sf_herminator Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 George Balanchine's A Midsummer Night's Dream returns to the stage after a very brief run in 2020. The opening night performance on Friday 3/6 also turned out to be the closing performance when the mayor declared all venues closed due to beginning of the COVID pandemic. There was a student performance earlier that day. A final performance was put together a few days later which was recorded for subscribers to access. Since it had been over 30 years since SFB last performed Midsummer, there were multiple debuts that never happened. Here is a link to the thread from 2020: https://balletalert.invisionzone.com/topic/45357-sfb-program-4-a-midsummer-nights-dream/#comment-422928 Following was the principal cast for the March 6 performance (full casting may not have been posted): 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*† Hopefully, principal casting will be up after the Swan Lake run. Link to comment
Josette Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 Thanks for posting this, sf_herminator. It was interesting to read through all the 2020 posts and see the casting. I was talking with a waitress at the Opera House last Sunday, and she told me about the night the mayor shut down the performance. I decided to purchase tickets for the last three shows of this run, and, having seen the 2020 discussion, I’m now especially glad that I did so. Link to comment
sf_herminator Posted March 1 Author Share Posted March 1 In 2020, the company used the sets & costumes from Pacific Northwest Ballet. For this season’s performances, the sets & costumes are from Paris Opera Ballet, designed by Christian Lacroix. Link to comment
sf_herminator Posted March 1 Author Share Posted March 1 8 hours ago, Josette said: Thanks for posting this, sf_herminator. It was interesting to read through all the 2020 posts and see the casting. I was talking with a waitress at the Opera House last Sunday, and she told me about the night the mayor shut down the performance. I decided to purchase tickets for the last three shows of this run, and, having seen the 2020 discussion, I’m now especially glad that I did so. I was there that night. There was so much excitement in the air. I was working at the pop-up table (pointe shoes, ballet flats, sneakers, & other shoes used onstage). Then someone alerted us to the news. At the time we all thought it would be 2 weeks at most….. What really made me sad was all dancers who were going to take on some of the roles that we never got to see. But now other dancers will get their chance. BTW - I’ll be working in the gift shop on the mezzanine level or the kiosk in the lobby for the Saturday evening performances - stop by & say Hi 👋 Link to comment
pherank Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 The one bright spot was that they made the excellent digital recording of the 2nd night's cast for streaming, which included the Frances Chung / Ulrik Birkkjaer duet - that was truly one for the ages. I'd pay good money to see that again. Link to comment
Josette Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 20 hours ago, pherank said: The one bright spot was that they made the excellent digital recording of the 2nd night's cast for streaming, which included the Frances Chung / Ulrik Birkkjaer duet - that was truly one for the ages. I'd pay good money to see that again. So true, pherank. Link to comment
sf_herminator Posted March 5 Author Share Posted March 5 Principal Casting for the first three performances of A Midsummer Night's Dream has been posted (CASTING - San Francisco Ballet (sfballet.org)) As always, casting is subject to change. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM Choreographer: George Balanchine Composer: Felix Mendelssohn Staged by: Sandra Jennings Scenic and Costume Design: Christian Lacroix Lighting by: Jennifer Tipton Tuesday, March 12, 7:30 PM Titania: Sasha De Sloa Oberon: Esteban Hernández Puck: Cavan Conley NOTE: If you saw the video capture back in 2020, this is the same cast Wednesday, March 13, 7:30 PM Titania: Nikisha Fogo Oberon: To be announced Puck: Alexis Francisco Valdes Thursday, March 14, 7:30 PM Titania: Jennifer Stahl Oberon: Wei Wang Puck: Luca Ferrò Initial reactions: Happy to see Jennifer Stahl will finally get to dance Titania. She danced Hippolyta on opening night and was slated to dance Titania Wonderful opportunity for 2 Corps dancers (Alexis and Luca) to portray Puck Wonder who will be Nikisha's Oberon.... Can't wait to see additional casting!! Link to comment
