FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Kyra Jablonsky 415.865.6603, kjablonsky@sfballet.org Rena Nishijima

415.865.6610, rnishijima@sfballet.org

SAN FRANCISCO BALLET ANNOUNCES PROGRAM AND CASTING

FOR ITS 85th REPERTORY SEASON OPENING NIGHT GALA THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2018 AT 8PM

Evening Includes Three Benefit Dinners and a One-Time-Only

Gala Performance

SAN FRANCISCO, Thursday, January 18, 2018—Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer Helgi Tomasson has announced the repertory for San Francisco Ballet’s 85th Repertory Season Opening Night Gala, with the theme Celestial, on Thursday, January 18 at 8pm at the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House. The Gala launches the 2018 Repertory Season, which includes the unprecedented Unbound Festival, featuring 12 world premieres by 12 international choreographers over four programs of three works each. In addition, season highlights include the revival of Tomasson’s The Sleeping Beauty and the return of Liam Scarlett’s Frankenstein; Justin Peck’s Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes; a presentation of John Neumeier’s Nijinsky by guest company The National Ballet of Canada; and a tribute to Jerome Robbins and Leonard Bernstein (Program 5) entitled Robbins: Ballet & Broadway. The Gala program of nine classical and contemporary works, includes three San Francisco Ballet premieres. Gala Performance The program will begin with Tomasson’s Little Waltz, which was first choreographed in 1985 for students of the School of American Ballet and had its SF Ballet premiere in 1993, at the Opening Night Gala. The work, set to music by Eric Coates, will be performed by 27 San Francisco Ballet School students. Robbins’ one-act In the Night was premiered by New York City Ballet in 1970 and first performed by SF Ballet 15 years later. Set to four of Frédéric Chopin’s nocturnes, the ballet features three very different couples in a series of pas de deux. The work was last performed by the Company in 2015 and will be performed by Mathilde Froustey, Benjamin

Freemantle, Jennifer Stahl, Tiit Helimets, Sarah Van Patten, and Luke Ingham. Dores André and Wei Wang will perform the iconic Bluebird Pas de Deux from Tomasson’s The Sleeping Beauty, a production called “dazzling” by The New York Times. The full-length production, last performed by the Company in 2007, returns with new costumes and enhanced Act III scenery. Next on the program is a pas de deux from Children of Chaos, a ballet by National Ballet of Canada Choreographic Associate Robert Binet, that had its world premiere at Fall for Dance North in Toronto, Canada in October 2017. The work, which is an SF Ballet premiere, was inspired by Renata Adler’s novel Speedboat and is set to live excerpts of composer John Kameel Farah’s album Time Sketches. Frances Chung and Joseph Walsh will perform the excerpt and were both part of the original cast that debuted the full work. Angelo Greco and Sasha De Sola will perform the pas de deux from Le Corsaire, which premiered in 1899 and was first performed by SF Ballet in 1964. Set to the music of Riccardo Drigo, the pas de deux was last performed by the Company during the Festival Napa Valley in July 2016. Following intermission, Yuan Yuan Tan and Carlo Di Lanno will perform the SF Ballet premiere of Edwaard Liang’s Letting Go. The work is set to music by Max Richter and premiered in Hong Kong in 2015. August Bournonville’s La Sylphide, set to the music of Herman Lovenskjold, was premiered by the Royal Danish Ballet in 1836 and ushered in the Romantic era of dance. The two-act ballet is an adaptation of a French ballet of the same name and was first performed by SF Ballet in 1987 and last performed in 1997. Maria Kochetkova and Ulrik Birkkjaer will perform a pas de deux from the work, which was directed by Tomasson. Ana Sophia Scheller and Vitor Luiz will perform a pas de deux from Balanchine’s exuberant Stars and Stripes, created in 1958 as a tribute to his adopted country. Set to the music of John Philip Sousa, portions of the work were last performed by SF Ballet on its 2009 Opening Night Gala; the work was first performed by the Company in 1981. The last ballet of the evening is New York City Ballet Resident Choreographer Justin Peck’s Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes, which was premiered by that company in 2015. The plotless work for 15 men and one woman is a fresh take on famous Aaron Copland’s score—the only thing it has in common with the eponymous narrative ballet from 1942, choreographed by Agnes de Mille. Upon the premiere of Peck’s Rodeo, The New York Times proclaimed “[Rodeo’s] energy, charm, inventiveness, musicality and polish proved irresistible.” This presentation is an SF Ballet premiere and will be performed by Sofiane Sylve, Carlo Di Lanno, and artists of the Company. Program, program order, and casting are subject to change. Dinners Benefit SF Ballet Prior to the Gala performance, three black-tie fundraising dinners will be held in City Hall. All proceeds from the dinners benefit SF Ballet’s annual fund. The SF Ballet Auxiliary will host the Grand Benefactor, Benefactor, and Patron dinners in City Hall. All three dinners will have the theme of Celestial. Kathryn A. Huber is the Gala chair and Ms. Betsy A. Linder is the Gala dinner chair. The Honorary Chairs are Christine Russell and Mark Schlesinger.

The evening begins with a cocktail reception at 5pm in the Van Ness lobby of City Hall for guests of the Grand Benefactor, Benefactor, and Patron dinners. The Grand Benefactor dinner will be held in City Hall’s Rotunda, and the Benefactor dinner and the Patron dinner will both be held in the North Light Court and the Mezzanine of the Rotunda. All dinners begin at 6pm. For all dinners, catering will be provided by McCalls Catering & Events, wines provided by Bouchaine and VinAtlas, aperitif and specialty cocktails provided by Lillet, vodka provided by Blue Angel Vodka and water provided by Crystal Geyser. The Opening Night Gala décor is by J. Riccardo Benavides Event Styling and Catherine Bergstrom is décor chair. This year’s Celestial theme was inspired by the grandeur of the night sky. San Francisco City Hall will be transformed—with shimmering lighting, deep purple and rich royal blue fabrics, and dazzling floral arrangements—into a majestic atmosphere that evokes a romantic, moonlit evening. The Presenting Sponsor for the evening is Osterweis Capital Management. The Benefactor Dinner is sponsored by KPMG, and the Patron Dinner is sponsored by JPMorgan Chase & Co. The Performance Sponsor is Fang and Gary Bridge, in honor of Helgi Tomasson. The After Party Sponsor is La Perla. The Prosecco Promenade Sponsor is Shreve & Co. The Invitation Sponsor is Pacific Union Real Estate. The Aperitif Sponsor is Lillet. The Grand Benefactor Dinner Media Sponsor is the Nob Hill Gazette. The Benefactor Party Hosts were Steven and Jennifer Walske. The Patron Party Hosts were Mr. and Mrs. Peter Swartz. The Launch Party was hosted by Shreve & Co.

In addition, ENCORE!, the social and networking group of young professionals supporting SF Ballet, will host a cocktail buffet in the South Light Court beginning at 6:15pm. The reception will feature specialty cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvres by McCalls Catering & Events. The ENCORE! Launch Party was hosted by Burberry in San Francisco. Kelcie Lee is ENCORE! Gala chair and Jamie Lee Taylor is ENCORE! Gala vice chair. For those attending the Gala performance only, the “Prosecco Promenade” (featuring complimentary Prosecco for all performance ticket holders) will begin at 7pm in the Opera House main lobby. After Party The After Party will be held in San Francisco City Hall from 10pm-1am. The After Party celebration will feature lavish décor inspired by the northern lights, live music by Pop Rocks and the Ruth Davies Trio, DJ Chris Clouse, a photo booth by mirmir photo™, and dancing, as well as an open bar with specialty cocktails, and late-night fare by McCalls Catering & Events. This year, the new and exclusive VIP Lounge—with SF Ballet dancers—will host Grand Benefactor and Benefactor ticket holders, and will feature DJ Will Magid as well as a luxury bar and a sushi chef, among other surprises.

Tickets Performance-only tickets are now SOLD OUT. Tickets for the After Party are $170. To order, call the Ticket Services Office at 415.865.2000, Monday through Friday from 10am to 4pm. A limited quantity of Standing Room ONLY tickets at $30 each will go on sale at noon on Thursday, January 18, at the Ballet Box Office in person only. To purchase dinner tickets, visit sfballet.org/gala.

