Tour de Force 2011

[ksk04]

Program posted on the SCFTA website:

http://www.scfta.org/home/Media/program%20assets/TourdeForce2011.pdf

ACT ONE

Who’sWho

(First scene of Act II)

West Coast Premiere

Premiere: 2003

Inspired by the classic motion picture Some Like It Hot,

Boris Eifman recreates a moment from the famous beach scene.

Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg

Choreography: Boris Eifman

Music: “The Entertainer” by Scott Joplin and “The Minor Goes

Muggin’ ” by Sy Oliver.

“The Entertainer” (orchestra version) – Scott Joplin (arrang. Marvin Hamlisch) –

The Sting. Original Motion Picture Soundtrack featuring the Music of Scott Joplin.

Music composed & adapted by Marvin Hamlisch. 1974 MCA Records, Inc. –“The

Minor Goes Muggin” composed by Sy Oliver – Highlights from The Duke Ellington

Centennial Edition (1927 – 1973). RCA Victor

Sylvia

(Pas-de-Deux)

Premiere: 1951

Anastasia Matvienko and Denis Matvienko

Choreography: Balanchine and restaged by Marina Eglevsky

specifically for Tour de Force II

Music: Léo Delibes

Cinderella

(Pas-de-Deux)

West Coast Premiere

Premiere: 2004

Heather Ogden and Guillaume Côte

Choreography: James Kudelka

Music: Sergei Prokofiev

Tarantella

Premiere: 1964

First performed at the Center by New York City Ballet (NYCB)

in 1990

Tiler Peck and Joaquin De Luz

Choreography: George Balanchine

Music: Grand Tarantelle for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 67 by Louis

Moreau Gottschalk/Hershey Kay

The performance of Tarantella, a Balanchine® Ballet, is presented by arrangement

with The George Balanchine Trust and has been produced in accordance with the

Balanchine Style® and Balanchine Technique® Service standards established and

provided by the Trust.

Creature

American Premiere

Premiere: 2006

Patrick De Bana and Dimo Kirilov Milev

Choreography: Patrick De Bana

Music: Parvaz by Kayhan Kalhor and The Brooklyn Riders and

Dawn Prayer by Dhafer Youssef

InTheMiddle, Somewhat Elevated

(Pas-de-Deux)

Premiere: 1987

Katya Markowskaja and Noah Gelber

Choreography: William Forsythe

Music: Thom Willems

Lady of theCamellias

Premiere: 1978

West Coast Premiere at the Center in 2007

Diana Vishneva and Marcelo Gomes

Choreography: John Neumeier

Music: Frédéric Chopin

Pianist: Conrad Tao

Mr. Tao appears courtesy of IMG Artists.

Rossini

(Pas-de-Deux)

American Premiere

Premiere: 2011

Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev

Choreography: Leonid Jacobson

Music: Gioacchino Rossini

Staged for Tour de Force II by Tatiana Sevostyanova and Igor Kuzmin

ACT TWO

Who’sWho

(First scene of Act I – “Night Club Scene”)

West Coast Premiere

Premiere: 2003

Inspired by the classic motion picture Some Like It Hot, Boris

Eifman recreates a moment from the famous night club scene.

Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg

Choreography: Boris Eifman

Music: “Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)” by Louis Prima,

performed by Benny Goodman.

“Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)” – Louis Prima (Benny Goodman)

– Greatest Hits. RCA Victor. Planet jazz. BMG classics. 1962

Proust:The Intermittences of the Heart

(Excerpts)

Center Premiere

Premiere: 1988

Guillaume Côté (solo), Denis Matvienko and

Marcelo Gomes (pas-de-deux)

Choreography: Roland Petit

Music: Cello Concerto by Gabriel Fauré

The Picture of…

American Premiere

Premiere: 2008

Patrick De Bana

Choreography: Patrick De Bana

Music: “When I Am Laid in My Grave” from Dido and Aeneas

by Henry Purcell, sung by Jessye Norman, plus whale songs.

