Despite the obstructions, I saw Maria Kochetkova and Joan Boada as Giselle and Albrecht, Katita Waldo as Myrthe and Pascal Molat rehearsing Hilarion and his part of the peasant pas de cinq. Missed, of course, was the action downstage right, though we could see the loving concern in Anita Paciotti’s Berthe. What was seen was a non-stop run through of justifiable excitement. Molat’s Hilarion is impulsive and passionate; Waldo’s Myrthe, with her sloping shoulders and the regal line of her neck and spine, quite chilling. Kochetkova and Boada were well matched and harmonious, she the image of peasant youthful innocence, he nervous in his disguise, fussing with his cuffs and simple tunic, genuinely concerned when Giselle has warning heart palpitations. Kochetkova’s self-concern and gathering focus which followed was as naturalistic and convincing as her point work was firm, steady,her port de bras soft,luxuriant in its gentle detail.

Saturday evening Yuan Yuan Tan and Tiit Helimets danced Giselle and Albrecht. Sofiane Sylve was a chilling Myrthe whose death gesture could paralyze the strongest soul; demonstrated by her strength of attack in grande jetes and renverses, she galvanized Act II. Damian Smith appeared as Hilarion, his costume mercifully devoid of the original contrasting color cod piece. For the peasant pas de cinq Pascal Molat, Nicholas Blanc, Frances Chung, Elizabeth Miner and Clara Blanco repeated their afternoon dress rehearsal, wonderfully well matched; Blanco continuing articulated port de bras, Miner and Chung dancing with strength, Molat and Blanc matched in their schooling, divergent in individual style. Val Caniparoli and Erin McNulty represented the Courland clan. In Act II Chung and Miner took the roles of Myrthe’s lieutenants, and were extremely well paired. The corps in Act II danced consistently in those all-exposing lateral hopping arabesques.

I would like to see Yuan Yuan Tan with an all Asian cast for Giselle to determine how she would appear as a ghost among Asians; her mad scene resembled eerie floating premonitions depicted in illustrated Asian folk tales. Technically, Tan was a dream; her musical phrasing was especially nuanced at moments, unique. Helimets balanced her with a classicism rooted in the earth; always correct, his arabesques and cabrioles lower, his demeanor totally classical.

Mikael Melbye’s triple credits for scene, costume and lighting design makes a consistent vision of this Nineteenth century French Romantic Era classic. The tangled tree scrim at the beginning of Act II is particularly effective, accenting the rush and confusion as a Wili appears overhead.

The company also is blessed with Martin West as its conductor.

Kochetkova, Boada, Waldo, Molat, Paciotti, Tan, Helimets, Sylve, Smith, Blanc, Chung, Miner,
Blanco, Caniparoli, McNulty

Renee,
I always enjoy reading your reviews. Thanks so much for keeping us up to date with news from SFB.

I also take note of your praise for conductor Martin West. As one of the guys once under his baton in the Cambridge Phil chorus back here, its good to see that he is doing so well. He said it was an offer he couldn't refuse, and the move seems to have worked out very well indeed.

Thank you so much for your comments - much, much appreciated. I am
wallowing in "Giselle" this season -- the State Ballet of Georgia in
addition to San Francisco Ballet. I expect to see Kristin Long and
Gennadi Nedvigin on Thursday and have an aisle seat for the Kochetkova-
Boada interpretation on Saturday with Sarah Van Patten making her
debut as Myrthe.

This evening I went to the first of two programs and four performances
of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba and I thought I spotted Kochetkova in
the lobby as well as three other San Francisco Ballet principals plus
Mr. Tomasson and his wife. A very dancy audience for a local engagement.

For cast three the struggling lovers were Kristin Long and Gennadi Nedvigin; for two, Maria Kochetkova and Joan Boada. Elsewhere I have written how I longed to see Nedvigin and Kochetkova paired; the two casts provided me with a fascinating argument beyond the facts of schooling and nationality. I can only explain my reasoning as one of emotional timbre; whether the artistic management of San Francisco Ballet is interested in pairing similar qualities of attack and interpretation or is intent in creating deliberate contrasts is moot.

Apart from the pristine classicism that sings in everything Nedvigin and Kochetkova do, there is an inward stillness, a fathomless soulfulness which permeates their characterizations, as if some
ultimate intuition descended upon them which has been absorbed, filtered and considered prior to assuming the character, something of the eternal now. It was, of course, heightened by Pascal’s take on Hilarion; his characterization is one of the few I’ve seen which really makes me regret his death, dying essentially because his love has not been requited, and particularly because his reasoning triggered Giselle’s slender hold on reality. Pascal plunges into the
role with his usual exuberance and energy.

Kristin Long and Joan Boada would make an equally well matched set of lovers, for the same reason, if differing in quality. Their characterizations are free flowing emotional fountains; phrases, variations happen in surging, impulsive emotion. Nothing wrong at all, it’s simply different. Long is quite a technician; if quibbling with her interpretation, I venture that, good as her phrasing is, and she is very musical, a microscopic bit more of pause or emphasis would chisel her portrait without diminishing her interpretation of the fated maiden.

Boada’s Albrecht is interesting, less natural aristocrat, but long lineage and old money for sure; thoughtful, clearly motivated, the dilemma of losing his cover registering clearly. I found the
variation Helgi Tomasson inserted in Act I for Albrecht one of his best as also the closing moments in Act II, where, overwhelmed by his night’s vigil, he returns to Giselle’s grave.

Molly Smolen makes a wonderfully dramatic Myrthe, her initial bourrees almost like greased wheels they were so smooth. The look in her eye when Giselle protects Albrecht on her grave was telling, the shrinking of her hand, the registry of the special energy of the lovers quite
apparent.

In her debut as Myrthe, Sarah Van Patten was impressive and she enjoyed added atmosphere. The dry ice had not evaporated when she commenced her bourrees, so there was the wonderful image of this white-clad creature floating in the dissipating billows. Would other Myrthes had the same luck.

Blanco and Andre both made atmospheric Wili lieutenants, possessing understanding of Romantic style.

Andre, Blanco, Boada, Kochetkova, Long, Molat, Nedvigin, Smollen, Van Patten,