CriticalDance Forum

2007 Season
Program 1: Balanchine's "Divertimento No. 15," Wheeldon's "Carousel (A Dance)" and pas de deux from "After the Rain," Forsythe's "Artifact Suite." Jan. 30-Feb. 10.

Program 2: Tomasson's "Blue Rose," Bintley's "The Dance House," Possokhov's "Firebird." Feb. 1-11.

Program 3: "The Sleeping Beauty." Feb. 24-March 3.

Program 4: Taylor's "Spring Rounds," Tomasson's "Chi-Lin," McGregor's "Eden/Eden." March 13-24.

Program 5: Morris' "Pacific," Robbins' "Fancy Free" and "Other Dances," Tomasson's "The Fifth Season." March 15-25.

Program 6: Adam's "Night," Tomasson world premiere, de Mille's "Rodeo." April 4-21.

Program 7: Lubovitch's "Elemental Brubeck," Mrozewski world premiere, Balanchine's "Symphony in C." April 11-24.

Program 8: "Don Quixote." April 28-May 5.

Helgi Tomasson particpated in a podcast about the upcoming season with Leba Hertz, deputy arts and entertainment editor for the Chronicle. You can listen here.

More on the subject:



PS - Excuse the tardiness. I was supposed to cover for LMCtech who nomally does SF papers but I was distracted in NYC.

Just an FYI that Sergio Torrado has left SF Ballet for Houston Ballet.

http://www.houstonballet.org/Inside_Hou ... do_Soloist

Brief mentions of him are also in the [url:http://www.ballet-dance.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3050]Houston Ballet thread[/url].

Wow! Just noticed that Wayne McGregor has an SFB commission for 2007. Given that he has a premiere with La Scala in June 2006 and another RB premiere in the 2006-7 season, there is a case to be made that he is currently the most sought after UK-based ballet choreographer, and he comes, of course, from the contemporary dance world.

A comparison could be made with Mark Morris, but whereas, contrary to opinions in some quarters, Morris has always straddled the two dance forms, McGregor's background is very firmly in the non-ballet world.

The critical moment came around 8 years ago when he was invited to make a work with RB dancers in evening and weekend sessions and the result of the workshops, "Symbiont(s)", was shown in an ROH studio and left everyone gasping with wonder and went on to win a best new dance award.

Can't wait for the feedback on the SF performances.

What think the other SFB fans on the new season?

I'm excited about seeing Fancy Free, and I'm curious to know who'll play the Jerome Robbins part. I've enjoyed the performances I've seen, but I've always been disappointed in the third sailor's variation and wished I could have seen Robbins. (But who knows? I might have been disappointed in his performance, too, although I doubt it.) I know it's supposed to look Latin, but it didn't when I saw it.

I'm looking forward to the premieres, of course, and to The Dance House and Symphony In C. I'm glad new productions are performed 2 years in a row, since I missed "The Fifth Season" last time around.

For the opening night gala (before the regular season starts) let's hope we get to see Davit Karapetyan and Vanessa Zahorian dance their award-winning (Best Senior Couple, USA International Ballet Competition 2006) pas de deux, "After Having Been," choreographed by SFB's Nicolas Blanc. Congratulations, Davit, Vanessa and Nicolas! It's great to see local favorites given international recognition (although none of the news reports I saw identify them as members of San Francisco Ballet).

From the SF Chronicle.



to see the rest of the 7 programs....

An interesting article about the young talent in the company, who I often find more compelling than the old-timers...



more...

Casting for the Gala:


Opening Night Gala Opening Night
1/24/2007,8pm


AUNIS
Music: Tape
Casting: Nicolas Blanc*, Pascal Molat*,
Pierre-François Vilanoba

PAS DE DEUX from
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY, ACT III
Conductor: Martin West
Casting: Vanessa Zahorian, Gonzalo Garcia*

LAST BREATH
Music: Tape
Casting: Davit Karapetyan

PAS DE DEUX from
7 FOR EIGHT
Piano: Michael McGraw
Casting: Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun, Pierre-François Vilanoba

FIVE BRAHMS WALTZES IN THE MANNER OF ISADORA DUNCAN
Piano: Roy Bogas
Casting: Molly Smolen

SOIRÉES MUSICALES
Conductor: Martin West
Casting: Kristin Long, Joan Boada*

-INTERMISSION-

PAS DE DEUX from GISELLE, ACT II
Conductor: Martin West
Viola: Paul Ehrlich
Casting: Lorena Feijoo, Tiit Helimets

BITTER TEARS
Countertenor: Mark Crayton
Casting: Muriel Maffre*

L’AIR D’ESPRIT
Conductor: Martin West
Casting: Tina LeBlanc, Gennadi Nedvigin*

PAS DE DEUX from AFTER THE RAIN
Violin: Roy Malan
Piano: Michael McGraw
Casting: Yuan Yuan Tan*, Damian Smith*

4TH MOVEMENT & FINALE from SYMPHONY IN C
Conductor: Martin West
Casting: Sarah Van Patten*, Garrett Anderson*, Elana Altman*, Ruben Martin, Rachel Viselli*, Moises Martin*, Elizabeth Miner, Jaime Garcia Castilla* and corps de ballet



* Designates premiere in a role.
Casting subject to change.

Can't wait, the gala is one of the best evenings of dance in SF, at least for me.

Slight change for Symphony in C:


4TH MOVEMENT & FINALE from SYMPHONY IN C
Conductor: Martin West
Casting: Frances Chung*, Garrett Anderson*, Elana Altman*, Ruben Martin, Sarah Van Patten*, Moises Martin*, Elizabeth Miner, Jaime Garcia Castilla* and corps de ballet

There were many wonderful performances at the gala, but the best for me was Tina LeBlanc's variation in L'Air d'Esprit. Is there anyone in the world with fleeter feet?

I was surprised to hear a fair amount tittering when the countertenor in Bitter Tears started to sing. I guess a lot of people have never heard a countertenor and just didn't know what to make of that voice.

This sort of gala program may not be a satisfying artistic whole, but I enjoy getting to see the great variety of physical types and personalities in the company. I'm looking forward to the season very much.

I'm surprised to hear about the tittering in response to the countertenor; I thought audiences in SF were more highly evolved as the home base of Chanticleer, but perhaps that's not the Gala audience....

I was also a bit surprised at the response to the countertenor-although admittedly it's always a bit jarring to hear at first even though you know what to expect.

The piece was very thought provoking. It was great that there was interaction with the countertenor. But I think I was distracted by Muriel's costume. When she came out, Muriel had a gold pouffy skirt (something Marie Antoinette would wear). Then, she fell to the floor and crawled out of the skirt (with assistance from Mark-the countertenor) and she had on what appeared to be the tutu from Reflections. Also, the tutu was white yet the top was flesh-colored. Perhaps I quibble a bit, but overall I enjoyed the program and will post my thoughts on the whole evening later.

One more thing: After Lorena and Tiit performed the Pas de deux from Giselle, the woman sitting to my left whispered 'That's my daughter' - so I was sitting next to Lorena Feijoo's mother!!! Made me wish I was able to speak Spanish so I could have talked to her more. But, I did tell her Lorena is one of my favorite dancers, she was a beautiful Giselle, and I also enjoyed her in Swan Lake last season.