Josette Posted March 7 Share Posted March 7 The casting for Titania, Oberon, and Puck is up for all performances. Cavan Conley is dancing Oberon! He is always excellent in everything he performs, so I am excited for him and will get to see him dance both roles. And Sasha Mukhamedov will be dancing Titania, which I am looking forward to seeing as well! I wish they would let us know about the lead couple casting for the Act II pas de deux, which, for me, is the highlight of the ballet. Link to comment
pherank Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 On 3/6/2024 at 4:49 PM, Josette said: I wish they would let us know about the lead couple casting for the Act II pas de deux, which, for me, is the highlight of the ballet. Yes, it's interesting they are holding back on that information. Hopefully this isn't due to unexpected injury. Link to comment
pherank Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 MIsa Kuranaga and Angelo Greco are apparently going to be dancing the pas de deux (at least as of 4 days ago): https://www.instagram.com/p/C4O77YfPIIs/ Link to comment
pherank Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 Christian Lacroix's designs arrive from Paris | A Midsummer Night's Dream at San Francisco Ballet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Op_SVlfZX8 Link to comment
Josette Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 Tuesday night's cast, March 12, 2024: Conductor: Martin West ACT I A Forest near Athens, one Midsummer Eve Titania: SASHA DE SOLA Oberon: ESTEBAN HERNÁNDEZ Puck: CAVAN CONLEY Helena: ELIZABETH MATEER In love with Demetrius Hermia: KATHERINE BARKMAN In Love with Lysander Lysander: MYLES THATCHER Beloved of Hermia Demetrius: STEVEN MORSE Suitor of Hermia Hippolyta: NIKISHA FOGO Queen of the Amazons Theseus: DANIEL DEIVISON-OLIVEIRA Duke of Athens Butterfly: JULIA ROWE Titania's Cavalier: AARON ROBISON Bottom: ALEXIS FRANCISCO VALDES Butterflies: SunMin Lee, Carmela Mayo, Leili Rackow, Tyla Steinbach with: Ava Allaire, Mitsuki Denman, Camila Maldonado, Juliet Paul, Allyson Schmitt-Vallejo, Nicole Widjaja, Emily Yin Oberon's Pages: Piper O’Leary-Herreras, Elise Pickert, Sofia Trias, Aila Whiteley Titania's Page: Lula Welland Bottom's Companions: Ricardo Bustamante, Lleyton Ho, Nathaniel Remez, Jacob Seltzer Courtiers to Theseus: Eduardo Cazarez, Benjamin Davidoff, João Percilio da Silva, Dylan Pierzina Titania's Retinue: Kamryn Baldwin, Samantha Bristow, Jihyun Choi, Thamires Chuvas, Jacey Gailliard, Gabriela Gonzalez, Blake Johnston, Swane Messaoudi, Pemberley Ann Olson, Anatalia St. Clair, Maggie Weirich, Seojeong Yun Oberon's Kingdom: Ava Allaire, Emma Andrzejewski, Adeline Bracamonte, Mitsuki Denman, Naomi Estrada, Piper Everly, Colette Gentzkow, Lily Gurvitz, Danielle Hillman, Brianna Hollub, Jacelyn Lam, Sage Luu, Camila Maldonado, Blythe Milne, Piper O’Leary-Herreras, Azure Paillard Hays, Jacqueline Park, Juliet Paul, Elise Pickert, Allyson Schmitt-Vallejo, Sofia Trias, Aila Whiteley, Nicole Widjaja, Emily Yin Hippolyta's Hounds: Sofia Albers, Olivia Brothers, Katharine Lee, Swane Messaoudi, Rimi Nakano, Seojeong Yun – INTERMISSION – ACT II At the Court of Theseus, in Athens Divertissement: FRANCES CHUNG and ISAAC HERNÁNDEZ Kamryn Baldwin, Thamires Chuvas, Isabella DeVivo, Gabriela Gonzalez, Norika Matsuyama, Julia Rowe, Benjamin Davidoff, Luca Ferrò,, Andris Kundzins, Joshua Jack Price, Alexis Francisco Valdes, Mingxuan Wang Courtiers: Samantha Bristow, Olivia Brothers, Jihyun Choi, Jacey Gailliard, Mimi Lamar, SunMin Lee, Carmela Mayo, Swane Messaoudi, Rimi Nakano, Pemberley Ann Olson, Hui-Wen Peng, Leili Rackow, Anatalia St. Clair, Tyla Steinbach, Angela Watson, Maggie Weirich, Victoria Wright, Seojeong Yun, Eduardo Cazarez, Lleyton Ho, João Percilio da Silva, Dylan Pierzina, Simone Pompignoli, Nathaniel Remez, Alexander Reneff-Olson, Jacob Seltzer Singers: Victoria Fraser, Soprano Lauren Bigelow, Mezzo-Soprano with Yuhi Aizawa Combatti, Monica Frame, Jessica House Steward, Emily Ryan Kusnadi, Andrea Mich, Christabel Nunoo, Rachel Rush, Colby Smith, Blythe Tai, Celeste Winant (Members of San Francisco’s Volti vocal ensemble, Robert Geary, Artistic Director) Link to comment
PeggyTulle Posted March 13 Share Posted March 13 Quote Bottom's Companions: Ricardo Bustamante, Lleyton Ho, Nathaniel Remez, Jacob Seltzer Ricardo Bustamante as one of Bottom's Companions??? Are they low on corps men??? Link to comment