* * * *

Contact: Kyra Jablonsky 415.865.6603 Rena Nishijima 415.865.6610

San Francisco Ballet

OPENING NIGHT GALA Thursday, January 18, 2018

MENU

Lillet Vinatlas, Bordeaux Style Red Blend, 2013

Sonoma-Cutrer, Russian River Ranches

Chardonnay, 2015

First Course

Herbed Yam Pâté and Brassicas Apple Yogurt, Haricot Verts

Pickled Cauliflower, Lotus Root, Crispy Buckwheat

Entrée

Braised Beef Short Ribs with White Spotted Prawn Lemon Barley Risotto

Green Chard, Garden Vegetables Basil Jus

Dessert

Lemon Meringue Tart Fresh Berries, Shortbread Cookie

Caterer

McCalls Catering & Events

San Francisco Ballet Auxiliary Gala Committee

Kathryn A. Huber, 2018 Gala Chair

Betsy A. Linder, 2018 Dinner Chair

Catherine Bergstrom, 2018 Décor Chair

SPONSORS

Presenting Sponsor: Osterweis Capital Management

Benefactor Dinner Sponsor: KPMG

Patron Dinner Sponsor: JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Performance Sponsors: Fang and Gary Bridge

After Party Sponsor: La Perla

Prosecco Promenade Sponsor: Shreve & Co.

Invitation Sponsor: Pacific Union Real Estate

Aperitif Sponsor: Lillet

Grand Benefactor Dinner Media Sponsor: Nob Hill Gazette

Décor by J Riccardo Benavides Event Styling Wine:

VinAtlas, Bordeaux style red blend by Serge and Olya Troxel Bouchaine Vineyards

Vodka provided by Blue Angel Vodka Invitation design by Cheree Berry Paper

Additional thanks to:

Allegra Entertainment Drew Altizer Photography

BRAVO DJ Chris Clouse Crystal Geyser DJ Will Magid Patina Catering

Pop Rocks Ruth Davies Trio

San Francisco Ballet Association San Francisco City Hall

Soirée Valet War Memorial Opera House

The Wine Merchant of Showplace Square

* * * *

Contact: Kyra Jablonsky, 415.865.6603 Rena Nishijima 415.865.6610

SAN FRANCISCO BALLET

OPENING NIGHT GALA THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2018

DINNER DÉCOR

CITY HALL

DESIGNER: J. RICCARDO BENAVIDES EVENT STYLING The Opening Night Gala décor is by J. Riccardo Benavides Event Styling and Ms. Catherine Bergstrom is décor chair. This year’s Celestial theme was inspired by the grandeur of the night sky. San Francisco City Hall will be transformed—with shimmering lighting, deep purple and rich royal blue fabrics, and dazzling floral arrangements—into a majestic atmosphere that evokes a romantic, moonlit evening.

* * * *

2018 Opening Night Gala – Celestial Fashion Notes

Name Jewelry/Gown

KATHRYN A. HUBER Gala Chair

Monique Lhuillier gown

BETSY A. LINDER

Dinner Chair

Karen Caldwell Design gown, jewelry, and accessories

CATHERINE BERGSTROM

Décor Chair

Parker Black gown

RADA BROOKS

Catherine Deane gown

COURTNEY DALLAIRE

Toni Maticevski gown; Chanel choker

PATRICIA DASSIOS

Tom Ford gown

SHELLY GORDON

Alexander McQueen gown

JOILENE WOOD GROVE

Givenchy gown

VALERIE HECKMANN

Carolina Herrera gown; Marco Bicego jewelry

COREY HYDE

Saint Laurent gown

HEATHER CASSADY MARTIN

Armani gown; Bulgari jewelry

LAURA MILLER

Giambattista Valli Couture gown

EMILY MILLMAN

Giambattista Valli gown

SHOKOOH MIRY

Lanvin gown

ELYSE O’SULLIVAN

Oscar de la Renta gown; Verdura jewelry

HEMALEE PATEL

Carolina Herrera gown

FREDDI WILKINSON

Oscar de la Renta gown; Edward’s Jewelers and personal

jewelry

Contact: Kyra Jablonsky 415.865.6603 Rena Nishijima 415.865.6610

SAN FRANCISCO BALLET

OPENING NIGHT GALA THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2018

REPERTORY AND CASTING

LITTLE WALTZ Composer: Eric Coates Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson Staged by: Patrick Armand Lighting Design: Lisa J. Pinkham Conductor: Martin West Casting: Students of San Francisco Ballet School IN THE NIGHT Composer: Frédéric Chopin Choreographer: Jerome Robbins Staged by: Anita Paciotti Costume Design: Anthony Dowell Lighting Design: Jennifer Tipton Pianist: Roy Bogas Casting: Mathilde Froustey, Benjamin Freemantle* Jennifer Stahl, Tiit Helimets Sarah Van Patten, Luke Ingham Bluebird Pas de Deux from THE SLEEPING BEAUTY Composer: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson after Marius Petipa Scenic and Costume Design: Jens-Jacob Worsaae Lighting Design: Craig Miller Conductor: Martin West Casting: Dores André, Wei Wang*

SF Ballet Premiere Pas de Deux from CHILDREN OF CHAOS Composer: John Kameel Farah Choreographer: Robert Binet Costume Design: Robyn Clarke Lighting Design: Simon Rossiter Pianist: Natal’ya Feygina Casting: Frances Chung, Joseph Walsh Pas de Deux from LE CORSAIRE Composer: Riccardo Drigo Choreography: after Marius Petipa Conductor: Martin West Casting: Sasha De Sola, Angelo Greco INTERMISSION *Denotes dancer premiere in ballet Program and casting subject to change.

-more-

Opening Night Gala Repertory Casting/Page 2 SF Ballet Premiere LETTING GO Composer: Max Richter Choreographer: Edwaard Liang Costume Design: Shujie Hu and Erin Rollins Conductor: Martin West Casting: Yuan Yuan Tan, Carlo Di Lanno* Pas de Deux from LA SYLPHIDE Composer: Herman Lovenskjold Choreographer: August Bournonville Production Directed by: Helgi Tomasson Scenic and Costume Design: Jose Varona Lighting Design: Sara Linnie Slocum Conductor: Martin West Casting: Maria Kochetkova, Ulrik Birkkjaer Pas de Deux from STARS AND STRIPES Composer: John Philip Sousa Music adapted and orchestrated by: Hershy Kay Choreographer: George Balanchine Staged by: Elyse Borne and Helgi Tomasson Costume Design: Karinska Lighting Design: Sara Linnie Slocum Conductor: Martin West Casting: Ana Sophia Scheller*, Vitor Luiz*

SF Ballet Premiere RODEO: FOUR DANCE EPISODES Composer: Aaron Copland Choreographer: Justin Peck Staged by: Craig Hall Costume Design: Reid Bartelme, Harriet Jung, and Justin Peck Lighting Design: Brandon Stirling Baker Conductor: Martin West Principal Casting: Sofiane Sylve*, Carlo Di Lanno* *Denotes dancer premiere in ballet Program and casting subject to change.

SAN FRANCISCO BALLET OPENING NIGHT GALA

THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2018

PERFORMANCE RUN TIMES & PRODUCTION CREDITS

LITTLE WALTZ IN THE NIGHT Bluebird Pas de Deux from THE SLEEPING BEAUTY Pas de Deux from CHILDREN OF CHAOS Pas de Deux from LES CORSAIRE

INTERMISSION

LETTING GO Pas de Deux from LA SYLPHIDE Pas de Deux from STARS AND STRIPES RODEO: FOUR DANCE EPISODES

6 mins

24 mins

8 mins

5 mins

10 mins

20 mins

7 mins

8 mins

10 mins

25 mins

Final curtain at 10:31 pm PRODUCTION CREDITS

Little Waltz:

World Premiere: 1985—New York City Ballet, Children of the School of American Ballet; New York, New York

San Francisco Ballet Premiere: February 3, 1993—War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California

Rehearsal Assistant: Jeffrey Lyons. Music: “Evening on the Town,” from Meadow to Mayfair, used by arrangement with Chappell Music, Ltd.

In the Night:

World Premiere: January 29, 1970—New York City Ballet, New York State Theater; New York, New York

San Francisco Ballet Premiere: April 2, 1985—War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California

Music: Nocturnes Op. 27, No. 1; Op. 55, No. 1 & 2; Op. 9, No. 2. Costumes constructed by Christopher Read and Ruth

Bartel.

