The program for SF Ballet's annual free performance at the Stern Grove Festival on Sunday, August 12, has been announced at this link.

The program is Spring Rounds (Strauss/Taylor), Divertimento #15 (Mozart/Balanchine), and Elemental Brubeck (Brubeck/Lubovitch).

I'll be visiting San Francisco that weekend (from Seattle). I was so excited to see that SFB is performing at Stern Grove, but as a tourist I have a few questions:
1) How far from the city (we are staying in Union Square) is Stern Grove? and
2) How early should we get there?
Thanks so much!

Dear bean, welcome to Ballet Talk.

You'll find information on the Stern Grove Website

Hope you enjoy the performance. I saw Ballet Florida do Elemental Brubeck this season. It should be a wonderful, very upbeat closing ballet for a summer evening.

Please introduce yourself on our Welcome forum. And definitely share with us your responses to the SFB performance!

Casting for this Sunday's performance in Stern Grove has been posted (SF Ballet Casting)

Stern Grove Performance Matinee
8/12/2007,2 PM

SPRING ROUNDS
Conductor: Martin West

Vanessa Zahorian, Garrett Anderson

INTERMISSION

DIVERTIMENTO NO. 15
Conductor: Martin West

Nicolas Blanc, Ruben Martin, Jaime Garcia Castilla
Lorena Feijoo
Vanessa Zahorian, Frances Chung, Katita Waldo, Rachel Viselli

INTERMISSION

ELEMENTAL BRUBECK
Music: Tape

Rory Hohenstein
Katita Waldo, Damian Smith

Welcome bean, hope you enjoy your trip to SF. A good way to get to Stern Grove from Union Square is to take the subway/streetcar from the Powell Street MUNI station at Market Street near the cable car turnaround. Go to the MUNI plarform (not BART) and take an outbound M or K train to Sloat Blvd (and St Francis) stop (this stop is above ground. Walk west 1/4 mile (4 short blocks) to 19th Ave and cross 19th to Stern Grove.

Two words or warning. The Grove fills up fast for the Ballet so you may want to get there early, probably by 11, noon at the latest. Also is can be chilly at Stern Grove so you might want to dress warmly and in layers so you can adjust as the temp changes. Of course it is always best to dress in layers when visiting SF. August tends to be one of the chillier months.
Hope you enjoy the performance. Stern Grove is a beautiful venue.

Thanks for the tips balletdad. I thought a free ballet performance would fill up fast!

A change in casting from the website (http://sfballet.org/performancestickets/casting.asp):

New soloist Julianne Kepley will dance in Divertimento No. 15 (Rachel Viselli was previously listed). I'm looking forward to seeing her.

Stern Grove Performance Matinee
8/12/2007,2 PM

SPRING ROUNDS
Conductor: Martin West

Vanessa Zahorian, Garrett Anderson

INTERMISSION

DIVERTIMENTO NO. 15
Conductor: Martin West

Nicolas Blanc, Ruben Martin, Jaime Garcia Castilla
Lorena Feijoo
Vanessa Zahorian, Frances Chung, Katita Waldo, Julianne Kepley

INTERMISSION

ELEMENTAL BRUBECK
Music: Tape

Rory Hohenstein
Katita Waldo, Damian Smith

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

Was anyone able to make it to see the show?

Here is a review: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...4/DDI0RHNDN.DTL




Sounds great!