SFB 2020 Opening Night Gala

[pherank]

SFB e-mail:

On Thursday, January 16, 2020 a breathtaking, one-night-only Opening Night Gala performance and After Party launches our Repertory Season. With bold décor inspired by the 2020 Season, the After Party will feature dancing to Pop Rocks and DJ Chris Clouse; a photo booth by mirmir photo™; and an open bar with specialty Blue Angel Vodka cocktails and late-night fare.

After Party tickets start at $150 and performance tickets start at $74. Priority pricing ends Monday, December 2 at 4 pm, so purchase today for the best prices.

https://www.sfballet.org/support-us/special-events/opening-night-gala/

[PeggyR]

According to SFBallet on Instagram, the program for the 2020 Opening Night Gala has been announced.  Here’s an announcement, but not the program since I have never in my entire life been able to find the mysterious ‘link in our bio’ (I clicked on everything clickable and nothing took me to the program, or to anything that looked like a link to the program; Googled re ‘where the heck is the bio’ – apparently I’m not the only one with this problem – followed directions, but still can’t find it.).  Anyway, here’s information from the Instagram post.  Looking forward to the premieres, especially Thatcher’s.  And very sorry to be reminded Luiz is leaving. 

 “Just announced: programming for SPELLBOUND: SF Ballet’s Opening Night Gala! This one-night-only performance, on 1/16/20, will include three world premieres by current and former members of SF Ballet: Val Caniparoli, Choreographer in Residence Yuri Possokhov, and Myles Thatcher. “For the first time in 30 years, I decided to ask three choreographers to create new pas de deux or pas de trois for opening night,” says Tomasson, who celebrates his record-breaking 35th season with the Company in 2020. “What connects these choreographers is that they are all close members of the San Francisco Ballet family, and they each represent a different generation of dancemaking.”

The world premieres by Caniparoli, Possokhov, and Thatcher are highlights of a twelve-piece program that also includes the SF Ballet premiere of a pas de deux from David Dawson’s Swan Lake, created in 2016 for Scottish Ballet, and the Balcony Pas de Deux from Romeo & Juliet. Yuan Yuan Tan, who celebrates her 25th season with SF Ballet in 2020, will also dance the pas de deux from Yuri Possokhov’s Bells with Vitor Luiz, marking Luiz’s farewell performance with the Company. 
Link in bio for full programming.”

Edited December 20, 2019 by PeggyR

[pherank]

1 hour ago, PeggyR said:

According to SFBallet on Instagram, the program for the 2020 Opening Night Gala has been announced.  Here’s an announcement, but not the program since I have never in my entire life been able to find the mysterious ‘link in our bio’ (I clicked on everything clickable and nothing took me to the program, or to anything that looked like a link to the program; Googled re ‘where the heck is the bio’ – apparently I’m not the only one with this problem – followed directions, but still can’t find it.).  Anyway, here’s information from the Instagram post.  Looking forward to the premieres, especially Thatcher’s.  And very sorry to be reminded Luiz is leaving. 

 “Just announced: programming for SPELLBOUND: SF Ballet’s Opening Night Gala! This one-night-only performance, on 1/16/20, will include three world premieres by current and former members of SF Ballet: Val Caniparoli, Choreographer in Residence Yuri Possokhov, and Myles Thatcher. “For the first time in 30 years, I decided to ask three choreographers to create new pas de deux or pas de trois for opening night,” says Tomasson, who celebrates his record-breaking 35th season with the Company in 2020. “What connects these choreographers is that they are all close members of the San Francisco Ballet family, and they each represent a different generation of dancemaking.”

The world premieres by Caniparoli, Possokhov, and Thatcher are highlights of a twelve-piece program that also includes the SF Ballet premiere of a pas de deux from David Dawson’s Swan Lake, created in 2016 for Scottish Ballet, and the Balcony Pas de Deux from Romeo & Juliet. Yuan Yuan Tan, who celebrates her 25th season with SF Ballet in 2020, will also dance the pas de deux from Yuri Possokhov’s Bells with Vitor Luiz, marking Luiz’s farewell performance with the Company. 
Link in bio for full programming.”

SFB's Instagram "link in bio" is currently not pointing to the correct place, but these links are found at the end of the introductory text on an Instagram page:

San Francisco Ballet
75th Anniversary Nutcracker, Dec 11-29 #Nutcracker75
Opening Night Gala, January 16
2020 Season Jan 21–May 10
linkin.bio/sfballet

25 years for Yuan Yuan is really impressive.  ;)  It will be sad to lose Vitor Luiz.

