Festival Ballet - Performances

Scheherazade/ Con Amore - World Premiere/Company Premiere
VMA Arts & Cultural Center
Friday, February 11, 2005 @ 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 12, 2005 @ 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 13, 2005 @ 2:30 p.m.
synopsis | ticket information | press release | TV spot

Schéhérazade Synopsis
World premeire by Gianni Di Marco
Schéhérazade concerns Sultan Shayhryar, who leaves his harem under the pretense of going on a hunting trip with his brother Zeman, who has implied that the sultan’s favorite, Zobeida, is unfaithful. Soon after their departure, the ladies of the harem urge the chief eunuch to release the slaves. The most handsome of them, dressed in gold, is chosen by Zobeida, and together they become the central point of a frenzied orgy. As it rises to its climax, the revelry is interrupted by the Sultan’s unexpected return. He orders all to be killed, and no one escapes. Zobeida asks for forgiveness, and the Sultan in return asks if she has been unfaithful. Realizing her love for the Golden Slave, she stabs herself with a dagger and falls at the Sultan’s feet.

Con Amore Synopsis
Con Amore was Lew Christensen's first major work after succeeding his brother Willam as San Francisco Ballet's Director in 1951. Con Amore received its premiere in 1953. Set to three bubbling Rossini overtures, Con Amore is a model of clarity—an outstanding light narrative ballet, rich with dance opportunities and choice comic parts.

The first scene, "The Amazons and the Thief," opens on a rustic locale: a company of Amazons, handsome and robust girls in smart military uniforms, being drilled under the command of the Captain and her Lieuten- ants. A bandit invades the camp scene and disrupts their patrol. The handsome Bandit is taken captive, but his gaiety and charm win their hearts. He, however will have nothing to do with them, not even the lovely captain. The Amazons are enraged by his indifference and he is confronted with their muskets and bayonets. Defiantly the bandit bares his chest to receive a fusillade. The Soldiers' guns are raised to take aim, the music suddenly ends, and the stage action is halted.

Scene Two, "The Master's Return," is set in the boudoir of a fashionable lady. In the opening scene, the Mistress is bidding farewell to her husband, whom she obviously is not unhappy to see depart. Immediately, upon his departure, she begins primping for a tryst. Sure enough, a man-about-town knocks at her door. The lady admits him with frank delight, whereupon he attempts to embrace her. The lady eludes him, although it is clear she does not wish to elude him long. But before she can succumb, there is another knock at the door (the Rossini score has several "knocking" measures which Christensen uses to full advantage). The man-about-town hastily conceals himself in a convenient closet, and the lady admits a sailor, who pursues her headlong about the apartment so heatedly, fire could stream from his nostrils. He has almost worn the elusive lady down when there is yet another knock. The lady thrusts the sailor in her closet (already occupied by the man-about-town), and then admits a young student, his nose in a book. Unlike his predecessors, the student is not eager for the lady's affections: she obligingly makes the advances, which the young man, knees quivering, just manages to escape. The man-about—town and the sailor, who have been watching all this, burst from their hiding place and demand their mistress choose among them. There is still another knock at the door: the husband returns, stunned by the sight of his wife surrounded by a few suitors too many. The scene ends.

The third and final scene, "A Triumph of Love," opens on the bandit from Scene One, still kneeling at the mercy of the angry Amazons. The women's hearts melt, and each surrenders her firearms to the bewildered bandit. As he flees the forest, we are suddenly presented with the tableau from the lady's boudoir. The errant lady begs forgiveness from her lord and master, but he, unmoved, banishes his lady and her paramours from the house. We are in the forest scene again: the corps Amazons reappear as genial Sylphs, each conveniently carrying a tree. All The lovers from Scenes One and Two enter the woods, some to hide, some to seek. Behind the sylphs' trees, they steal kisses and exchange furtive embraces. Cupid enters, plying her bow resourcefully, letting the arrows fly in all directions; the bandit is smitten with love for the Mistress; the husband is united with the Amazon Captain, the Sailor and the Dandy embrace the Lieutenants; the timid student is struck by love for the Cupid herself.