- more -

Gala Run Times & Credits/Page 2

Bluebird Pas de Deux from The Sleeping Beauty:

World Premiere: January 15, 1890—Mariinsky Theatre; St Petersburg, Russia

San Francisco Ballet Premiere (Complete Ballet; Centennial Production): March 13, 1990—War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California

Costumes constructed by Royal Danish Ballet, Copenhagen, Denmark. Scenic construction and painting by San Francisco Ballet Carpentry and Scenic Departments at the San Francisco Opera Scenic Studios, and by Royal Danish Ballet.

Pas de Deux from Children of Chaos:

World Premiere (Complete Ballet): October 4, 2017—Fall for Dance North, Sony Centre for the Performing Arts; Toronto, Canada

San Francisco Ballet Premiere: January 18, 2018— San Francisco Ballet 85th Anniversary Gala, War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California

Children of Chaos was commissioned by Fall for Dance North. Music: Shiraz Sketch from the album “Time Sketches” by John Kameel Farah used by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc. publisher and copyright owner. Costumes constructed by Robyn Clarke, Toronto, Canada.

Pas de Deux from Le Corsaire:

World Premiere (Complete Ballet): January 25, 1899—Mariinsky Theatre; St. Petersburg, Russia

San Francisco Ballet Premiere: January 14, 1964—War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California

Music: Le Corsaire Grand pas de deux by Riccardo Drigo, Ludwig Minkus, Baron Boris Fitinhof‐Schell, and Anton Simon.

Letting Go:

World Premiere: May 29, 2015—Hong Kong Ballet, Le French May Arts Festival, Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural

Centre; Hong Kong, China.

San Francisco Ballet Premiere: January 18, 2018— San Francisco Ballet 85th Anniversary Gala, War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California

Music: “On the Nature of Daylight” by Max Richter used by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc. publisher and copyright owner. Costumes constructed by the costume shop at BalletMet, Columbus, Ohio.

Pas de Deux from La Sylphide:

World Premiere (Complete Ballet): November 28, 1836—Royal Danish Ballet; Copenhagen, Denmark

San Francisco Ballet Premiere: October 25, 1987—Neal Blaisdell Concert Hall; Honolulu, Hawaii

Pas de Deux from Stars and Stripes:

World Premiere (Complete Ballet): January 17, 1958—New York City Ballet, City Center of Music and Drama; New York, New York

San Francisco Ballet Premiere: January 19, 1981—War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California

Music by arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., publisher and copyright owner. Costumes constructed by Sandra Woodall Costumes. This performance of Stars and Stripes, a Balanchine© Ballet, is presented by arrangement with the George Balanchine Trust and has been produced in accordance with the Balanchine Style© and Balanchine Technique© service standards established and provided by the Trust.

Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes:

World Premiere: February 4, 2015—New York City Ballet, David H. Koch Theater; New York, New York

San Francisco Ballet Premiere: January 18, 2018— San Francisco Ballet 85th Anniversary Gala, War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California

Music: Four Dance Episodes from Rodeo by Aaron Copland, used by arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, publisher and copyright owner. Costumes constructed by Christopher Read, Toronto, Canada.

* * * *

CONTACT: Kyra Jablonsky, 415.865.6603 kjablonsky@sfballet.org Rena Nishijima, 415.865.6610 rnishijima@sfballet.org

2018 REPERTORY SEASON LISTING

PROGRAM 1 FULL-LENGTH PRODUCTION THE SLEEPING BEAUTY Tchaikovsky/Tomasson after Petipa/ Worsaae/Miller Jan. 23 eve, 24 eve, 25 eve, 26 eve, 27 mat & eve, 28 mat, 2 eve, 3 mat & eve, 4 mat

PROGRAM 2 BRIGHT FAST COOL BLUE SERENADE Tchaikovsky/Balanchine/after Karinska/Bates THE CHAIRMAN DANCES^ Adams/Millepied

RODEO: FOUR DANCE EPISODES+ Copland/Peck/Bartelme, Jung, Peck/Baker Feb. 13 eve, 14 eve, 16 eve, 18 mat, 22 eve, 24 mat & eve

PROGRAM 3 DISTINCTLY SF BALLET ON A THEME OF PAGANINI Rachmaninov/Tomasson/Pakledinaz/ Jampolis IBSEN’S HOUSE Dvořák/Caniparoli/Woodall/Ingalls GHOST IN THE MACHINE Nyman/Thatcher/Roemer/French Feb. 15 eve, 17 mat & eve, 20 eve, 21 eve, 23 eve, 25 mat PROGRAM 4 FULL-LENGTH PRODUCTION FRANKENSTEIN Liebermann/Scarlett/Macfarlane/Finn/Ross March 6 eve, 7 eve, 8 eve, 9 eve, 10 mat & eve, 11 mat * World Premiere + SF Ballet Premiere ^Expanded Version

2018 Repertory Season Calendar/Page 2 PROGRAM 5 ROBBINS: BALLET & BROADWAY OPUS 19/THE DREAMER Prokofiev/Robbins/Benson/Tipton after Bates

THE CAGE Stravinsky/Robbins/Rosenthal/Sobotka/ Tipton OTHER DANCES Chopin/Robbins/Loquasto/Tipton FANCY FREE Bernstein/Robbins/Smith/Love/after Bates March 20 eve, 21 eve, 22 eve, 23 eve, 24 mat & eve, 25 mat PROGRAM 6 FULL-LENGTH PRODUCTION The National Ballet of Canada (Guest Company) NIJINSKY Chopin, Schumann, Rimsky-Korsakov, Shostakovich/Neumeier April 3 eve, 4 eve, 5 eve, 6 eve, 7 mat & eve, 8 mat

NEW WORKS FESTIVAL: FESTIVAL A* THE COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT* Moran/King/Campbell/Rosenwasser/Ingalls BOUND©* Henson/Wheeldon/Puissant/Ingalls HURRY UP, WE’RE DREAMING* Gonzalez, Gonzalez, Laner, and Meldal-Johnsen/Peck/Bartelme and Jung/Ingalls April 20 eve, 22 mat, 28 eve, May 3 eve, 6 mat NEW WORKS FESTIVAL: FESTIVAL B* MYLES THATCHER WORLD PREMIERE* Adams/Thatcher/Nichols/Rood/Ingalls SNOWBLIND* Beach, Foote, and Pärt/Marston/Kinmonth/ Ingalls ANIMA ANIMUS* Bosso/Dawson/Otto/Takeshima/Ingalls April 21 eve, 25 eve, 29 mat, May 4 eve * World Premiere + SF Ballet Premiere

2018 Repertory Season Calendar/Page 3 NEW WORKS FESTIVAL: FESTIVAL C* BESPOKE* Bach/Welch/Hynes/Ingalls YOUR FLESH SHALL BE A GREAT POEM* Garneau/McIntyre/Bartelme and Jung/Ingalls GUERNICA* Andrews, Banabila, Halstead, and Valentin-Alkan/Lope Ochoa/Zappone/Ingalls April 24 eve, 27 eve, May 2 eve, 5 mat NEW WORKS FESTIVAL: FESTIVAL D* THE INFINITE OCEAN* Davis/Liang/Nichols/Zappone/Ingalls LET’S BEGIN AT THE END* Bach, Glass, and Nyman/Rhoden/Nichols/ Darch/Ingalls BJÖRK BALLET* Gudmundsdottir, Sigurdsson/Pita/Morante/Ingalls April 26 eve, 28 mat, May 1 eve, 5 eve * World Premiere + SF Ballet Premiere

* * * *

SAN FRANCISCO BALLET ARTISTS OF THE COMPANY

2017-18 SEASON

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & PRINCIPAL CHOREOGRAPHER Helgi Tomasson