Edited December 21, 2019 by pherank

[sf_herminator]

Here's the link to the Press Release, which includes the full program.  

https://www.sfballet.org/discover/press-center/press-releases/release/san-francisco-ballet-presents-the-87th-repertory-season-opening-night-gala-spellbound-on-thursday-january-16-2020/

[Terez]

I was shocked to read more closely and discover that this will be Vitor Luiz' farewell performance with the company. Noooo! Can't believe that's all the notice and viewing opportunity we're getting from this esteemed senior principal. He will be missed.

 

[pherank]

1 hour ago, Terez said:

I was shocked to read more closely and discover that this will be Vitor Luiz' farewell performance with the company. Noooo! Can't believe that's all the notice and viewing opportunity we're getting from this esteemed senior principal. He will be missed.

As if reading your thoughts - posted yesterday by SFB:

https://sfballet.blog/2019/vitor-luiz/

[Terez]

1 hour ago, pherank said:

As if reading your thoughts - posted yesterday by SFB:

https://sfballet.blog/2019/vitor-luiz/

Oh, now I'm really sad! (Such a shame he didn't want to finish the season and his SFB career off with Romeo, but his future job sounds amazing.)

[pherank]

3 hours ago, Terez said:

Oh, now I'm really sad! (Such a shame he didn't want to finish the season and his SFB career off with Romeo, but his future job sounds amazing.)

The new job must begin in January, so that's the way it goes. I wish Vitor good fortune in his new endeavor.

[PeggyTulle]

What's odd was that wasn't he taken off the roster during the summer? Why the sudden return and farewell?

[pherank]

17 minutes ago, PeggyTulle said:

What's odd was that wasn't he taken off the roster during the summer? Why the sudden return and farewell?

I'm guessing that the scheduling just worked out to have a farewell performance. He wouldn't need a regular contract for that. But presumably he had to tell Tomasson way back in the early summer(?) what was in the works, so his contract would not be renewed for the coming year.

[pherank]

https://sfballet.blog/2019/spellbound-world-premieres/

Spellbound's complete programming:

Men’s Regiment from Stars & Stripes
Composer: John Philip Sousa, arranged by Hershy Kay
Choreographer: George Balanchine 

Myles Thatcher World Premiere
Composer: TBA
Choreographer: Myles Thatcher

“Jockey Dance” from From Siberia To Moscow
Composer: Carl Christian Møller
Choreographer: August Bournonville 

Val Caniparoli World Premiere
Composer: Ludovico Einaudi
Choreographer: Val Caniparoli

Grand Pas Classique
Composer: D. F. E. Auber
Choreography: Victor Gsovsky

Balcony Pas de Deux from Romeo & Juliet
Composer: Sergei Prokofiev
Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson

Pas de Deux from Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
Composers: Anthony Gonzalez, Yann Gonzalez, and Justin Meldal-Johnsen
Choreographer: Justin Peck

For Pixie
Composer: TBA
Choreographer: Danielle Rowe

Pas de Deux from Swan Lake
Composer: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreographer: David Dawson 

Pas de Deux from Bells
Composer: Sergei Rachmaninoff
Choreographer: Yuri Possokhov

Pas de Deux from Le Corsaire
Composer: Riccardo Drigo
Choreography: after Marius Petipa 

Finale from Diamonds
Composer: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreographer: George Balanchine

[PeggyR]

SPELLBOUND, SF BALLET'S 2020 OPENING NIGHT GALA 

Thursday, January 16, 2020 at 8:00 pm

Men's Regiment from STARS & STRIPES
Composer: John Philip Sousa, arranged by Hershy Kay
Choreographer: George Balanchine
Conductor: Martin West

Lucas Erni

 MYLES THATCHER WORLD PREMIERE
Composer: TBA
Choreographer: Myles Thatcher

Sasha De Sola, Benjamin Freemantle

 "JOCKEY DANCE" from From Siberia To Moscow
Composer: Carl Christian Møller
Choreographer: August Bournonville
Conductor: Martin West

Esteban Hernandez, Max Cauthorn

 VAL CANIPAROLI WORLD PREMIERE
Composer: Ludovico Einaudi
Choreographer: Val Caniparoli
Conductor: Martin West

Jennifer Stahl, Elizabeth Powell, Tiit Helimets

 Balcony Pas de Deux from ROMEO & JULIET
Composer: Sergei Prokofiev
Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson
Conductor: Martin West

Mathilde Froustey, Carlo Di Lanno

 Pas de Deux from LE CORSAIRE
Composer: Riccardo Drigo
Choreography: after Marius Petipa
Conductor: Martin West