Like all effective comedy, Christensen's ballet is built on careful timing, and it draws upon a wealth of classic comic principles: uncomplicated characters who are instantly recognizable types, accidental meetings, extreme feelings making sudden reversals, the teasing threat of violence, and the disarming of all dangers and resolution of all conflicts via the irrational magic of love.

Con Amore, a work of genuine good humor and deftly simple design, has met with a warm reception from audiences of many ages and backgrounds.

Con Amore Casting (1953)

Music
Gioacchino Rossini, Overtures to La Gazza Ladra, Il Signor Bruschino and La Scala de Seta

Choreography
Lew Christensen

Choreologist
Virginia Johnson

Lighting Design
Alan Pickart

Libretto
James Graham-Luján

Décor and Costumes
James Bodrero, courtesy of Boca Ballet Theatre

Stage Manager
Jenny Peek

Con Amore is a humorous ballet patterned after the Opera Buffa made popular by Rossini. Costumes and sets are suggested by 1830 lithographs.

- Scene 1: The Amazons and the Thief -

Captain of the Amazons
Karla Kovatch

Thief
Gleb Lyamenkoff (Feb. 11 eve. & Feb 13)
Davide Vittorino (Feb. 11 am & Feb. 12)

Lieutenants
Carolyn Dellinger, Marissa Gomer (Feb. 11 eve. & Feb 13)
Daniela Debrot, Elizabeth Jessee (Feb. 11 am & Feb. 12)

Sergeants
Daniela Debrot, Courtney Fraga (Feb. 11 eve. & Feb 13)
Carolyn Dellinger, Courtney Fraga (Feb. 11 am & Feb. 12)

Privates
Ashely Andries/Siobhan Chavarria, Emily Bromberg / Heather O’Halloran, Erica Chipp, Caitlin Novero, Nina Lauro / Hadley Eames, Elizabeth Jessee / Marissa Gomer

- Scene 2: The Master’s Return -

Mistress
Leticia Guerrero (Feb. 11 eve. & Feb 13)
Jennifer Ricci (Feb. 11 am & Feb. 12)

Master
Cameron Baldassarra

Dandy
Andrew Skeels

Sailor
Mark Harootian

Student
Ty Parmenter

- Scene 3: The Triumph of Amor -

Amor
Emily Bromberg (Feb. 11 eve. & Feb 13)
Heather O’Halloran (Feb. 11 am & Feb. 12)

Schéhérazade Casting (World Premiere)

Music
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

Choreography
Gianni Di Marco

Scenic Design
Alan Pickart

Costume Design
Ka Yan Kan

Lighting Design
Alan Pickart

Stage Manager
Jenny Peek

Scenery Construction
Fabrication Services

Costume Construction
Freda Bromberg

Zobeide
Jennifer Ricci (Feb. 11 eve. & Feb. 13)
Leticia Guerrero (Feb. 11 am & Feb. 12)

Golden Slave
Davide Vittorino (Feb. 11 eve. & Feb. 13)
Gleb Lyamenkoff (Feb. 11 am & Feb. 12)

Sultan Shahriar
Piotr Ostaltsov

Shah Zeman (his brother)
Eivar Martinez

Sultan’s Wives
Emily Bromberg, Daniela Debrot, Carolyn Dellinger,
Karla Kovatch, Heather O’Halloran, (Feb. 11 eve. & Feb. 12)
Erica Chipp Courtney Fraga, Marissa Gomer,
Elizabeth Jessee, Caitlin Novero (Feb. 11 am & Feb. 13)

Soldiers
Cameron Baldassarra, Andrew Skeels, Mark Harootian, Davide Vittorino or Gleb Lyamenkoff

Slaves
Cameron Baldassarra, Mark Harootian, Andrew Skeels,
Gleb Lyamenkoff (Feb. 11 eve. & Feb. 13),
Davide Vittorino (Feb. 11 am & Feb. 12)

Eunich
Ty Parmenter