Here's the link: http://www.sfballet.org/performancestickets/casting.asp
Choreographer and composer information has been added. Addtional casts will be entered when information becomes available.

Updated 1/29: added casting for matinee and evening 1/31

Program 2 Opening Night
Thursday, January 29, 2009, 8pm

NAKED

Conductor: Gary Sheldon
Choregraphy: Stanton Welch
Composer: Poulenc (Concerto in D minor for Two Pianos)
Piano: Roy Bogas

Kristin Long, Pascal Molat
Yuan Yuan Tan, Ruben Martin
Frances Chung, Brett Bauer
Nicole Grand, Hansuke Yamamoto
Elizabeth Miner, Diego Cruz

INTERMISSION

IBSEN’S HOUSE
Choregraphy: Val Caniparoli
Composer: Dvorak (Piano Quintet in A Major, Op. 81)
Conductor: Gary Sheldon
Piano: Roy Bogas
Violin: Roy Malan, Craig Reiss
Viola: Paul Ehrlich
Cello: David Kadarauch

Lorena Feijoo, Quinn Wharton*
Katita Waldo, Davit Karapetyan
Clara Blanco, Luke Willis
Courtney Elizabeth, Brett Bauer
Nicole Grand, Anthony Spaulding

INTERMISSION

IN THE MIDDLE, SOMEWHAT ELEVATED
Choreography: William Forsythe
Composer: Thom Willems
Music: Tape

Sofiane Sylve*, Yuan Yuan Tan*
Vanessa Zahorian*, Lorena Feijoo*
Elana Altman*, Frances Chung*

Pierre-François Vilanoba, Pascal Molat*, Joan Boada*

Program 2 Matinee
Saturday, January 31, 2009, 2pm

NAKED
Conductor: Gary Sheldon
Piano: Roy Bogas, Michael McGraw

Vanessa Zahorian, Hansuke Yamamoto
Rachel Viselli*, Brett Bauer
Jennifer Stahl*, Quinn Wharton*
Dana Genshaft, Matthew Stewart*
Clara Blanco, Benjamin Stewart*

INTERMISSION

IBSEN’S HOUSE
Piano: Roy Bogas
Violin: Roy Malan, Craig Reiss
Viola: Paul Ehrlich
Cello: David Kadarauch

Pauli Magierek*, Aaron Orza
Katita Waldo, Davit Karapetyan
Clara Blanco, Luke Willis
Shannon Roberts, Mateo Klemmayer
Patricia Perez, Sean Orza*

INTERMISSION

IN THE MIDDLE, SOMEWHAT ELEVATED
Music: Tape

Kristin Long, Katita Waldo
Maria Kochetkova*, Sarah Van Patten*
Erin McNulty*, Courtney Elizabeth*

Ruben Martin, James Sofranko*, Joan Boada



Program 2 Evening
Saturday, January 31, 2009, 8pm

NAKED
Conductor: Gary Sheldon
Piano: Roy Bogas, Michael McGraw

Kristin Long, Pascal Molat
Yuan Yuan Tan, Ruben Martin
Frances Chung, Brett Bauer
Dana Genshaft, Hansuke Yamamoto
Elizabeth Miner, Diego Cruz

INTERMISSION

IBSEN’S HOUSE
Piano: Roy Bogas
Violin: Roy Malan, Craig Reiss
Viola: Paul Ehrlich
Cello: David Kadarauch

Lorena Feijoo, Quinn Wharton
Dana Genshaft, Garen Scribner
Clara Blanco, Luke Willis
Courtney Elizabeth, Brett Bauer
Patricia Perez, Anthony Spaulding

INTERMISSION

IN THE MIDDLE, SOMEWHAT ELEVATED
Music: Tape

Kristin Long, Katita Waldo
Vanessa Zahorian, Lorena Feijoo
Elana Altman, Frances Chung

Ruben Martin, Pascal Molat, Joan Boada

Program 2
Saturday, January 31, 2009 Matinee

The first two ballets were revivals from the New Works Festival.

Elizabeth Miner substituted for Vanessa Zahorian in the opening ballet, Stanton Welch's 'Naked'. Miner and Hansuke Yamamoto seemed to have problems with lifts in the opening pas de deux, although it's possible that's just the way it was choreographed. They both danced nicely otherwise. Everybody danced nicely. The costumes were nice. The backdrop was nice. The music was nice. It was all nice. ZZZZZzzzzzz...

Things picked up considerably with Val Caniparoli's 'Ibsen's House'. Debuting as Hedda Gabler, Pauli Magierek lacked the dramatic intensity that Lorena Feijoo brings to the role, but Magierek has enough stage presence to pull it off. No doubt her interpretation will develop.

Overall, the rest of the cast was terrific with Mateo Kemmayer (who hasn't impressed me in the past), Katita Waldo and Aaron Orza standing out.

For me, the biggest surprise was corps dancer Clara Blanco (Nora Helmer). She performed the GPdD in the Nutcracker I saw this season, and while that performance was charming, I thought it very small-scaled. No problem with scale here: she really took over the stage, more than ably assisted by the excellent Luke Willis (Torvald Helmer), yet another in an apparently inexhaustible supply of male corps de ballet dancers to keep an eye on.

Last on the program: 'in the middle, somewhat elevated' (William Forsythe), and that's where the fun began.

But first, consternation in the balcony: will we be able to see the cherries, or are we too 'elevated'? Lights down, curtain up. Joy reigns supreme: visible cherries!

Having recently seen ballets by Mark Morris, Wayne MacGregor and Jorma Elo, I have to say 'in the middle' looks a little fusty. But it was all good, silly fun, much enlivened by a starry cast (we matinee-goers are always grateful to see the big guns brought out in the afternoon).

Versatile Katita Waldo, having experienced an Ibsenian nervous breakdown not 30 minutes earlier, transformed herself into a sleek, spiky dancer of contemporary ballet. James Sofranko sizzled. Despite the clamor pouring out of the speakers (clash, bang, smash, boom, buzz, smash, jangle, blare) Sarah Van Patten still managed to show her musicality and luscious phrasing. Maria Kochetkova continues to impress with the lightness and clarity of her dancing. It was particularly amusing to see her and Sofiane Sylve (substituting for Kristen Long), just the two of them on stage, one literally half the size of the other, height-wise and (unfortunately) width-wise. Sylve brought a splash of French chic to the proceedings, although her dancing looked blurry in spots.

It had been announced at the start of the afternoon that the final pdd of 'in the middle' would be danced by Rachel Viselli and Ivan Popov, although they weren't announced as subbing for anyone. I like Viselli but, to my eye, she didn't have Sylvie Guillem's leggy, aggressive athleticism on display in those YouTube videos.