Tchaikovsky

(Pas-de-Deux)

Premiere: 1960

Center premiere was 1986 with NYCB

Tiler Peck and Joaquin De Luz

Choreography: George Balanchine

Music: from Swan Lake by Piotr Ilyitch Tchaikovsky

The performance of Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, a Balanchine® Ballet, is presented by

arrangement with The George Balanchine Trust and has been produced in accordance

with the Balanchine Style® and Balanchine Technique® Service standards

established and provided by the Trust.

Slingerland

(Pas-de-Deux)

Premiere: 1960

Katya Markowskaja and Noah Gelber

Choreography: William Forsythe

Music: Gavin Bryars, String Quartet no. 1

LeCorsaire

(Pas-de-Deux)

Premiere: 1856

First performed complete at the Center by Kirov Ballet in 1989

Anastasia and Denis Matvienko

Choreography: Maurius Petipa

Music: Adolphe Adam

Onegin

Premiere: 1965

Center premiere by National Ballet of Canada in 1988

Heather Ogden and Guillaume Côté

Choreography: John Cranko

Music: Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Vertigo

American Premiere

Premiere: 2010

Diana Vishneva and Marcelo Gomes

Choreography: Mauro Bigonzetti

Music: Dimitri Shostakovich – String Quartet No. 8, “Largo”

arranged for orchestra and Piano Concerto No. 1 for Piano,

Trumpet and Strings, Opus 35 “Lento.”

FINALE:

Don Quixote

(Pas-de-Deux)

Premiere: 1869, staged by AlexanderGorsky in 1900

Center premiere by ABT in 1992

Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev

Choreography: Alexander Gorsky

Music: Ludwig Minkus

DonQuixote or Fantasies of aMadman

Premiere: 2010

Center premiere in 2011 as part of Eifman engagement

Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg

Choreography: Boris Eifman

Music: Ludwig Minkus

Seems decent...anything would be an upgrade over Reflections.

Am interested in Gomes/Vishneva in Lady of the Camillas (ABT--please just bring this ballet on tour!), Peck/Luz in everything, Proust excerpts, Onegin excerpts.

Ticket prices are HIGH for this, so I haven't committed. Anyone else?

[California]

. . . Ticket prices are HIGH for this, so I haven't committed. Anyone else?

Thanks for posting this. I bought a ticket a month ago and I'm relieved to see Osipova/Vasiliev will do two traditional things (after seeing them in Reflections...).

Yes, prices are steep, so I bumped up to second tier from first, where I usually prefer to sit. But sightlines are good, as locals know, so it will have to do. For the first "Tour de Force" two years ago, they made of point of saying it wasn't a fund-raiser, just a celebration (or some such). But as they've had some well-publicized difficulties with their fund-raising lately, I guess that has changed. What's odd is they're not publicizing "add-ons" that you usually see at big fund-raising galas -- dinners, receptions, etc. Not that I would go, but plenty in OC would find those attractive, I should think.

[ksk04]

Yes I was relieved too; I wonder if some dancers were planning more contemporary choreography and SCFTA nixed it after the response from Reflections. This is even more "traditional" than last year's line-up it seems. In any case, the line-up makes me more interested to go as I was really afraid for the program selections originally.

There seems to be quite a few seats empty, if you view on the website. I'd wager half the orchestra and more than half of Tier 1 seats are not sold and it's only 3 wks before the date.

[California]

Osipova and Vasiliev have just cancelled -- four days before the performance. Does anybody believe it's because of "commitments with the Bolshoi" that they somehow just learned of?

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2011/04/casting-cancellatons-for-tour-de-force-ii-at-segerstrom-center-for-the-arts.html

A spokeswoman for the Segerstrom said that Russian dancers Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev have withdrawn from the production as a result of commitments with the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow.

I just looked at the seating charts for available seats -- they have a boatload of seats unsold, even at this late date. Did they wait until the last possible moment for this announcement in hopes of selling a few more? They did remove the Osipova/Vasiliev names from the site.

http://www.scfta.org/home/Events/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1066&NavID=91

A great many southern Californians saw the two in the Bolshoi Don Quixote in February 2010 and/or in Reflections in February 2011. This is not likely to go over well!

