Hello, C-D friends. Though I yield to nobody in my ability of enjoying visiting the City by the Bay (and incidentally stopping by Zachary’s Pizza in Oakland), this upcoming week, San Francisco Ballet has saved me the trouble of doing so by touring to Southern California. They’re bringing 2 nights of rep and 3 days of the Lar Lubovitch “Othello.”

To prepare, I thought that I would post in some CD reviews and discussions of the works from this year’s spring season and last year’s European tour (remember the burnt potato that caused the evacuation of Royal Opera House? Who was responsible? Shouldn’t the responsible party own up before mistakes get taken over by song and legend?).

2002 Season -- Program #7 (“Silver Ladders,” “Damned,” “Sand Paper Ballet”)

San Francisco Ballet in London

San Francisco Ballet in Paris

2002 SFB Staging of “Othello” (and PBS taping controversy)

“Othello” Review by ME Hunt

Also, here is some casting information straight from SFB’s website for Wednesday and Thursday.

Can anybody post in some info about “Paquita”? I’m not acquainted with that one.

Wednesday, September 25 - 8:00 P.M. OPENING NIGHT

PAQUITA
Principal Couple Yuan Yuan Tan, Vadim Solomakha
Pas de trois Gonzalo Garcia, Katita Waldo, Vanessa Zahorian
1st Variation Lorena Feijoo
2nd Variation Sarah Van Patten
3rd Variation Kristin Long
4th Variation Clara Blanco

DAMNED

Piano Roy Bogas
Medea Lorena Feijoo
Jason Guennadi Nedviguine
Princess Nicole Starbuck

SANDPAPER BALLET

David Arce, Catherine Baker, Dalene Bramer, Brook Broughton, Peter Brandenhoff, Kester Cotton, Maureen Choi, Julie Diana, Gonzalo Garcia, Emily Halpin, Sherri LeBlanc, Stephen Legate, Caroline Loyola, Megan Low, Muriel Maffre, Pauli Magierek, Erin McNulty, Elizabeth Miner, Steven Norman, Mariellen Olson, Benjamin Pierce, Yuri Possokhov, James Sofranko, Nicole Starbuck, Vanessa Zahorian

Thursday, September 26 - 8:00 P.M.

PAQUITA

Principal Couple Lorena Feijoo, Vadim Solomakha
Pas de trois Guennadi Nedviguine, Katita Waldo, Vanessa Zahorian
1st Variation Kristin Long
2nd Variation Sarah Van Patten
3rd Variation Mayo Sugano
4th Variation Clara Blanco

DAMNED

Piano Roy Bogas
Medea Muriel Maffre
Jason Pierre-François Vilanoba*
Princess Yuan Yuan Tan

SANDPAPER BALLET

David Arce, Catherine Baker, Dalene Bramer, Brook Broughton, Kester Cotton, Maureen Choi, Julie Diana, Lorena Feijoo, Gonzalo Garcia, Emily Halpin, Stephen Legate, Caroline Loyola, Megan Low, Pauli Magierek, Erin McNulty, Elizabeth Miner, Guennadi Nedviguine, Steven Norman, Mariellen Olson, Benjamin Pierce, Damian Smith, James Sofranko, Nicole Starbuck, Leslie Young, Vanessa Zahorian

*Premiere in role.
Casting is subject to change.

Casting for “Othello” is available, but I’ll post it in late if nobody else does.

PRINCIPAL CASTING FOR SAN FRANCISCO BALLET
Orange County Performing Arts Center

OTHELLO

Conductor Neal Stulberg

Friday, September 27 - 8:00 PM OPENING NIGHT

Othello Yuri Possokhov
Desdemona Yuan Yuan Tan
Iago Parrish Maynard
Emilia Katita Waldo
Cassio Gonzalo Garcia
Bianca Lorena Feijoo

Saturday, September 28 - 2:00 PM

Othello Pierre-François Vilanoba
Desdemona Katita Waldo
Iago Damian Smith
Emilia Sherri LeBlanc
Cassio Stephen Legate
Bianca Kristin Long

Saturday, September 28 - 8:00 PM

Othello Yuri Possokhov
Desdemona Yuan Yuan Tan
Iago Parrish Maynard
Emilia Katita Waldo
Cassio Gonzalo Garcia
Bianca Lorena Feijoo

Sunday, September 29 - 2:00 PM

Othello Pierre-François Vilanoba
Desdemona Katita Waldo
Iago Damian Smith
Emilia Sherri LeBlanc
Cassio Stephen Legate
Bianca Kristin Long

Casting is subject to change.

