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2022 Rep Season - Don Quixote (Program 3)


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Don Quixote opens Saturday 2/26 at 8 PM.  Principal casting has been posted:  https://www.sfballet.org/tickets/casting/

DON QUIXOTE

Composer: Ludwig Minkus
Choreographer: Alexander Gorsky after Marius Petipa
Staging and Additional Choreography: Helgi Tomasson and Yuri Possokhov
Scenic and Costume Design: Martin Pakledinaz
Lighting Design: James F. Ingalls
Associate Scenic Designer: Arnulfo Maldonado
Associate Costume Designer: Heather Lockard
Author of Don Quixote: Miguel de Cervantes

  • Kitri:  Misa Kuranaga
  • Basilio:  Angelo Greco
  • Don Quixote:  Jim Sohm
  • Sancho Panza:  Pascal Molat
  • Mercedes:  Sarah Van Patten
  • Espada:  Luke Ingham

Casting is subject to change without notice.  

Edited by sf_herminator
added production credits
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More principal casting - https://www.sfballet.org/tickets/casting/

Sunday, February 27, 2:00 PM

  • Kitri: Wona Park
  • Basilio: Joseph Walsh
  • Don Quixote: Alexander Reneff-Olson
  • Sancho Panza: Davide Occhipinti
  • Mercedes: Jennifer Stahl
  • Espada: John-Paul Simoens

Tuesday, March 1, 7:30 PM

  • Kitri: Sasha De Sola
  • Basilio: Aaron Robison
  • Don Quixote: Tiit Helimets
  • Sancho Panza: Diego Cruz
  • Mercedes: Dores Andre
  • Espada: Daniel Deivison-Olivera

Wednesday, March 2, 7:30 PM

  • Kitri: Misa Kuranaga
  • Basilio: Angelo Greco
  • Don Quixote: Jim Sohm
  • Sancho Panza: Pascal Molat
  • Mercedes: Sarah Van Patten
  • Espada: Luke Ingham

Casting is subject to change without notice.

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Principal casting for Thursday 2/3 and Friday 2/4 now up - https://www.sfballet.org/tickets/casting/

Thursday, March 3, 7:30 PM

  • Kitri: Wona Park
  • Basilio: Joseph Walsh
  • Don Quixote: Alexander Reneff-Olson
  • Sancho Panza: Davide Occhipinti
  • Mercedes: Madison Keesler
  • Espada: Cavan Conley

Friday, March 4, 8:00 PM

  • Kitri: Sasha De Sola
  • Basilio: Aaron Robison
  • Don Quixote: Tiit Helimets
  • Sancho Panza: Diego Cruz
  • Mercedes: Sasha Mukhamedov
  • Espada: John-Paul Simoens

Casting is subject to change without notice.

Since debuts are not being noted, from my recollection these are the debuts of what has posted so far:

  • Misa Kuranaga debuts as Kitri in this production (most likely has done Don Q at Boston Ballet if it is in their rep)
  • John-Paul Simeons as Espada
  • Dores Andres as Mercedes (she danced Kitri in 2019 and one of Kitri's friends in 2015)
  • Sasha Mukhamedov as Mercedes 
  • Tiit Helimets as Don Quixote (danced Basilio in 2007)

Currently, I will be attending both Saturday performances (2/26 and 3/6 evening), Wednesday 3/2, and Friday 3/5.

 

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I will be attending Saturday night's performance, as well. I've never seen Misa K dance live on stage, so that will be nice. I've missed seeing Angelo G, as well.

I was wondering why Froustey wasn't cast as Kitri in this run. She was utterly charming in the SFB's last Don Q; If memory serves me correct, she was opening-night Kitri. Hope all is well with her. I know she had a baby, so her earlier presence onstage (was it Nutcracker?) was a very pleasant surprise.

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I’m going to both March 5 performances.  Very much looking forward to seeing Kuranaga/Greco.   During the last run, I saw the Park/Walsh pairing (debuts for both), and they were terrific, especially considering that, at that time, they only had a couple of weeks rehearsal together.

I saw Froustey at the Feb 5 matinee performance, and she was lovely as always.

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I just saw tonight's performance (March 7) and all I can say is woooowwwwwwww.  Kuranaga and Greco were absolutely perfect.  Kuranaga in particular looked to be having such an "on" night - amazing balances, risk-taking jumps, and the cherry on top was 32 foutees with doubles sprinkled in (not that I've ever seen her have an off night, but tonight in particular I was amazed).  And Greco as usual was stupendous.  Many gasps from the audience.  Highly recommend seeing them if you get a chance.

Also - SVP as Mercedes was fantastic.  She's got wonderful musicality, flair, and charisma. Bittersweet now knowing this is her last season.  Such an underrated artist, imo.  

Julia Rowe has been having an amazing season, too.  I've always been drawn to her and her musicality - I've been hoping she's on the shortlist for a principal promotion, but who knows!

Great energy from the cast in general.  Lots of great acting and comic relief.  All around a fantastic show.  I might try to snag a ticket to see the other casts.