PRINCIPAL DANCERS

Dores André Frances Chung

Mathilde Froustey Luke Ingham

Ana Sophia Scheller Yuan Yuan Tan

Ulrik Birkkjaer Sasha De Sola Angelo Greco

Maria Kochetkova Jennifer Stahl

Sarah Van Patten

Jaime Garcia Castilla Carlo Di Lanno Tiit Helimets

Vitor Luiz Sofiane Sylve Joseph Walsh

PRINCIPAL CHARACTER DANCERS

Ricardo Bustamante Val Caniparoli Anita Paciotti

Rubén Martín Cintas

SOLOISTS

Max Cauthorn Jahna Frantziskonis

Steven Morse Lauren Strongin

Daniel Deivison-Oliveira Esteban Hernandez

Julia Rowe Wei Wang

WanTing Zhao

Isabella DeVivo Koto Ishihara

James Sofranko Hansuke Yamamoto

CORPS DE BALLET Kamryn Baldwin

Samantha Bristow Diego Cruz

Solomon Golding Ellen Rose Hummel

Blake Kessler Norika Matsuyama

Sean Orza Elizabeth Powell Rebecca Rhodes Natasha Sheehan

John-Paul Simoens Mingxuan Wang Maggie Weirich

Sean Bennett Alexandre Cagnat

Megan Amanda Ehrlich Gabriela Gonzalez

Blake Johnston Shené Lazarus

Davide Occhipinti Wona Park

Nathaniel Remez Emma Rubinowitz

Henry Sidford Myles Thatcher Joseph Warton

Ludmila Bizalion Thamires Chuvas

Benjamin Freemantle Jillian Harvey

Madison Keesler Elizabeth Mateer

Kimberly Marie Olivier Lauren Parrott

Alexander Reneff-Olson Skyla Schreter

Miranda Silveira Isabella Walsh Lonnie Weeks

Ami Yuki

APPRENTICES Ethan Chudnow

Swane Messaoudi Anatalia Hordov

Larisa Nugent Carmela Mayo Benji Pearson

Page 2

BALLET MASTER & ASSISTANT TO THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Ricardo Bustamante

Felipe Diaz

BALLET MASTERS Betsy Erickson Anita Paciotti Katita Waldo

COMPANY TEACHERS Helgi Tomasson Patrick Armand*

Ricardo Bustamante Felipe Diaz

CHOREOGRAPHER IN RESIDENCE

Yuri Possokhov

MUSIC DIRECTOR AND PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR Martin West

* * * *

*guest teacher

HISTORY OF SAN FRANCISCO BALLET

San Francisco Ballet, the oldest professional ballet company in America, has emerged as a world-class arts organization since it was founded as the San Francisco Opera Ballet in 1933. Initially, its primary purpose was to train dancers to appear in lavish, full-length opera productions. Willam Christensen arrived in 1938 and choreographed the Company’s first full-length production, Coppélia, the following year. In 1940, he staged the first American full-length production of Swan Lake and on Christmas Eve 1944, Christensen launched a national holiday tradition with the American premiere of Nutcracker—the first complete version of the ballet ever staged in the United States. In 1942, the Company became a completely separate entity from the opera and was renamed San Francisco Ballet. Willam Christensen was artistic director, and his brother Harold was appointed director of the San Francisco Ballet School, a position he retained for 33 years. A third brother, Lew Christensen, America’s first premier danseur, joined Willam as co-director in 1951, and took over the Company the following year. Under Lew’s direction, the Company made its East Coast debut at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in 1956 and toured 11 Asian nations the following year, marking the first performances by an American ballet company in Asia. In 1972, after performing in various San Francisco theaters, the Company settled permanently into the War Memorial Opera House for its annual residency. The following year, Michael Smuin was appointed associate artistic director and celebrated his new partnership with Lew Christensen by collaborating on a full-length production of Cinderella. In 1976, Smuin’s Romeo and Juliet became the first full-length ballet and the first performance by a West Coast company to be shown on the PBS television series Dance in America. In 1981, Smuin’s The Tempest—the first ballet broadcast live from the War Memorial Opera House—was nominated for three Emmy Awards (Willa Kim received the award for Outstanding Costume Design). Three years later, Smuin received an Emmy Award for Choreography for the Dance in America national broadcast of A Song for Dead Warriors. In 1974, SF Ballet faced bankruptcy, but its supporters and the community responded with an extraordinary grassroots effort called “Save Our Ballet,” which successfully brought the Company back from the brink. That same year, Dr. Richard E. LeBlond, Jr. was appointed president and general manager of SF Ballet. He developed the first long-range plan for an American dance company, and in 18 months the organization was in the black financially. Helgi Tomasson’s arrival as artistic director in July 1985 marked the beginning of a new era for SF Ballet. Like Lew Christensen, Tomasson was, for many years, a leading dancer for the most important ballet choreographer of the 20th century, George Balanchine.

-more-

SF Ballet History/Page 2 Less than two years after Tomasson’s arrival, SF Ballet unveiled its fourth production of Nutcracker in December 1986. Tomasson has since staged acclaimed full-length productions of many classics, including Swan Lake (1988, 2009); The Sleeping Beauty (1990); Romeo & Juliet (1994); Giselle (1999); Don Quixote, co-staged with former Principal Dancer and current Choreographer in Residence Yuri Possokhov (2003); and Nutcracker (2004). In 1991, SF Ballet performed in New York City for the first time in 26 years, returning in 1993, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2008, and 2013. Following the initial tour, The New York Times proclaimed, “Mr. Tomasson has accomplished the unprecedented: He has pulled a so-called regional company into the national ranks, and he has done so by honing the dancers into a classical style of astonishing verve and purity. SF Ballet under Helgi Tomasson’s leadership is one of the spectacular success stories of the arts in America.” In May 1995, SF Ballet hosted 12 ballet companies from around the world for UNited We Dance: An International Festival, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Charter, which took place in the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center in San Francisco. Never before had a dance event brought together over 150 international artists for two weeks of creative exchange and inspiration. 2008 marked the Company’s 75th Anniversary Season, which culminated in a New Works Festival of 10 world premieres by 10 of the dance world’s most diverse and acclaimed choreographers including Julia Adam, Val Caniparoli, Jorma Elo, Margaret Jenkins, James Kudelka, Mark Morris, Yuri Possokhov, Paul Taylor, Stanton Welch, and Christopher Wheeldon. Other anniversary initiatives included a commemorative book, San Francisco Ballet at Seventy-Five; special exhibitions; an alumni reunion weekend; and the broadcast of Tomasson’s Nutcracker on PBS’s Great Performances Dance in America series, produced in partnership with KQED Public Television in San Francisco. In December 2011, the American premiere of John Neumeier’s The Little Mermaid, performed by SF Ballet, was broadcast internationally, as well as nationally on PBS’s Great Performances Dance in America. In 2015, Tomasson celebrated his 30th anniversary as artistic director of the Company, with the San Francisco Chronicle noting, “What Tomasson has done here over these three decades is to transform a respected regional American ballet company into an international-caliber organization that commands worldwide respect for the depth of its repertoire and its superb technical standards.” SF Ballet continues to enrich and expand its repertory and presents approximately 100 performances annually. The Company’s vast repertory includes works by Sir Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, David Bintley, August Bournonville, Val Caniparoli, Lew Christensen, Nacho Duato, Jorma Elo, William Forsythe, James Kudelka, Jirí Kylián, Lar Lubovitch, Benjamin Millepied, Wayne McGregor, Agnes de Mille, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, Hans van Manen, Peter Martins, Mark Morris, Rudolf Nureyev, Justin Peck, Marius Petipa, Roland Petit, Yuri Possokhov, Alexei Ratmansky, Jerome Robbins, Liam Scarlett, Paul Taylor, Antony Tudor, and Christopher Wheeldon.