PeggyTulle Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 16 hours ago, Josette said: He loves to be on stage? That's one plausible explanation. Link to comment
Terez Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 I saw the 3/17 Sunday matinee, after having assumed I wouldn't be able to make any of the performances. It was SO much fun, and it felt like a dream cast, with Jennifer Stahl and Wei Wang as Titania/Oberon, Elizabeth Mateer/Stephen Morse and Frances Chung/Myles Thatcher as the lovers, Alexis Francisco Valdes as a surprisingly wonderful Puck, Nikisha Fogo/Daniel Deivison-Oliveira as Hypolyta/Theseus. Everything just seemed perfectly cast. I loved seeing Elizabeth Mateer ace the role of Helena. I hadn't realized before how funny it could be, the way a lovesick Helena drapes herself over a patently uninterested Demetrius. The laughter in the audience was unexpected (but fun!), and that's what I get for watching the streamed version 2x back in 2020, filmed without an audience, and thinking I "knew" the ballet. The orchestra was typically amazing and wonderful. They were the "artist" in the 1pm "Meet the Artist" series, and it was enlightening and enjoyable to hear Martin West dissect the score and talk about Mendelssohn (versus Mozart - a fascinating compare-and-contrasts of both composers' work from their teens) and see the orchestra actually playing, for once, instead of hidden in the pit. The costumes -- wow. Just dazzling. Boy, I'm SO grateful I got to see this program (and this performance) after all. What a fun treat. Oh, final shout out to Norika Matsuyama as the dazzling Butterfly. Just love her warmth and energy. Link to comment
Josette Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 On 3/13/2024 at 2:31 PM, PeggyTulle said: Ricardo Bustamante as one of Bottom's Companions??? Are they low on corps men??? He is obviously playing Peter Quince, though not listed as a character for the ballet, and dear Mr. Bustamente is wonderful in the role. I saw the performance on March 22 and found it in every way delightful and was thrilled to see the company dancing with joy and brilliance across the board. I am attending the two performances today, March 23, as well. Link to comment
pherank Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 On 3/18/2024 at 8:41 AM, Terez said: I saw the 3/17 Sunday matinee, after having assumed I wouldn't be able to make any of the performances. It was SO much fun, and it felt like a dream cast, with Jennifer Stahl and Wei Wang as Titania/Oberon, Elizabeth Mateer/Stephen Morse and Frances Chung/Myles Thatcher as the lovers, Alexis Francisco Valdes as a surprisingly wonderful Puck, Nikisha Fogo/Daniel Deivison-Oliveira as Hypolyta/Theseus. Everything just seemed perfectly cast. I loved seeing Elizabeth Mateer ace the role of Helena. I hadn't realized before how funny it could be, the way a lovesick Helena drapes herself over a patently uninterested Demetrius. The laughter in the audience was unexpected (but fun!), and that's what I get for watching the streamed version 2x back in 2020, filmed without an audience, and thinking I "knew" the ballet. The orchestra was typically amazing and wonderful. They were the "artist" in the 1pm "Meet the Artist" series, and it was enlightening and enjoyable to hear Martin West dissect the score and talk about Mendelssohn (versus Mozart - a fascinating compare-and-contrasts of both composers' work from their teens) and see the orchestra actually playing, for once, instead of hidden in the pit. The costumes -- wow. Just dazzling. Boy, I'm SO grateful I got to see this program (and this performance) after all. What a fun treat. Oh, final shout out to Norika Matsuyama as the dazzling Butterfly. Just love her warmth and energy. That's great you were able to go, Terez. 😀 Were De Sola and Robison in the Act II Divertissement? Link to comment
pherank Posted March 26 Share Posted March 26 SFB released this video with some highlights from the various performances: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRxtxbHivdQ Link to comment
Terez Posted March 28 Share Posted March 28 On 3/24/2024 at 12:09 AM, pherank said: That's great you were able to go, Terez. 😀 Were De Sola and Robison in the Act II Divertissement? Oops, forgot to mention them. Yes they were! Link to comment
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