 

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Casting News:

For the Friday 3/4 and Sunday 3/6 performances, Wei Wang will now dance Basilio to Sasha De Sola's Kitri.

How did this happen?  Here is the principal casting listed for Tuesday 3/1 (Kitri & Basilio only, but full casting available (CASTING - San Francisco Ballet (sfballet.org) - click on the performance date):

ACT I: Town Square in Barcelona

  • Kitri: SASHA DE SOLA
  • Basilio: AARON ROBISON

ACT II, Scene One: Spanish Countryside

  • Kitri: SASHA DE SOLA
  • Basilio: JOSEPH WALSH

ACT III: The Wedding, Town Square

  • Kitri: WONA PARK
  • Basilio: JOSEPH WALSH

On Thursday, Sasha posted on her IG stories that Wei was now dancing Basilio with her on Friday and Sunday.  I then checked the site for casting and saw the update.  Looking forward to seeing them dance tonight.

On another note and a reminder:  full casting for each performance is posted just prior to the performance.  Casting sheets are no longer handed out.  Instead, there are stands on each level which have the casting with a QR code which will open up the casting page on the SFB website.  This practice started during Nutcracker.  

I can also report that although on both Saturday night and Wednesday night, although it was not a full house the audience has been very responsive.  I will try to post more before the end of the run.  I will be attending tonight and tomorrow night.

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2 hours ago, PeggyTulle said:

Sasha had posted to her IG stories that Aaron had gotten injured partway through a performance, and Joe Walsh stepped in partway through. 

Very unfortunate. I really hope this is not Robison's old injury returned.

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4 hours ago, pherank said:

Very unfortunate. I really hope this is not Robison's old injury returned.

Oh no! Robison is one of my favorites at this company. I'll be in SF for a conference in March and got tickets for Program 4 (La Sylphide and The Seasons) -- both seem like naturals for him and I have hoped he would be cast. 

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11 hours ago, California said:

Oh no! Robison is one of my favorites at this company. I'll be in SF for a conference in March and got tickets for Program 4 (La Sylphide and The Seasons) -- both seem like naturals for him and I have hoped he would be cast. 

Yes, it's a real shame. Fingers crossed that it is only a minor physical issue. "Times of change" create a lot of stress, and injuries start to mount. I don't think it's a coincidence that various SFB dancers are missing in action right now. And every time I hear of someone's dancing being described as uncharacteristically "stiff", I just think "Oh no! Not another injury!"

Does anyone know specifically what's going on with Frances Chung?

Edited by pherank
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2 minutes ago, PeggyR said:

March 5 matinee cancelled.  Apparently a sprinkler broke and sprinkled water on the stage.   So far, tonight is good to go but that could change.  

This reminds me of photos of Russian ballet schools with watering cans sprinkling the classroom floors so they could learn to adjust to less-than-optimal conditions.

 

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I'm not @California, but any company that tours will encounter less-than-optimal conditions, which can mean "Conditions we're not used to and to which we (may) need to adjust."  Even for companies that don't tour, they might perform in different home theaters, with floors of varying quality and characteristics.  For example, the springiness or the hardness of the floors, including whether the underlying floor is concrete.  (Some companies have "travel" sprung floors to put down over stages.)  Raked vs. not-raked vs. rakes of different angles.  Amount of slipperiness.  Stages used for opera and theater sets with gouges in the floor for theater screws. Quality and condition of the dance floor "toppers" in that theater.  

 

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26 minutes ago, Helene said:

I'm not @California, but any company that tours will encounter less-than-optimal conditions, which can mean "Conditions we're not used to and to which we (may) need to adjust."  Even for companies that don't tour, they might perform in different home theaters, with floors of varying quality and characteristics.  For example, the springiness or the hardness of the floors, including whether the underlying floor is concrete.  (Some companies have "travel" sprung floors to put down over stages.)  Raked vs. not-raked vs. rakes of different angles.  Amount of slipperiness.  Stages used for opera and theater sets with gouges in the floor for theater screws. Quality and condition of the dance floor "toppers" in that theater.  

 

Thank you @Helene:)

My question to  @Californiawas about how the watering cans are to learn to adjust to less-than-optimal conditions. 

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They create a combination of slippery and what happens when rosin and water mix. 

I know that there are now chemicals that create fog onstage without leaving liquid residue, but not all theaters use them.  I'm old enough that I cringe whenever I see "dry ice" or fog onstage, because I keep thinking that the stage will be left as slick as a skating rink. 

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26 minutes ago, Helene said:

They create a combination of slippery and what happens when rosin and water mix. 

I know that there are now chemicals that create fog onstage without leaving liquid residue, but not all theaters use them.  I'm old enough that I cringe whenever I see "dry ice" or fog onstage, because I keep thinking that the stage will be left as slick as a skating rink. 

My understanding is that the water is to make the floors less slippery. It replaces rosin. I was just not sure how it teaches one to "adjust to the conditions". Doesn't it just change the conditions? :lol:

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