and I don't want to influence anyone's view. But I do know some people were not fans and others loved it. In Thursday's cast, the couples were Dores Andre/Benjamin Freemantle, Jennifer Stahl/Luke Ingham, and Esteban Hernandez/Wei Wang. In tonight's cast, the couples were Sasha DeSola/Max Cauthorn, Sasha Mukhamedov/Steven Morse, and Cavan Conley/Lonnie Weeks. I am looking forward to seeing this again - to really focus on the choreography. Harald Lander's Etudes closed the program. Etudes returned last year after an absence of 20 years and was happy to see it return this year. Etudes (in my opinion) celebrates ballet - specifically the movement. Watching it tonight, I love how it builds from starting at the barre, moving to the floor, a beautiful romantic section, and the spins/jumps/leaps of the last section. Sasha DeSola was the lead ballerina on Thursday, dancing with Angelo Greco, Joseph Walsh, and Carlo DiLanno. Tonight is was Misa Kuranaga with Esteban Hernandez, Max Cauthorn, and Cavan Conley. I really loved watching Misa tonight. A bit of a rant now (similar to my rant of the polite applause on Sunday at Sandpaper Ballet): First, there were some people behind me who were laughing at various points during Etudes. OK, the music (orchestrations of piano exercises) is a curious choices. But in the context of the piece it makes sense. The movements the dancers are executing are not easy - although they make it look easy. I could not understand why anyone would be laughing. Second, I saw three or four people walk out. OK, I understand walking out on William Forsythe, whether it is the 'Table Dance' (One Flat Thing, Reproduced), Pas/Parts 2016, or the first half of Artifact Suite with the fire curtain slamming down. Since Etudes celebrates ballet movement, maybe it's not the most exciting piece. But when you have a world class company performing these moves in unison and (at various times) at great speed, how can anyone walk out??? Lastly, I have been taking ballet now for about 4 years - watching Etudes tonight really made me appreciate the opportunity to take class and recognize some of the moves performed as moves I do in class (tendu, plie, cou-de-pied, passe, rond de jambe, etc). (OK, end of rant). But one more thought: If Program 2 had not been modified, the sequencing of both programs would have been the same. Opening with a piece from Unbound, middle piece to a piano concerto, and a large ensemble piece to close.

I am very happy to report that Sasha Mukhamedov & Vladislav Kozlov - along with the rest of the cast - were wonderful in this afternoon's performance of Sandpaper Ballet. Just like the opening night cast, this afternoon's cast looked like they were having so much fun dancing!! I skipped Bespoke, but did watch today's Director's Choice - Wheeldon's After the Rain Pas De Deux, Pas De Deux from Dawson's Swan Lake, and Tomasson's Concerto Grosso. As I said previously, I never tire of After the Rain. In Swan Lake, what I noticed (as well as another friend) is that Prince Siegfried seemed to have more swan-like movements than the White Swan. It made me more curious about the entire ballet. Concerto Grosso is choreographed for five men, each dressed in a different color. It was created in 2003 for the second 70th anniversary opening night gala. The original cast included former Principal Dancer Pascal Molat. Today his role was danced by Lucas Erni. The other men were Max Cauthorn, Lonnie Weeks, Benjamin Freemantle, and Mingxuan Wang. Their dancing was very high quality and very enjoyable. One more comment about today's performance: I was a bit taken aback by the polite applause at the end of Sandpaper Ballet. As a whole, it was a wonderful performance that I thought should have had a more enthusiastic response. I personally thought it was a bit subdued. There were some giggles during the 'Overture' of Sleigh Ride (if you have never seen this piece, the orchestra starts to play Sleigh Ride while the curtain is down. The curtain goes up with the second piece of music, which is The Typewriter.). But I just the the applause was more enthusiastic on Tuesday and Friday. I plan to see both performances on Saturday (can't go on Thursday as I will be seeing Paul Taylor).

Mukhamedov & Kozlov are scheduled to dance tomorrow - along with most of the cast that was scheduled to dance on Wednesday. There are a few dancers marked as debuting - plus Jahna will be dancing Trumpeter's Lullaby (with Cavan Conley - Esteban Hernandez & Misa Kuranaga danced these roles Tuesday & Friday), so I will post on that. The opening night cast is also scheduled to dance on Thursday. Saturday casting has not yet been posted. Anna Karenina is on my list - it was part of PBS Great American Reads and part of a big pile of books to read 🙂 I didn't really finish my thoughts on Misa in my previous post. What my thought was that it was great to see her do a start turn with Angelo, then turn around and dance as part of a big ensemble. That's one of the many reasons to love Sandpaper Ballet.

I saw this program on Tuesday 2/11 & Friday 2/14 (plus almost 1/3 of the program on Wednesday 2/12). It is worth going - even if it's for only Sandpaper Ballet. Bespoke - Choreographed by Stanton Welch for the 2018 Unbound Festival, there are 12 dancers with music by J.S. Bach. Sections of two different violin concertos are used. Welch wanted to depict the trajectory a ballet dancer's career. The choreography definitely matched, the opening section depicting the joyous and exuberant start of a young dancer and the last section depicting the dancer coming face to face with the end of the journey. Upon first viewing, it was better than I remembered back in 2018. Upon further thought and second viewing, it is pleasant to watch but nothing particularly memorable. Director's Choice - The three pieces on Tuesday and Friday were the same. First up was Foreshadow, choreographed by Val Caniparoli for this year's opening night gala with music by Ludovico Einuadi. The quick take is 'Anna Karenina in 6 minutes'. Dancers were Jennifer Stahl (Anna), Tiit Helimets (Count Vronsky), and Elizabeth Powell (Kitty). The dancing and choreography did evoke a love triangle - admittedly I have not yet read the book or seen a movie version. Second piece was Pas de Deux from After the Rain. Choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon and danced by Yuan Yuan Tan and Luke Ingham, I never tire of watching this piece. The last piece was Helgi Tomasson's Soirees Musicales. With music by Benjamin Britten, it has the appearance of a gala piece - the opening is a pas de Deux, then each dancers does his/her solo. The dancers were Misa Kuranaga and Angelo Greco. It was nice enough, but a great showcase for both dancers. On the first night, I thought that the order should have been switched with After the Rain and Soirees Musicales. However, the current order makes sense - especially since Misa also danced in Sandpaper Ballet. Sandpaper Ballet - Choreographed by Mark Morris to selections by Leroy Anderson with 25 dancers, this work premiered in 1999 and was last performed in 2009 (although there was a performance in 2012 or 2013 at Stern Grove). This piece is so much fun to watch and the dancers really get into the spirit of it. It is hard not to smile when you leave the Opera House. It was unfortunate to have the power go out on Wednesday as I had gone specifically to see the second cast - but plan on going tomorrow.

Here's the info on the National Ballet of Canada website: https://national.ballet.ca/Productions/San-Francisco-Ballet

Looking forward to Trey McIntyre's new piece tonight. Here is a short clip from Trey himself, which was posted on SFB's FB page: