sf_herminator Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 Dos Mujeres is the last new program of Tamara Rojo's inaugural season. For this program, the story of two different women - one a real life artist and the other a well known operatic character - come to life through two different choreographers. Carmen is a World Premiere choreographed by Cuban-born Arielle Smith - her first for SFB, with an original score by Arturo O'Farrill. It is a new version of the familiar character from Bizet's opera. Broken Wings, which is making its SF Ballet debut, portrays the art and life of Frida Khalo. This is the second piece from Annabelle Lopez Ochoa to enter the SFB rep. Guernica was part of the 2018 Unbound festival. This piece was originally created in 2016 for English National Ballet, which had Tamara Rojo in the role of Frida Kahlo. Details and Principal Casting: DOS MUJERES Carmen (World Premiere) Choreographer: Arielle Smith Composer: Arturo O’Farrill Set Design by: Riccardo Hernández Costume Design: Gabriela Hearst Lighting Design: Jim French Dramaturg: Lucinda Coxon Broken Wings (SF Ballet Premiere) Choreographer: Annabelle Lopez Ochoa Composer: Peter Salem, “La Llorona” sung by Chavela Vargas Staged by: Daniel Kraus Scenic and Costume Design: Dieuweke van Reij Lighting Design: Jim French Dramaturg: Nancy Meckler Assistant to the Choreographer: Garen Scribner Casting subject to change Thursday, April 4, 7:30 PM CARMEN Carmen: Sasha De Sola Jose: Joseph Walsh Escamillo: Jennifer Stahl Gilberto: Wei Wang BROKEN WINGS Frida: Isabella DeVivo Diego: John-Paul Simoens* Sister: Sasha Mukhamedov Alfonso: Cavan Conley Saturday, April 6, 2:00 PM CARMEN Carmen: Jasmine Jimison Jose: Esteban Hernández Escamillo: Sasha Mukhamedov Gilberto: Myles Thatcher BROKEN WINGS Frida: Nikisha Fogo Diego: Nathaniel Remez Frida's Sister: Jihyun Choi Alfonso: Esteban Hernández Saturday, April 6, 8:00 PM CARMEN Carmen: Sasha De Sola Jose: Joseph Walsh Escamillo: Jennifer Stahl Gilberto: Wei Wang BROKEN WINGS Frida: Isabella DeVivo Diego: John-Paul Simoens* Sister: Sasha Mukhamedov Alfonso: Cavan Conley Tuesday, April 9, 7:30 PM CARMEN Carmen: Jasmine Jimison Jose: Esteban Hernández Escamillo: Sasha Mukhamedov Gilberto: Myles Thatcher BROKEN WINGS Frida: Nikisha Fogo Diego: Nathaniel Remez Frida's Sister: Jihyun Choi Alfonso: Esteban Hernández Wednesday, April 10, 7:30 PM CARMEN Carmen: Jasmine Jimison Jose: Esteban Hernández Escamillo: Sasha Mukhamedov Gilberto: Myles Thatcher BROKEN WINGS Frida: Nikisha Fogo Diego: Nathaniel Remez Frida's Sister: Jihyun Choi Alfonso: Esteban Hernández Friday, April 12, 8:00 PM CARMEN Carmen: Sasha De Sola Jose: Joseph Walsh Escamillo: Jennifer Stahl Gilberto: Wei Wang BROKEN WINGS Frida: Isabella DeVivo Diego: John-Paul Simoens* Sister: Sasha Mukhamedov Alfonso: Cavan Conley Sunday, April 14, 2:00 PM CARMEN Carmen: Sasha De Sola Jose: Joseph Walsh Escamillo: Jennifer Stahl Gilberto: Wei Wang BROKEN WINGS Frida: Isabella DeVivo Diego: John-Paul Simoens* Sister: Sasha Mukhamedov Alfonso: Cavan Conley *Guest Artist Link to comment
sf_herminator Posted April 5 Author Share Posted April 5 (edited) I was at last night's performance. I enjoyed Carmen and look forward to seeing it again - but I will say that it is not your mother's Carmen. Broken Wings is a very special piece. It literally is art coming to life!! Visually stunning costumes, wonderful choreography for the 'Frida' group (men as different versions of Frida's self portraits). I don't think there are words to express what I experienced watching this piece, but I cannot wait to see it again this weekend!! Kudos to everyone, but especially Isabella DeVivo as Frida Kahlo. Run, don't walk to see this one!! Edited April 5 by sf_herminator Link to comment
Phrenchphry11 Posted April 5 Share Posted April 5 I was there last night too Agree with you - Broken Wings is a real gem, I hope it has a place in SFB's regular rep. Everything about it was spectacular - the music, the costumes, the fantastic and creative set. And time and again, Isabella DeVivo knocks it out of the park. I was very unexpectedly moved by several scenes (her miscarriage, the final scene + Frida dancing with the Doe), and I think Isabella brought a rich characterization to the role. Really really hope this piece enters the rep of more American companies, as Frida did spend a considerable amount of her life in the US. I was a little more mixed on Carmen. I thought the approach and reworking of the plot was interesting. The set and music was great! Some of the movement vocab started feeling a little bland by the end, and I didn't really love the final scene. It was unclear what Carmen's fate was at the end, and I don't think the ambiguity helped with the plot at all. However, the dancing was great, Jen Stahl in particular was riveting. I think I'd like Carmen a lot if perhaps the final scene was reworked a bit. Link to comment
Terez Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 Absolutely loved Broken Wings which I saw on Saturday afternoon. Nikisha Fogo was just stunning, but I had the opportunity to attend an in-studio rehearsal run-through 10 days earlier that featured Isabella, and I agree that she was absolutely amazing. So much to love in this ballet. (Am currently writing up a review for Bachtrack of the afternoon's performance, so the bulk of my words have to go there first.) Carmen didn't do it for me, I hate to say. Very worthy dancing and dancers, and Sasha Mukhamedov with her solo, or, better put, her "kitchen knife pas de deux" was sensational, as were Jasmine's lovely arabesque lines and the way she handled the role of Carmen. But ... yeah. I didn't walk away from it and think "wow". Link to comment