Misa Kuranaga, Angelo Greco

 INTERMISSION

 Pas de Deux from HURRY UP, WE'RE DREAMING
Composers: Anthony Gonzalez, Yann Gonzalez, and Justin Meldal-Johnsen
Choreographer: Justin Peck

Sarah Van Patten, Henry Sidford

 FOR PIXIE
Composer: TBA
Choreographer: Danielle Rowe

Dores André, Joseph Walsh

 SF Ballet Premiere
Pas de Deux from SWAN LAKE
Composer: Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky
Choreographer: David Dawson
Conductor: Martin West
Violin: Cordula Merks
Cello: Eric Sung

Sofiane Sylve, Carlo Di Lanno

 GRAND PAS CLASSIQUE
Composer: D. F. E. Auber
Choreography: Victor Gsovsky
Conductor: Martin West

Wona Park, Wei Wang

 Pas de Deux from BELLS
Composer: Sergei Rachmaninoff
Choreographer: Yuri Possokhov
Conductor: Martin West
Piano: Mungunchimeg Buriad

Yuan Yuan Tan, Vitor Luiz

 Finale from DIAMONDS
Composer: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreographer: George Balanchine
Conductor: Martin West

Sasha Mukhamedov, Tiit Helimets

*DENOTES ROLE DEBUT IN CURRENT PRODUCTION
†DENOTES DEBUT IN CURRENT PRODUCTION

[pherank]

The things that catch my eye:

I'd like to hear about Jennifer Stahl, Elizabeth Powell and Tiit Helimets in the Caniparoli premiere. I don't think I've seen Helimets dance with Stahl before, and certainly never with Powell.

Definitely would like to hear about the Danielle Rowe piece. André and Walsh should be high energy.

Sylve dancing Swan Lake roles is unusual these days. a farewell to the classics?

YYT and Vitor Luiz in his farewell dance will be emotional.

OK, the Mukhamedov and Helimets pairing sounds interesting too.

[PeggyR]

On 1/7/2020 at 5:02 PM, pherank said:

Sylve dancing Swan Lake roles is unusual these days. a farewell to the classics?.

Note that this is not the usual SL, but David Dawson’s version.  I’m very curious to see this; I believe it has gotten mixed reviews, and there appear to be several clips on YouTube.

http://www.seeingdance.com/scottish-ballet-swan-lake-22042016/

https://dancetabs.com/2016/04/scottish-ballet-swan-lake-dawson-premiere-glasgow/

Edited January 10, 2020 by PeggyR
ETA links

[sf_herminator]

On 1/7/2020 at 5:02 PM, pherank said:

The things that catch my eye:

I'd like to hear about Jennifer Stahl, Elizabeth Powell and Tiit Helimets in the Caniparoli premiere. I don't think I've seen Helimets dance with Stahl before, and certainly never with Powell.

Definitely would like to hear about the Danielle Rowe piece. André and Walsh should be high energy.

Sylve dancing Swan Lake roles is unusual these days. a farewell to the classics?

YYT and Vitor Luiz in his farewell dance will be emotional.

OK, the Mukhamedov and Helimets pairing sounds interesting too.

Jennifer Stahl and Tiit Helimets have danced together a number of times:  Second couple in Robbins' In The Night and Ratmansky's Symphony #9 come to mind.

For Pixie, which was danced in Sun Valley in 2018, is what lead to Danielle Rowe's piece for last year's gala - here is the article:  https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/dance/building-a-dance-step-by-step-for-a-world-premiere-at-sf-ballet-gala.

When Tomasson's Swan Lake returned in 2016 and 2017, Sofiane was one of the Odette/Odile's:  https://balletalert.invisionzone.com/topic/41116-sfb-2016-swan-lake/?tab=comments#comment-366554, https://balletalert.invisionzone.com/topic/42379-2017-season-swan-lake/?tab=comments#comment-379070.

 

 

[pherank]

1 minute ago, sf_herminator said:

Jennifer Stahl and Tiit Helimets have danced together a number of times:  Second couple in Robbins' In The Night and Ratmansky's Symphony #9 come to mind.

I think I saw both those performances, now that you mention it.

If Rowe's latest gala piece is a success, I think it's time for her to get a full commission.

RE: Sofiiane - in interviews/talks she keeps indicating that she's not particularly interested in dancing those "young maiden" roles in the traditional ballets. But obviously, she makes the effort when required to do so.

[PeggyR]

4 hours ago, pherank said:

RE: Sofiiane - in interviews/talks she keeps indicating that she's not particularly interested in dancing those "young maiden" roles in the traditional ballets. But obviously, she makes the effort when required to do so.