-more-

SF Ballet History/Page 3 In recent years, the Company’s touring program has become increasingly ambitious. In fall 2008, as part of its year-long 75th Anniversary Celebration, SF Ballet embarked on a critically acclaimed four-city American tour with engagements at Chicago’s Harris Theater for Music and Dance, New York City Center, Southern California’s Segerstrom Center for the Arts, and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. In 2016, the Company performed at Napa Valley Performing Arts Center, Iceland’s Reykjavík Theatre, and The Kennedy Center. In addition, SF Ballet dancers participated in Celebrate Forsythe at The Music Center, honoring the choreographer’s legacy to date. After opening night, the Los Angeles Times declared that “[SF Ballet] dances Forsythe better than any other American company.” SF Ballet has also enjoyed frequent overseas tours, including engagements at prestigious venues such as the famed Opéra de Paris-Palais Garnier in Paris (1994, 2001) and Théâtre du Châtelet (2014); London’s Sadler’s Wells Theatre (1999, 2004, 2012) and the Royal Opera House (2002); Athens’ Megaron Theatre (2002) and Herod Atticus Amphitheatre (2004); the Tivoli Garden Concert Hall in Copenhagen (1998, 2010); and the Edinburgh International Festival at the Edinburgh Playhouse (1997, 2003). In fall 2009, SF Ballet made its first trip to the People’s Republic of China, with performances in Shanghai and Beijing and in 2015, the Company returned to both cities as part of a two-week tour. The Company’s extensive touring program has garnered numerous accolades and awards. In 2005, SF Ballet won its first Laurence Olivier Award, for its 2004 fall season at Sadler’s Wells Theatre. Of the engagement, London’s Sunday Times proclaimed, “Helgi Tomasson’s outstanding artistic direction…has transformed a regional American troupe into one of the world’s top ballet companies.” In 2006, in a readers’ poll conducted by Dance Europe magazine, SF Ballet was the first non-European company to be voted “Company of the Year” by the publication. In 2008, SF Ballet received the Jerome Robbins Award for excellence in dance. In 2012, SF Ballet’s touring schedule included engagements in London and Washington, D.C., as well as first time visits to Hamburg, Moscow, and Sun Valley, Idaho. In fall 2013, the Company performed at New York’s David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, where The New York Times declared SF Ballet “a national treasure.” In July 2014, the Company toured to Paris as part of Les Etés de la Danse Festival, marking the 10th anniversary of its inaugural engagement with the festival. At Théâtre du Châtelet, SF Ballet presented over 20 works by 15 choreographers over a gala evening and 17 performances. Of the tour, The Financial Times remarked, “Where ballet goes from here is anyone’s guess, but as dancers and choreographers continue to flock to Tomasson, the tell-tale signs may well be found in California.”

-more-

SF Ballet History/Page 4 Highlights of SF Ballet’s 2018 Season include Unbound: A Festival of New Works featuring 12 new works by 12 innovative, international choreographers, plus ancillary festival activities; an all-Robbins program celebrating the centennial of Jerome Robbins and Leonard Bernstein; and performances of Neumeier’s acclaimed Nijinsky by The National Ballet of Canada. San Francisco Ballet School, overseen by Tomasson and the School’s Director Patrick Armand, attracts students from around the world, training approximately 350 annually. In addition to filling the ranks of SF Ballet, graduates have gone on to join distinguished ballet companies throughout the world.

* * * *

HELGI TOMASSON

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & PRINCIPAL CHOREOGRAPHER

Helgi Tomasson has held the position of artistic director for San Francisco Ballet since July 1985. Since then, the Company has evolved from a respected regional troupe to an international company praised for its broad repertory, dancers of uncommon range and skill, and a vision that continually sets the standard for the international dance world. San Francisco Ballet is dancing better than it has at any point in its history. As a choreographer, teacher, and coach, Tomasson has fostered an uncompromising classicism that has become the bedrock of the Company’s training. The dancers are energized and inspired by this rigorous training and continue to rise to new heights with each passing year. Born in Reykjavik, Iceland, Tomasson began his early ballet training there with an Icelandic teacher and then joined the National Theatre’s affiliated school, which was led by Danish instructors Erik and Lisa Bidsted. At 15, the emerging dancer began his professional career with the celebrated Pantomime Theatre in Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens. Two years later, Jerome Robbins met Tomasson and, impressed by his dancing, arranged a scholarship for him to study at the School of American Ballet in New York City. Soon after, Tomasson began his professional career with The Joffrey Ballet and two years later joined The Harkness Ballet. Over the next six years, he became one of the company’s most celebrated principal dancers. In 1969, Tomasson entered the First International Ballet Competition in Moscow as a United States representative and returned with the Silver Medal (the Gold Medal was awarded to Mikhail Baryshnikov). The following year, Tomasson joined New York City Ballet as a principal dancer and over the course of his career became one of the finest classical dancers of his era. He was one of the foremost interpreters of George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, and both men created several roles expressly for him. In 1982, Tomasson choreographed his first ballet for the School of American Ballet Workshop, which elicited encouragement from Balanchine to continue choreographing. In 1985, Tomasson accepted the invitation from SF Ballet to become artistic director of America’s oldest professional ballet company, drawing to a close a glorious performing career. Since assuming this role, Tomasson has choreographed over 40 ballets, including stunning full-length productions of Don Quixote (co-staged by Yuri Possokhov), Giselle, Romeo & Juliet, The Sleeping Beauty, and two productions of Swan Lake (1988 and 2009). His intricate and varied works, such as 7 for Eight, Chi-Lin, Concerto Grosso, The Fifth Season, Handel—a Celebration, Meistens Mozart, Nanna’s Lied, and Sonata, showcase the unique qualities of individual dancers. Tomasson’s Prism, which debuted in 2000 at New York City Ballet, received rave reviews and was deemed a “triumph” by The New York Times. In 2004, his new production of

-more-

Tomasson/Page 2 Nutcracker, created in collaboration with an internationally recognized design team, debuted to enthusiastic critic and audience response. The New York Times proclaimed, “This is a Nutcracker on a grand scale…striking, elegant and beautiful.” On December 17, 2008, Tomasson’s Nutcracker was broadcast nationally on Great Performances on PBS, in partnership with KQED Public Television in San Francisco. The strong classical base instilled by Tomasson enables the dancers to effortlessly navigate a myriad of styles by a range of internationally distinguished choreographers. Those invited by Tomasson to create works on the Company have included David Bintley, Val Caniparoli, Jorma Elo, William Forsythe, James Kudelka, Lar Lubovitch, Mark Morris, Justin Peck, Yuri Possokhov, Alexei Ratmansky, Paul Taylor, Stanton Welch, and Christopher Wheeldon. Tomasson has also continued to expand SF Ballet’s repertory through acquiring works by renowned choreographers such as Sir Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, August Bournonville, Michel Fokine, Hans van Manen, Wayne McGregor, Sir Kenneth McMillan, Agnes de Mille, Nacho Duato, Flemming Flindt, Roland Petit, Jerome Robbins, and Antony Tudor, among others. Tomasson’s own works have been performed by New York City Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, Houston Ballet, Alberta Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, Ballet Estable del Teatro Colón, and Asami Maki Ballet. In Denmark, Tomasson’s 1993 staging of The Sleeping Beauty was the most lavish production ever produced in the Royal Danish Ballet’s history and was filmed for Danish public television in April 1995. Under Tomasson’s direction, SF Ballet has toured the world, receiving praise for its purity and verve. Engagements in China (2009, 2015), Copenhagen (1998, 2010), London (1999, 2001, 2004, 2012), Moscow (2012), New York City (1991, 1993, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2013), and Paris (1989, 1994, 2001, 2005, 2014) are among the highlights of the Company’s history. For the Company’s 2004 London engagement, SF Ballet won the prestigious Laurence Olivier Award, its first, in the category of Outstanding Achievement in Dance. Of the tour, The Guardian (UK) noted, “As director of SF Ballet, Helgi Tomasson has started to acquire an aura of infallibility, his expertise in laying down repertory, and in balancing great evenings of dance, is held in envy by the rest of the profession.” Tomasson’s vision, commitment, and dedication to the art of classical dance were demonstrated when he conceived UNited We Dance: An International Festival, produced in San Francisco in May 1995. Created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Charter, it included 12 international companies of the highest caliber that Tomasson had invited to present new works created by native choreographers. Never before had a dance event brought together over 150 artists for an unprecedented two weeks of creative exchange and inspiration. In spring 2008, as part of its yearlong 75th anniversary celebration, SF Ballet presented a New Works Festival of 10 world premieres by 10 of the dance world’s most diverse and acclaimed choreographers. The festival was called “ambitious and unprecedented” by The Washington Post and the San Francisco Chronicle hailed it as a “daring onslaught of fresh work… this is what the

-more-

Tomasson/Page 3 ballet world needs now.” Tomasson’s achievements have garnered him numerous awards and honors, and he has participated as a judge for ballet competitions in Italy, Russia, France, Finland, and Japan. During the 1970s in his homeland of Iceland, he was named a Knight of the Order of the Falcon for his achievements as a dancer. In 1989, he received Dance Bay Area’s Isadora Duncan Award for his outstanding choreography of Swan Lake. In June 1990, Tomasson was named Commander of the Order of the Falcon by then-President of Iceland Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, for his continuous achievements in the arts. In recognition of his artistic excellence, Tomasson received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement in 1992. That same year, he received the Dance Magazine Award in recognition of his contributions to the dance world. In 1995, Tomasson joined the Artistic Advisory Board of The Ballet Theatre in Prague, directed by Jana Kurová. Also in 1995, Tomasson was honored with the Cultural Award of The American-Scandinavian Foundation. In 1996, he was presented with a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, from Dominican College of San Rafael, in recognition of his value as a role model, his extraordinary career, and his community-service accomplishments. That same year, he was awarded the Isadora Duncan Special Award for UNited We Dance: An International Festival. In 2012, he was named recipient of the Dance/USA Honor, acknowledging individuals’ contributions to dance in America and the role they play in the national dance community. Currently, Tomasson serves on the Board of Directors of the School of American Ballet and the Artistic Committee for the New York Choreographic Institute, and has served as a member of the National Endowment for the Arts Dance Advisory Panel. In May 2001, Tomasson was granted the rank of Officier in the French Order of Arts and Letters, established in 1957 to recognize those who have contributed significantly to furthering the arts in France and throughout the world. Hugues Gall, then director of the Opéra National de Paris, presented the award in a ceremony attended by the President of Iceland Ólafur Ragnar Grimsson, following SF Ballet’s triumphant opening at the Palais Garnier. In spring 2002, the Board of Trustees of New York’s Juilliard School unanimously voted to bestow an honorary doctoral degree upon Tomasson, as one of five doctorates given annually in different artistic disciplines. In 2005, Tomasson was awarded the prestigious Lew Christensen Medal in honor of his 20th anniversary as artistic director of SF Ballet. In spring 2007, Tomasson won a sustained achievement award from the Isadora Duncan Dance Awards, also in recognition of his distinguished, ongoing tenure as artistic director. In May of the same year, during a tour to Iceland’s Reykjavik Arts Festival, Grimsson awarded Tomasson the Grand Cross Star of the Order of the Falcon, the country’s most prestigious honor. In 2008, he was awarded the Commonwealth Club of California’s Distinguished Citizen Award. In January 2010, the Company’s Opening Night Gala, Silver Celebration, honored Tomasson’s remarkable achievements to date.

-more-

Tomasson/Page 4 In 2015, on the occasion of his 30th anniversary as artistic director of the Company, the San Francisco Chronicle noted, “What Tomasson has done here over these three decades is to transform a respected regional American ballet company into an international-caliber organization that commands worldwide respect for the depth of its repertoire and its superb technical standards.” In addition to his role as artistic director and principal choreographer of the Company, Tomasson is the artistic director of San Francisco Ballet School. For Tomasson, the School is central to the life and development of the Company. Just as he expects the finest dancing and most meticulous attention to detail from his dancers, he demands the highest standards for training the students in the School. Tomasson lives in San Francisco with his wife, Marlene, who was dancing with The Joffrey Ballet when they met. They have two sons, Erik and Kris.

* * * *

HELGI TOMASSON ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & PRINCIPAL CHOREOGRAPHER

REPERTORY

Choreographed for San Francisco Ballet:

Caprice (2014)

Trio (2011)

Swan Lake (2009)

On a Theme of Paganini (2008)

On Common Ground (2007)

Blue Rose (2006)

The Fifth Season (2006)

Bagatelles (2005)

Nutcracker (2004)

7 for Eight (2004)

Don Quixote (2003)

Concerto Grosso (2003)

Chi-Lin (2002)

Bartok Divertimento (2002)

Chaconne for Piano and Two Dancers (1999)

Giselle (1999)

Silver Ladders (1998)

Two Bits (1998)

Twilight (1998)

Criss-Cross (1997)

Pandora Dance (1997)

Soirées Musicales (1996)

Tuning Game (1995)

Sonata (1995)

When We No Longer Touch (1995)

Quartette (1994)

Romeo & Juliet (1994)

Nanna’s Lied (1993)

Le Quattro Stagioni (The Four Seasons) (1992)

Forevermore (1992)

Two plus Two (1992)

Aurora Polaris (1991)

Meistens Mozart (1991)

“Haffner” Symphony (1991)

The Sleeping Beauty (1990)

Con Brio (1990)

Valses Poeticos (1990)

Handel—a Celebration (1989)

Swan Lake (1988)

Intimate Voices (1987)

Bizet pas de deux (1987)

Concerto in d: Poulenc (1986)

Confidencias (1986)

Additional Ballets: Prism (2000), choreographed for New York City Ballet “Much Ado…” (1999), choreographed for Alberta Ballet Simple Symphony (1996), choreographed for SF Ballet School Showcase. Beads of Memory (1985), choreographed in 1985 for Houston Ballet Little Waltz (1985), choreographed for New York City Ballet’s Gala on students of School of American Ballet Menuetto (1984), choreographed for New York City Ballet Contredanses (1984), choreographed in 1984 for Finis Jhung’s Chamber Ballet USA Ballet d’Isoline (1983), choreographed for School of American Ballet Giuliani: Variations on a Theme (1982), choreographed for School of American Ballet

JEROME ROBBINS

CHOREOGRAPHER Jerome Robbins (1918-1998) was one of the major forces in twentieth-century performing arts. He received world renown for his choreography for New York City Ballet, Ballets: U.S.A., American Ballet Theatre, and other dance companies around the world. Remarkably, he received equal acclaim for his work as a director and choreographer of Broadway musicals and plays, movies, and television programs. Robbins began his career as a ballet dancer with Ballet Theatre, where he was noted in particular for his dancing in Petrouchka and his character roles in the works of Fokine, Tudor, Massine, Lichine, and de Mille. His first choreographic sensation was Fancy Free (1944), which is still widely performed today; it was followed by Interplay (1945) and Facsimile (1946), and all were performed by Ballet Theatre. Robbins’ first musical, On the Town (1945), was followed by Billion Dollar Baby (1946), High Button Shoes (1947), Look, Ma, I’m Dancing (1948, co-directed with George Abbott), Miss Liberty (1949), Call Me Madam (1950), and the ballet “Small House of Uncle Thomas” in The King and I (1951). His work continued with Two’s Company (1952), Pajama Game (1954, co-directed with Abbott), and Peter Pan (1954), which he directed and choreographed. In the same year, he also directed the opera The Tender Land by Aaron Copland. Two years after that, he directed and choreographed Bells are Ringing (1956), followed by the historic West Side Story (1957), Gypsy (1959), and Fiddler on the Roof (1964). In 1988, he staged Jerome Robbins’s Broadway. In 1949, he joined New York City Ballet as associate artistic director. Among his outstanding works for the company are The Guests (1949), Age of Anxiety (1951), The Cage (1951), The Pied Piper (1951), Afternoon of a Faun (1953), Fanfare (1953), The Concert (1956), Dances at a Gathering (1969), The Goldberg Variations (1971), Watermill (1972), Requiem Canticles (1972), In G Major (1975), Mother Goose (1975), The Four Seasons (1979), Opus 19/The Dreamer (1979), Glass Pieces (1983), I’m Old Fashioned (1983), Antique Epigraphs (1984), Brahms/Handel (1984, with Twyla Tharp), In Memory of… (1985), Ives, Songs (1988), 2 & 3 Part Inventions (1994), West Side Story Suite (1995), and Brandenburg (1997). For his own company, Ballets: U.S.A. (1958-1962), he created N.Y. Export: Opus Jazz (1958), Moves (1959), and Events (1961). For American Ballet Theatre’s 25th anniversary in 1965, he staged Stravinsky’s dance cantata, Les Noces. During this extraordinary career, Robbins served on the National Council on the Arts from 1974 to 1980 and the New York State Council on the Arts/Dance Panel from 1973 to 1988. He established and partially endowed the Jerome Robbins Film Archive of the Dance Collection of

-more-

Robbins/Page 2 the New York City Public Library at Lincoln Center. His numerous awards and academic honors included the Handel Medallion of the City of New York (1976), the Kennedy Center Honors (1981), three honorary doctorates, an honorary membership in the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters (1985), and the National Medal of the Arts (1988).

Biography courtesy of New York City Ballet.