Terez Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 (edited) On 4/5/2024 at 12:42 PM, Phrenchphry11 said: I was very unexpectedly moved by several scenes (her miscarriage, the final scene + Frida dancing with the Doe). I had the same reaction about the Doe, and getting choked up more than I'd expected. The whole thing really packed a surprising punch. PS: Anyone know why John Paul Simoens was used, when he's no longer a company dancer? Edited April 7 by Terez Link to comment
Josette Posted April 8 Share Posted April 8 I saw both casts on Saturday. I was unimpressed with Carmen, and thought that Jimison was one-dimensional in the role and her pretty lines did not overcome her one-note, angry face exhibited throughout the work. There was no development or understanding of the role. Sasha De Sola fared better; she started off with the same angry face but managed to interact more successfully with her colleagues, and the work actually made some sense, I guess. Joe Walsh stole the show, he was a real person, and danced and acted brilliantly. What bothers me about this work is all the hype and interviews about it being based on the Merimee novella or using the novella as a point of departure, and in no way, shape or form did it. The Merimee novella and the opera have fate as a theme, and Carmen is very much in control of her fate and makes her own decisions. She expects Don Jose to kill her. I did not expect the ballet I saw yesterday to mirror that theme or have gypsy references, but this ballet lapsed into a plot about an angry, married woman who lost her mother, and hired a female chef for the family restaurant/diner, which was pitifully run-down, and became infatuated with the chef, leading to an affair. "Carmen's" husband finds the two women together, brandishes a knife at but does not kill his wife, and the chef decides to abandon the job and "Carmen," leaving "Carmen" looking unsure about her life/identify, and then there's a sort-of apotheosis at the end where other women come on stage, hold hands, and look out at the audience. The dancers did their best with what they were given. Jimison had the same problem in the ballet on Salome last season on not developing a characterization. Pretty arabesques do not a characterization make. However, Broken Wings, was utterly brilliant, and Isabella De Vivo a revelation. Her opening scene as the young Frida took my breath away (I've seen the Dutch National Ballet dance the two-act version), and her dancing and acting were extraordinary as the ballet progressed. She was living the role and gave a seamless performance. Nikisha Fogo was also excellent in the matinee but she did not make the same impact and lacked the vulnerability that De Vivo had in the role. But both dancers are worth seeing. John Paul Simoens and Nathaniel Remez were each excellent as Diego Rivera. I love this ballet and could see it again and again. Link to comment
Terez Posted April 8 Share Posted April 8 I love your in-depth review of the perfomances, Josette! I so appreciate that you took the time to get it all down, as well as your insight about the Merimee novella and how it fell short of that. Fascinating. It all makes so much sense, and puts a finger right on why, in my mind, the ballet fell short. I would have loved to see Joe's Don José -- I feel like it's a role that can be "meh" or riveting, depending on the acting skills of the dancers. I guess the same can be said for Carmen. I feel a little nostalgic, remembering Mathilde Froustey, the way she was such an amazing actor. Sarah Van Patten too. They would have kicked ass as Carmen and Escamillo, respectively. I second your thoughts on feeling like I could see Broken Wings again and again. Sure hope they repeat it next season! Link to comment
Terez Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 Helene's allowing me to post a link to my review published at Bachtrack. You can find it HERE. So very hard this time to keep it to 800 words! Link to comment
sf_herminator Posted April 10 Author Share Posted April 10 A short clip of Annabelle Lopez Ochoa speaking about the Fridas: Link to comment
sf_herminator Posted April 10 Author Share Posted April 10 When you enter the theater at the Opera House for the performances of Dos Mujeres, there is a beautiful curtain created by Oakland based artist Maria Guzman Capron. https://www.sfballet.org/discover/backstage/local-artist-crafts-vibrant-scenic-curtain/?fbclid=IwAR2N3KySeCYYQ1a_4PETSe_a6WBc885fgt0xm6sVuC4ukVMaDd8mNZuktMU_aem_Aea2igRWPtHlYBWFlGCrXyKYhi8rcCOXvc_I1XEr-ONmv5RbNlk-y91RHusLItN73yhi1j1aasHPAXkVerNkCl0e https://www.instagram.com/p/C5YqjEIOu9b/ Link to comment
sf_herminator Posted April 12 Author Share Posted April 12 Meet the Artist Interviews on Friday 4/12 and Sunday 4/14 - https://www.sfballet.org/productions/meet-the-artist-interviews/ April 12 at 7 pm – Textile Artist Maria Guzmán Capron, designer of the Dos Mujeres scenic curtain April 14 at 1 pm – Principal Dancer Esteban Hernández Link to comment
leee Posted April 14 Share Posted April 14 I saw this on Friday, and Broken Wings is simply astounding. Costumes, makeup, music, set design, lighting, it was such a sensory feast. I'm also a sucker for choreography where the dancers continue to perform as the curtain drops. Between this and the MADCAP encore, it's been an incredible couple weeks of ballet for me. (One thing that gave me pause was Diego's wedding scene, when the skeletons were shouting out random Spanish phrases. It was funny at first but the longer it drew out the less comfortable it became.) Agreed as well on Carmen being a bit of an afterthought, though this is the jazziest I've ever seen SFB get, and I did appreciate that Jen Stahl's solo was, for lack of a better word, so butch. Link to comment
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