San Francisco Ballet return to London in 2003 and I hope that they bring "Othello". I'm sure it would do good box office as London audiences prefer full-length productions. However, one concern might be the mauling that Houston's "Cleopatra" and PNB's "Silver Lining" received at the hands of the London critics.

I will be there at least two nights (Wed and Fri) and I'm really looking forward to seeing this company as I haven't seen them before.

I'm most interested in seeing the mixed-rep programs, but I'm intrigued about "Othello" since it apparently hasn't been very well recieved. As I'm looking at archived reviews of the production, they haven't been very good. The LA Times critic, in his fall season preview piece, said SFB's mixed reps were the most interesting big-ballet things in the fall (for SoCal), but went so far as to say "avoid the company's turgid "Othello" later in the run." Hm...especially with this strong warning, I will have to go see it.

Any other California CDers going to OC for the performances?

--art

Thanks Jeff, for setting up this thread.

I have season tickets for OCPAC and will be there (the Lord willing) on Saturday night for the 'Othello' performance. I was hoping to go for more than one performance, but because of other commitments I can't.

So, it's Saturday night for me. If you would like to drop by and say 'hello', e-mail me.

I haven't seen this company is so many years, I've lost track. So, it's an all new company by now.

From the Los Angeles Times:

Now, It's Only About the Dance, Not His Dancing
A San Francisco Ballet principal performer has removed his slippers to choreograph 'Damned'

By CHRIS PASLES

MORE...

I'm seeing the mixed rep on Thursday night, and the Saturday evening performance of "Othello." Can't wait. Not sure where I'm sitting Saturday night, Basheva. The seats I had for earlier season shows were not great so they were trying to assign me better seats. It helps to be a donor (smile, wink, nod). I did score great seats at the last minute for Thursday's show -- a few rows back and center. Close enough to see thier toes!

All due respect to Pierre-François Vilanoba and Katita Waldo (who is a lovely dancer) the cast to see, I think will be Possokhov and Yuan Yuan Tan, even though Damian Smith is terrific as Iago in the second cast. Yuri didn't do Othello last year, but was much acclaimed in the role in the '98 season, and Yuan Yuan's just...well, she was just spectacular in practically everything she did last year.

As to Paquita, I'm curious to hear opinions about it. This is the staging by Natalia Makarova, which ABT did many years ago. Feijoo and Solomakha performed the pas de deux by itself at the winter gala last season (not a bad performance, and Feijoo is perfect for the role) and then again at Stern Grove in August, where they looked cleaner, but also tamer. I think though with a full corps, it should be prettier and more fun to watch. I've never really liked the actual pas de deux from Paquita itself unless it was backed up by the corps.

I can't wait to see everyone's reports!

<small>[ 09-22-2002, 12:53: Message edited by: mehunt ]</small>

With all due respect to Yuan Yuan Tan, I liked Katita Waldo better in the role, as I think she's a better actress. But I liked Possokhov better. All of the dancers in the secondary roles are excellent, so any program would be good.

<small>[ 09-23-2002, 03:51: Message edited by: djb ]</small>

I saw third cast in Paris, one impossible to see for you now while it was Lucia Lacarra and Cyril Pierre.
I saw also Katita Waldo and Pierre Françsoi Vilanoba as well as Yuan Yuan Tan and Yuri Possokhov, and my favourite was the first one. Katita is Desdemona as well ¨Pierre-François is completely Othello, read the review I made in the links before.
But I found them absolutely wonderful !

<small>[ 09-23-2002, 03:06: Message edited by: Cathy ]</small>

Yes, Katita is wonderful. I wish that they would cast her more in other roles as well, because she's a lovely dancer and very emotive.

Paquita is included in the ABT Now video.

BTW, anyone know when Othello is supposed to be on TV? I'd heard September but September is nearly over and it's not made an appearance. I check the PBS listings every week so I don't think I missed it.

Paquita is one of those strange little ballets that is left over from a larger full-length work that nobody does any more because it was lost (probably because it was so bad). Lots of Spanish influence in the music and chorography. Look out for Clara Blanco doing the variations (small red-head, won the Prix several years ago). She's outstanding in this ballet.

From the Daily Trojan:

The San Francisco Ballet will enchant audiences with ‘Damned’ this week in Costa Mesa

By LEYLA GULEN
Contributing Writer

MORE...

Thanks Art076!

Lacotte recreates for POB a complete version of Paquita, it's certainly not exactly the true choreography but it's the true stage and true dress.
It must be recorded during the season for video.

Lacotte keep the famous Grand pas at the end because it was very known and pas de trois, but it doesn't go really with the rest of ballet.

The choreography is really interesting and it was one of the greatest success of the 2000 season at POB.