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San Francisco Ballet is back “in the house” (officially pronounced howwwwwwwwws-in a deep basso profundo timbre-for those SFBalletomanes who feel the need) and has just announced Opening Night Nut Casting! To seasoned SFB fans, this announcement ends the traditional way-too-long period of time since our favorite dancers stepped/jetéd out on their own home stage at the War Memorial Opera House (since May, to be precise), so the advent of Nutcracker, our official harbinger of the anxiously-awaited 2013 SFB Season, is reason to rejoice!

Before we get to that Nut casting, let Odette give a big hearty “Congrats” and “Merde” to recently promoted Soloist Sasha De Sola, who dances her first Sugar Plum Fairy on 12/8/12 at 7pm, Carlos Quenedit, who will premiere his first SFB Nutcracker Prince in the glorious Grand Pas de Deux on 12/9/12 at 2pm, and to new company Soloist Luke Ingham who debuts as King of the Snow on 12/7/12 Opening Night at 7pm. Luke will be partnering SFB favorite Sarah Van Patten…but not for the first time-he *has* been doing just that while SFB has been on tour, but this will be our first opportunity to see them together here (where they belong!) at home. Odette will also be “in the howwwwwwws” on opening night, to give her full report on Mr. Ingham. (It should be all good-this young man has already been wowing audiences all around the world!)

 Now…let’s get right to that Cracker Casting (remember, as always, casting is subject to change, so keep checking SFB’s casting page here for frequent updates):

PRINCIPAL CASTING FOR SAN FRANCISCO BALLET’S NUTCRACKER

Casting from December 7–9, 2012

* Denotes premiere in role for current production. All casting subject to change.

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Friday, December 7, 7 pm (Opening Night)

Conductor: Martin West

Drosselmeyer: Damian Smith

Queen and King of the Snow: Sarah Van Patten, Luke Ingham*

Sugar Plum Fairy:  Sofiane Sylve

Grand Pas de Deux:  Frances Chung, Davit Karapetyan

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Saturday, December 8, 2 pm (Matinee)

Conductor: Ming Luke

Drosselmeyer:   Val Caniparoli

Queen and King of the Snow: Vanessa Zahorian, Taras Domitro

Sugar Plum Fairy:  Sarah Van Patten

Grand Pas de Deux:  Sofiane Sylve, Tiit Helimets

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Saturday, December 8, 7 pm (Evening)

Conductor: Martin West

Drosselmeyer: Ricardo Bustamante

Queen and King of the Snow: Frances Chung, Vitor Luiz

Sugar Plum Fairy:  Sasha De Sola*

Grand Pas de Deux:  Yuan Yuan Tan, Vito Mazzeo

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Sunday, December 9, 2 pm (Matinee)

Conductor: Ming Luke

Drosselmeyer: Val Caniparoli

Queen and King of the Snow Yuan Yuan Tan, Vito Mazzeo

Sugar Plum Fairy: Courtney Elizabeth

Grand Pas de Deux: Sarah Van Patten, Carlos Quenedit*

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Sunday, December 9, 7 pm (Evening)

Conductor: Martin West

Drosselmeyer: Damian Smith

Queen and King of the Snow: Koto Ishihara, Gennadi Nedvigin

Sugar Plum Fairy: Jennifer Stahl

Grand Pas de Deux: Vanessa Zahorian, Taras Domitro

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One last hearty “Congratulations” to this year’s SFB Opening Night Nutcracker Principal Cast, which belongs to Frances Chung as the grown up Clara & Davit Karapetyan as the Nutcracker Prince (yes, this is the final act’s Grand Pas de Deux pair), Sofiane Sylve as the Sugar Plum Fairy, Luke Ingham & Sarah Van Patten as King and Queen of the Snow, and Damian Smith as Herr Drosselmeyer.

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For tickets, visit SFB’s Nutcracker page here.

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See You at the Ballet!