[ksk04]

Well Osipova and Vasiliev were cast in Ratmansky's new ballet that premiered this week, I'm guessing that has something to do with it (they are cast 4/24/ and 4/26 according to the Bolshoi site). Not as if this hasn't been on the calendar for several months or anything though

It's a huge blow, especially considering how many seats they have left. They sent around a 25% off code last week, but I didn't bite nor did it appear a lot of others.

This is a little disconcerting "Organizers are also working on finding replacements for the "Don Quixote" pas de deux that was also supposed to feature Osipova and Vasiliev." I think the late announcement came from Osipova/Vasiliev's camp not SCFTA--if the Center put off the announcement they would have had replacements to list in the press release, I would think, as a way to assuage the blow.

[California]

It's a huge blow, especially considering how many seats they have left. They sent around a 25% off code last week, but I didn't bite nor did it appear a lot of others.

This looks to be a fiscal disaster for them. As of Tuesday midday, it appears that fewer than half the seats have been sold. They do have some kind of same-day last-minute sales - I always see a line of people waiting for half-price tickets before performances - but I don't know who is eligible. I suppose they might fill seats that way so it won't look so awful.

Sales for tonight's opening of Eifmann Ballet's Don Q also look terrible.

[abatt]

Is Tour De Force an Ardani Artists presentation? I think it is. I don't have too much sympathy for that organization if they lose money. They charge outrageous prices for what is often garbage (Beauty in Motion anyone?).

[California]

Is Tour De Force an Ardani Artists presentation? I think it is. I don't have too much sympathy for that organization if they lose money. They charge outrageous prices for what is often garbage (Beauty in Motion anyone?).

The first Tour, as well as Eifman this week and Osipova and Vasiliev, are all Ardani projects:

http://www.ardani.com/companyprojects.php

The site seems to be a little out-of-date, but it seems a safe guess that Tour II is also from Ardani.

I have no idea what fiscal arrangement they have with Segerstrom Center -- e.g., whether they rented space from the Center (and took the full risk) or have split costs/risk in some way.

I get fund-raising phone calls from Segerstrom (and a lot of other arts groups around the country). They had some kind of matching grant from Bank of America, but hadn't met their deadline last December, so the Bank gave them an extension. Local press in recent months suggests their overall fund-raising hasn't been very good, but that seems to be true of arts groups all over the country, alas.

[ksk04]

It's a huge blow, especially considering how many seats they have left. They sent around a 25% off code last week, but I didn't bite nor did it appear a lot of others.

This looks to be a fiscal disaster for them. As of Tuesday midday, it appears that fewer than half the seats have been sold. They do have some kind of same-day last-minute sales - I always see a line of people waiting for half-price tickets before performances - but I don't know who is eligible. I suppose they might fill seats that way so it won't look so awful.

Sales for tonight's opening of Eifmann Ballet's Don Q also look terrible.

That is the rush line for students and seniors...it's usually $10 in the tiers and $20 for orchestra, which is why it's so long! I wasn't expecting a rush to be available for this (it wasn't for the first Tour de Force I don't think) but what is a loss for the Center is a gain for me, as I would definitely attend at rush prices (if they offer).

I don't have sympathy for Ardani either--I hope to highest hopes that the Center reconsiders and lessens their partnership with them which, so far, has shut out big touring classical ballet companies in favor of programs like Beauty in Motion and Reflections, both of which were, to put it delicately, giant turds.

Edit: For what it's worth, the Center's Facebook page has confirmed $20 rush tickets for Tour de Force.

[California]

I just returned from the opening night Don Q of Eifman Ballet. The print program includes the Tour de Force II program for Thursday (although an update just came through as an e-mail message). One of many surprises tonight: the use of recorded music -- for a well-known classical score in a major performing arts center. In looking through the program book, I see no hint of live music for the Tour de Force Thursday either (no conductor's name, no ensemble, no musicians). It looks like we're about to have a "Gala" Thursday with recorded music. I can understand recorded music for small, struggling, regional groups or for unorthodox commissioned music that a local orchestra could not perform. But classical stuff in a major hall? Has anybody encountered anything like that elsewhere?