* * * *

MARIUS PETIPA

CHOREOGRAPHER Marius Petipa, the "father of classical ballet," was born in Marseilles, France, in 1819. He began his dance training at the age of seven with his father, Jean Petipa, the French dancer and teacher. Marius was educated at the Grand College in Brussels and also attended the conservatoire, where he studied music. Although he disliked dancing in those early years, his progress was so great that he made his debut in 1831 in his father's production of Gardel's La Dansomanie. In 1834 Jean Petipa became Maitre de Ballet at the theatre in Bordeaux and it was here that Marius completed his education. At the age of sixteen, he became premier danseur at the theatre in Nantes, where he also produced several short ballets. In 1839 Marius left Nantes to tour North America with his father, and on their return visit went to Paris. The following year he made his debut at the Comedie Francaise, where he partnered Carlotte Grisi in a benefit performance. He continued his studies with A. Vestris and became a principal dancer in Bordeaux. Petipa next went to Spain in 1845, to work at the King's Theatre. While in Madrid, he studied Spanish dance and choreographed Carmen et son Terero, La Perle de Seville, L'Aventure d'une fille de Madrid, La Fleur de Grenade, and Depart Dour la Course des Toureaux. Petipa returned to Paris as a principal dancer, but in 1847 left for Russia. He had signed a one-year contract with the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatre, but was to remain there for the rest of his life. As a principal dancer, Petipa often appeared with Fanny Elssler and was much acclaimed for his performances in such ballets as Paquita (which he restaged and in which made his debut), Giselle, La Peri, Armida, Catarina, Le Delire d'un peintre, Esmeralda, Le Corsaire and Faust. Considered an excellent dancer and partner, his acting, stage manners and pantomime were held up as examples for many generations of dancers. When Giselle was revived in 1850, Petipa made some changes in the Wilis scenes, which became the Grand Pas des Wilis of 1884. In 1854, he married Maria Sourovshchikova, a student in the graduating class of the Imperial School, who later danced in many of her husband's ballets. (Petipa's second marriage was to Lubova Leonidovna, a member of the Moscow Ballet, in 1882.) In 1854 he became an instructor in the school, while continuing to dance and to restage ballets from the French repertoire. Sources differ on the first original work he staged for the Imperial Theatre: some state it was cc

-more-

Petipa/Page 2 The Star of Granada, others that it was A Marriage During Regency. But all sources concur that his first great success was The Daughter of Pharoh (staged in six weeks), which resulted in his appointment as Choreographer-in-Chief in 1862 – a position he held for nearly fifty years. In 1869 Petipa became Premier Ballet Master of the Imperial Theatre. The value of his accomplishments is inestimable: he produced more than sixty full-evening ballets and innumerable shorter works and he is considered to have laid the foundation for the entire school of Russian ballet. The ballet repertoire in the Soviet Union is still based mainly on his works. Those who felt the dramatic content of ballet should be strengthened began to oppose Petipa toward the end of his career. His noble classicism and consciousness of form was considered old-fashioned, and in 1903, at age 84, Petipa was forced to retire from the Imperial Theatre as a direct result of the failure of his ballet, The Magic Mirror. His last years were filled with bitterness and disillusionment because his beloved theatre had been taken away. He died in St. Petersburg in 1910. Marius Petipa is considered one of the greatest choreographers of all time. He researched the subject matter of the ballets he staged, making careful and detailed preparations for each production, and then worked closely with the designer and composer. Petipa elevated the Russian ballet to international fame and laid the cornerstone for 20th Century ballet. His classicism integrated the purity of the French school with Italian virtuosity. Biography courtesy of American Ballet Theatre.

* * * *

ROBERT BINET

CHOREOGRAPHER

Robert Binet was born in Toronto, Canada and was appointed choreographic associate of The National Ballet of Canada in June 2013 following 18 months as choreographic apprentice at The Royal Ballet. Binet has created The Dreamers Ever Leave You, The Sea Above, The Sky Below, Self and Soul, The Wild Space Between Two Hearts, These Worlds In Us and Unearth for The National Ballet of Canada since joining the company. He also choreographed Orpheus Becomes Eurydice, a co-production between The National Ballet of Canada and the Banff Centre. Binet spoke and presented excerpts of Orpheus Becomes Eurydice at TEDxToronto 2015. Prior to joining the company, Robert created numerous works for The National Ballet of Canada’s Choreographic Labs, the YouDance apprentice program, and a new work for the company’s 60th anniversary gala in June 2012. Binet was selected by Karen Kain as her protégé for the 2017 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Mentorship Program. One of Binet’s creations for The National Ballet of Canada was an immersive ballet titled The Dreamers Ever Leave You. It premiered in August 2016 at the Art Gallery of Ontario and was hailed as “a thrilling and affirming victory for the art form” by The Globe and Mail. This followed the world premiere of Terra Incognita, a site-specific ballet with an original story and dancers from international ballet companies, for his company, Wild Space. In 2016, Binet created The Kreutzer Sonata for Ballet Moscow, his first full-length narrative ballet. In the fall of 2015, Binet created The Blue of Distance for New York City Ballet after participating in sessions at the New York Choreographic Institute in 2014 and 2011. The work was given 12 performances at Lincoln Center between 2015 and 2017. In 2011, The Royal Ballet created the choreographic apprentice position for Binet. There, he was mentored by The Royal Ballet Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor and had the opportunity to create works on company members as part of Draft Works in 2012 and 2013. Additionally, Binet created three works for Company Wayne McGregor. One of them, Life’s Witness, was commissioned by the Royal Opera House to celebrate 10 years of collaboration between The Royal Ballet and McGregor. Binet was invited by The Royal Ballet to create White Rush, a dance film, in 2014 and Void and Fire in 2016.

- more -

Binet/Page 2 During his training at Canada’s National Ballet School, Binet created a large body of work and received the prestigious Peter Dwyer Award from the Canada Council for the Arts, awarded annually to promising students. Immediately after leaving school, he spent three months shadowing Hamburg Ballet Artistic Director and Chief Choreographer John Neumeier. Additionally, Binet has created works for the Dutch National Ballet’s junior company, Estonian National Ballet, Genée International Ballet Competition, Ballet Black, and Hamburg Ballet’s junior company. His work has been presented by the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and is part of the Royal Academy of Dance Advanced Syllabus. Binet also choreographed the music video for Owen Pallett’s “Song for Five & Six” and Belle and Sebastian’s “The Party Line.”

* * * *

EDWAARD LIANG

CHOREOGRAPHER

A former dancer with New York City Ballet and Netherlands Dance Theater, Edwaard Liang has built an international reputation as a choreographer. Over the last decade, he has created work for the Bolshoi Ballet, Houston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Kirov Ballet, New York City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Shanghai Ballet, Singapore Dance Theatre, and Washington Ballet.

Born in Taipei, Taiwan and raised in Marin County, California, Mr. Liang began his dance training at age five with Marin Ballet. After studying at the School of American Ballet, he joined New York City Ballet in 1993. That same year, he was a medal winner at the Prix de Lausanne International Ballet Competition and won the Mae L. Wien Award. By 1998, he was promoted to soloist. In 2001, Mr. Liang joined the Tony Award®-winning Broadway cast of Fosse. His performance in Fosse was later televised nationally on PBS’ Great Performances series–“Dance in America: From Broadway: Fosse,” and subsequently released on DVD. By 2002, Liang was invited by Jiří Kylián to become a member of the acclaimed Netherlands Dance Theater.

While dancing with NDT, Liang discovered his passion and love for choreography. Since establishing himself as a choreographer, his works have been performed by dance companies around the world and he has won numerous awards for his choreography including the 2006 National Choreographic Competition.

In 2013, Liang was named artistic director at BalletMet where he continues to choreograph new works for companies both domestically and abroad.

* * * *

AUGUST BOURNONVILLE

CHOREOGRAPHER August Bournonville, born in Copenhagen in 1805, was a dancer and choreographer who directed the Royal Danish Ballet for nearly 50 years and established the Danish style based on bravura dancing and expressive mime.

He studied under his father, Antoine Bournonville, one of the major dancers of his day, before going to Paris for further training under Auguste Vestris and Pierre Gardel. After appearances at the Paris Opera and in London, Bournonville returned to Copenhagen as soloist and choreographer for the Royal Danish Ballet.