I believe the Dawson SL is not based on the standard version, but is his own interpretation and choreography:   no Rothbart, no tutus, and a strong, more contemporary Odette.  This Odette might appeal to Sylve more than the usual version, although I saw her performance at SFB a few years ago and it was, predictably, gorgeous.  Plus, of course, we’ll just be seeing one PdD, not the whole ballet.

 Here’s a link to a ‘making of’ video from Scottish Ballet.  Dawson’s commentary and the viewer comments give some interesting information about his take on the ballet.

 

[seattle_dancer]

On 1/14/2020 at 1:29 AM, PeggyR said:

I believe the Dawson SL is not based on the standard version, but is his own interpretation and choreography:   no Rothbart, no tutus, and a strong, more contemporary Odette.  This Odette might appeal to Sylve more than the usual version, although I saw her performance at SFB a few years ago and it was, predictably, gorgeous.  Plus, of course, we’ll just be seeing one PdD, not the whole ballet.

 Here’s a link to a ‘making of’ video from Scottish Ballet.  Dawson’s commentary and the viewer comments give some interesting information about his take on the ballet.

 

Thanks for posting PeggyR.  I hadn't gotten to it, but was going to post this video and say I suspect this Act II pdd will be the one in the gala.  I actually lucked out and scored a ticket and am getting excited to attend my first SFB gala performance!

This footage was aired during the Royal Ballet World Ballet Day section in 2015 and I was moved to see the whole ballet.  You're right, the story is different.  No Rothbart and a prominent best friend of Siegfriend.  Odette different interpretation as you mentioned.  No tutus - Dawson seems to like minimalist costumes.  On the Scottish Ballet website there are a lot of nice photos and videos:  https://www.scottishballet.co.uk/event/swan-lake.  I really want to see it again but can't spare the time; lucky for me SFB has an excerpt in the gala!

I do think it will be interesting to see Sofiane in the title role, she is a much taller dancer and of different physique than the two SB dancers I saw dance Odette.  They were more petite.  But I know Dawson has a long history with Sofiane, there is You Tube footage of her in The Grey Area pdd when she was with NYCB, so I'm sure it's going to be something special.

Edited January 23, 2020 by seattle_dancer
updated you tube video

[pherank]

2 hours ago, seattle_dancer said:

I do think it will be interesting to see Sofiane in the title role, she is a much taller dancer and of different physique than the two SB dancers I saw dance Odette.  They were more petite.  But I know Dawson has a long history with Sofiane, there is You Tube footage of her in The Grey Area pdd when she was with NYCB, so I'm sure it's going to be something special.

I believe Dawson was the first choreographer to create a role on SS. And this was long ago, when she was at Dutch National Ballet. It may even have been one of Dawson's earliest commissions (perhaps the first).

[pherank]

Here's a nice sequence of images from the Dawson Swan Lake with SS and Carlo Di Lanno:

http://www.jackdevant.com/sofiane-sylve-and-carlo-di-lanno-in-the-duet-from-swan-lake/

[PeggyR]

8 hours ago, seattle_dancer said:

I do think it will be interesting to see Sofiane in the title role, she is a much taller dancer and of different physique than the two SB dancers I saw dance Odette.  They were more petite.  But I know Dawson has a long history with Sofiane, there is You Tube footage of her in The Grey Area pdd when she was with NYCB, so I'm sure it's going to be something special.

Watching that video, I have to say the choreography looks well suited to Sylve's long limbs and beautiful lines.

Re the rest of the Gala, I'm curious about the absence of Ulrik Birkkjaer, especially with the Bournonville excerpt.  Having him in the company seems like a good time to bring in some Bournonville.  He and Kochectkova danced (beautifully) a PdD from La Sylphide at the 2018 Gala, and it occurred to me then that his presence was a great opportunity to give all the dancers, but particularly the newer promotees (is that a word?) some experience with the style.

Enjoy the performance, and I look forward to comparing notes.

Edited January 15, 2020 by PeggyR
Clarification

[sf_herminator]

This IG post of Jennifer Stahl on the SFB account contains information on one of the gala pieces:  

 

[sf_herminator]

And here's one of Sasha DeSola & Benjamin Freemantle, who will be debuting a piece by Myles Thatcher:  

 

[Helene]

Off-topic, but, we miss you in Seattle, @sf_herminator!  We were under the delusion that you live here and only visit San Francisco .

 

[PeggyTulle]

According to casting, Sasha De Sola has replaced Sasha Mukhamedov in Diamonds.