The credits for Thursday include: "the Center gratefully acknowledges the Segerstrom Foundation for its lead support of this performance," with a list of sources of underwriting from Orange County individuals and foundations. It is "presented in association with Ardani Artists."

Tonight there was an unusually long line for the rush tickets, but the theater still seemed to be about 1/4 empty. Even so, this very unorthodox version of Don Q was warmly received by the audience, which was chock full of Russian speakers again.

[California]

Here's the revised program for Tour de Force II that was sent out by e-mail today:

ACT ONE

Who's Who (First scene of Act II)

Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg

Choreography: Boris Eifman

Sylvia (Pas-de-Deux)

Anastasia Matvienko and Denis Matvienko

Choreography: George Balanchine

Cinderella (Pas-de-Deux)

Heather Ogden and Guillaume Côte

Choreography: James Kudelka

Tarantella

Tiler Peck and Joaquin De Luz

Choreography: George Balanchine

Creature

American Premiere

Patrick De Bana and Dimo Kirilov Milev

Choreography: Patrick De Bana

In The Middle, Somewhat Elevated (Pas-de-Deux)

Katya Markowskaja and Noah Gelber

Choreography: William Forsythe

Lady of the Camellias

Diana Vishneva and Marcelo Gomes

Choreography: John Neumeier

Le Corsaire (Pas-de-Deux)

Anastasia and Denis Matvienko

Choreography: Maurius Petipa

ACT TWO

Who's Who (First scene of Act I – "Night Club Scene")

Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg

Proust: The Intermittences of the Heart (Excerpts)

Guillaume Côté (solo), Guillaume Côté and Marcelo Gomes (pas-de-deux)

Choreography: Roland Petit

The Picture of…

American Premiere

Patrick De Bana

Choreography: Patrick De Bana

Tchaikovsky Pas-de-Deux

Tiler Peck and Joaquin De Luz

Choreography: George Balanchine

Slingerland (Pas-de-Deux)

Katya Markowskaja and Noah Gelber

Choreography: William Forsythe

Onegin

Heather Ogden and Guillaume Côté

Choreography: John Cranko

Vertigo

American Premiere

Diana Vishneva and Marcelo Gomes

Choreography: Mauro Bigonzetti

FINALE:

Don Quixote (Pas-de-Deux)

Center premiere by ABT in 1992

Anastasia and Denis Matvienko

Choreography: Alexander Gorsky

Music: Ludwig Minkus

Don Quixote or Fantasies of a Madman

Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg

Choreography: Boris Eifman

Casting update: Because of unexpected casting changes at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, we have been advised that, with regret, Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev cannot be released to dance in Tour de Force II as originally planned. The Bolshoi Ballet is presenting the premiere of Lost Illusions, a new ballet by Alexei Ratmansky this week and Osipova and Vasiliev were originally scheduled to only dance the premiere on April 24 before flying to California. However, the duo was needed to remain in Moscow through this week for additional performances after other principal dancers were unable to perform as scheduled.

[ksk04]

However, the duo was needed to remain in Moscow through this week for additional performances after other principal dancers were unable to perform as scheduled.

This is the amongst the dumbest things I've read: there are 4 different principal casts for the premiere and 6 performances. Unless a major amount of Bolshoi soloists have taken a dive there are clearly plenty of casts to cover.

To be fair, my irritation is directed less at Osipova/Vasiliev and more of the culture that persists in having dancers over-schedule themselves to the point of craziness. It's one thing to be busy and to be in demand, but to plan to be in a premiere ballet in Moscow and also dance in a gala in Orange County within the span of 4 days is ridiculous, and something that seems to be happening more and more frequently amongst the most sought after dancers.

It's quite considerate that the Matvienko's have stepped in and filled in for them; they are not my favorite dancers, but they are always consistently good. Thank you for posting the changes, California. I agree it's ridiculous that a venue with an orchestra available would not use it especially when tickets are exorbitantly priced.

[LoveMyJob]

Orange County Ballet Theater just posted on its Facebook Page that they have secured Priority Rush tickets for tomorrow evenings performance at $25 each. Call the box office and mention offer code "Ballet" to get this deal!

I got mine, can't wait!

[California]

Orange County Ballet Theater just posted on its Facebook Page that they have secured Priority Rush tickets for tomorrow evenings performance at $25 each. Call the box office and mention offer code "Ballet" to get this deal!

I just looked at the seating charts on the Segerstrom site -- they have a long way to go to fill that house. Those $25 tickets will help. Looks like they're trying to avoid embarrassment, even as they lose their shirts financially.

[ksk04]

Thank you so much for the tip, LoveMyJob! Glad to avoid the rush line tomorrow. They are even letting you choose your seats with that priority rush offer--I went with their first offer of middle orchestra, center. Not too shabby.

[California]

They are even letting you choose your seats with that priority rush offer--I went with their first offer of middle orchestra, center. Not too shabby.

If you go to the Segerstrom site, center orchestra, all the way back to row P, is listed at $200. After that, $160, then $120. If the "prime rush" ticketholders talk to their seat neighbors tomorrow night, there will be some very unhappy people! I think it will be a long time before we see "Tour de Force III."

[ksk04]

Well, what did everyone think?

Honestly, though it was a blow to the Center, the loss of Osipova and Vasiliev didn't affect the overall show. In fact if they were there, their presence would have dominated everything and instead we got to enjoy an evening with a focus on many dancers rather than just those two (my opinion, of course, based on how other things with Osipova and Vasiliev seem to go at the Center).

Thoughts:

Peck/de Luz: This was my first look at Peck and she was a delight, but I think she was outshined by de Luz. I haven't seen him since his ABT days and he was just as wonderful and as clean of a dancer as I remembered. Peck was a blisteringly fast the whole night and de Luz looked like he was having a great time with her.

Vishneva/Gomes: The Camillas pas de deux was wonderful (and had the only live music), and I imagine even better in the context of the whole ballet. Please tour with this ABT!! The Bigonzetti in the first act was drudge, the only interesting thing about it was that it was being dance by Vishneva and Gomes.

Cote/Ogden: Cote is a beautiful dancer, I would love to see him in more. They were really fabulous in the final pas from Onegin which was really well acted out, especially in the context of a gala. I didn't really care about the Cinderella pas, but it was nicely danced.

De Bana/other guy: Boring. And the piece in the second act had the WORST music. I saw someone near me put in earplugs.

Markowskaja/Gelber: In the Middle... was well done, though lacked the attack that one associates with Guillem in the piece, though you can say the same about most dancers (even the most acclaimed ones) who make an attempt at it.

The Matvienkos: What troopers. After doing three hardcore pas de deux, Anastasia looked a little worn out but Denis was still wonderful, whipping out really lovely pirouette combinations that stopped on a dime. I think the quickness of the footwork in the Balanchine Sylvia pas eluded both of them (her legs are too long and hyperextended to go as fast as required), but it was nice to see all the same. A lady near me said "They've been good the whole night" and they really were--it's not easy to have the weight on you to open and close the first Act and close the show when people were expecting someone else.

Eifman excerpts: Actually really fun. Though I'm not a huge Eifman fan, I'd love to see the whole Who's Who (based on Some Like It Hot). Though it was less "ballet," and more in a jazzy-Broadway style it was fun and a great way to break up the monotony of pas-de-deux after pas-de-deux.

What happened to the Proust excerpts? I assume they got cut due to Denis picking up the extra pas, but I was really looking forward to seeing this! Disappointing!

[California]

Here is Paul Hodgins' review in the OC Register:

http://www.ocregister.com/entertainment/-298483--.html

OK, so the Segerstrom Center's balletpalooza, Tour de Force II, wasn't quite as star-studded as originally advertised – Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev, two marquee-topping names from the Bolshoi, had to drop out – but I didn't hear anybody at Thursday's blowout complaining that they didn't get their money's worth.