A strong dancer with excellent elevation and an accomplished mime, he emphasized these qualities in his ballets. His choreographic style also reflected the pre-Romantic approach of his teacher, Vestris. Many of his ballets have remained in the repertoire of the Royal Danish Ballet for more than a century. Bournonville also directed the Swedish Royal Opera at Stockholm (1861-64) and staged several of his works in Vienna (1855-56). In 1877, after his return to Denmark, he retired and was knighted. He died on November 30, 1879 in Copenhagen.

* * * *

GEORGE BALANCHINE

CHOREOGRAPHER

George Balanchine (1904-1983) is regarded as one of the foremost ballet choreographers and one of the great artists of the twentieth century. His influence in the worlds of ballet, music, and modernism is immense, and he had a great and lasting impact on New York’s cultural scene during a particularly creative period of the city’s history. The son of a composer, Balanchine began studying the piano at the age of five, then studied at the Imperial Ballet School in St. Petersburg from 1913 to 1921. He continued his education with three years at the state’s Conservatory of Music, where he studied piano and musical theory, including composition, harmony, and counterpoint. Balanchine made his dancing debut at the age of 10 as a cupid in the Maryinsky Theatre Ballet Company production of The Sleeping Beauty. He joined the company’s corps de ballet at age 17 and also staged one work, Enigmas. In the summer of 1924, Balanchine—along with Tamara Geva, Alexandra Danilova, and Nicholas Efimov—left the newly formed Soviet Union for a tour of Western Europe. All four dancers were invited by impresario Serge Diaghilev to join his Ballets Russes in Paris. After watching Balanchine stage a new version of the Stravinsky ballet Le Chant de Rossignol, Diaghilev hired him as ballet master to replace Bronislava Nijinska. Balanchine served as ballet master with Ballets Russes until the company was dissolved following Diaghilev’s death in 1929. After that, he spent his next few years on a variety of projects which took him all over Europe, then returned to Paris to form his own company, Les Ballets 1933. It was then that he met American dance connoisseur Lincoln Kirstein. Kirstein’s great passion for the contemporary arts included the dream to establish an American ballet school and an American ballet company that would rival those of Europe. He persuaded Balanchine to come to the United States and help him fulfill this dream, and in 1934, the pair founded the School of American Ballet. The first original ballet Balanchine choreographed in this country—Serenade, set to music by Tchaikovsky—was created for dancers from the School and had its world premiere outdoors on the estate of Kirstein’s friend, Edward Warburg, near White Plains, New York. The School remains in operation to this day, training students for companies throughout the United States and the world, but the first ballet companies founded by Balanchine and Kirstein were not as long-lived. American Ballet, Ballet Caravan, and American Ballet Caravan came and went in the years between 1936 and 1940. In 1946, following World War II, Balanchine and Kirstein joined forces again to form Ballet Society, a company which introduced New York

-more-

Balanchine/Page 2 subscription-only audiences over the next two years to such new Balanchine works as The Four Temperaments (1946), Stravinsky’s Renard (1947), and Orpheus (1948). Morton Baum, chairman of the City Center of Music and Drama, was so impressed by the program that he invited Ballet Society to join City Center, but with a new name. On October 11, 1948, New York City Ballet was born, dancing an all-Balanchine program consisting of Concerto Barocco, Orpheus, and Symphony In C. Balanchine served as ballet master for New York City Ballet from that year until his death in 1983. An authoritative catalogue of his works lists 425 works created from 1920 to 1982, and many of these continue to be danced today, including Firebird (1949; restaged with Jerome Robbins, 1970); Bourrée Fantasque (1949); La Valse (1951); The Nutcracker, Ivesiana, and Western Symphony (1954); Allegro Brillante (1956); Agon (1957); The Seven Deadly Sins (a revival of the original Les Ballets 1933 production) and Stars and Stripes (1958); Episodes (1959); Monumentum Pro Gesualdo and Liebeslieder Walzer (1960); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1962); Movements For Piano And Orchestra and Bugaku (1963); Don Quixote and Harlequinade (1965); Jewels–his only full-length plotless ballet (1967); Who Cares? (1970); Duo Concertant, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, and Symphony In Three Movements (1972); Coppélia (1974); Pavane (1975); Union Jack (1976); Vienna Waltzes (1977); Ballo della Regina and Kammermusik No. 2 (1978); Robert Schumann’s “Davidsbündlertänze” (1980); and Mozartiana (1981). Though it is for his ballet choreography that Balanchine is most admired, he also choreographed for theater, movies, and opera. He choreographed numerous musical comedies, including On Your Toes, Cabin in the Sky, Babes in Arms, Where’s Charley?, Song of Norway, I Married an Angel, The Boys from Syracuse, The Merry Widow, and The Ziegfeld Follies of 1935. His film credits include Star Spangled Rhythm, I Was an Adventuress, and The Goldwyn Follies. Balanchine’s style has been described as neo-classic. His response to the Romantic classicism was to de-emphasize the plot in his ballets, preferring to let “dance and music be the star of the show.” Balanchine always preferred to call himself a craftsman rather than a creator, comparing himself to a cook or a cabinetmaker (both hobbies of his), and he had a reputation throughout the dance world for the calm and collected way in which he worked with his dancers and colleagues. Above all, he emphasized the primacy of music, choosing important composers and commissioning new works rather than relying on traditional ballet scores. “Choreography can only be the result of great music,” he said, and “The music is always first.” In 1970, U.S. News & World Report attempted to summarize Balanchine’s achievements:

“The greatest choreographer of our time, George Balanchine, is responsible for the successful fusion of modern concepts with older ideas of classical ballet ... often working with modern music, and simplest of themes, he has created ballets that are celebrated for their imagination and originality. He has made American dance the most advanced and richest in choreographic development in the world today.”

-more-

Balanchine/Page 3

Balanchine was the recipient of many honors in his lifetime, including one of the first Kennedy Center Honors; induction into Hollywood’s Entertainment Hall of Fame; a Knighthood of the Order of Dannebrog, First Class, by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark; the Gold Medal of Merit from the National Society of Arts and Letters; the Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Letters, First Class; the French Legion of Honor; French Commander of the Order of Arts and Letter decoration; and National Institute of Arts and Letters award for Distinguished Service to the Arts. Shortly before his death in 1983, he received his last major award: the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor that can be conferred upon a civilian in the United States. Biography, with amendments, courtesy of New York City Ballet.

* * * *

JUSTIN PECK

CHOREOGRAPHER

At 29 years old, Justin Peck has already been hailed as an important new voice in 21st-century choreography. He is currently the resident choreographer and a soloist with New York City Ballet. Peck, originally from San Diego, California, moved to New York at the age of 15 to attend the School of American Ballet. In 2006, he was invited by Ballet Master in Chief Peter Martins to become a member of New York City Ballet. Since joining New York City Ballet, Peck has danced extensive repertoire, including principal roles in ballets by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Peter Martins, Alexei Ratmansky, Benjamin Millepied, Christopher Wheeldon, and many others. In 2013, Peck was promoted to the rank of soloist. Peck had his choreographic debut in 2009 and has been fervently creating since then. He has been commissioned to create new works for New York City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, The New York Choreographic Institute, School of American Ballet, Miami City Ballet, New World Symphony, L.A. Dance Project, New York City Center’s Fall for Dance, The Guggenheim Museum, and more. He has collaborated with the like sof Sufjan Stevens, Shepard Fairey, John Baldessari, Bryce Dessner, Marcel Dzama, Humberto Leon, Prabal Gurung, Sterling Ruby, Mary Katrantzou, and Karl Jensen. In 2014, Peck was appointed resident choreographer of New York City Ballet, making him the second choreographer in the history of the institution to hold this position. At New York City Ballet, he has created over 10 ballets, including Year of the Rabbit (2012), In Creases (2012), Paz de La Jolla (2013), Everywhere We Go (2014), Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes (2015), The Most Incredible Thing (2016), and others. In 2015, Peck received the Bessie Award for Outstanding Production for his work Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes. In addition to his work for stage, Peck's choreography extends into many other mediums. He has choreographed for dance in film in collaboration with Vogue, Nowness, Pitchfork, and The Guggenheim Museum; for print shoots with Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, Vogue China, Vogue Australia, New York Magazine, DuJour Magazine, and The Last Magazine; and, in 2015, for the Opening Ceremony runway show for New York Fashion Week. Un 2914, Peck was the subject of filmmaker Jody Lee Lipes’ Ballet 422. The documentary, released by Magnolia Pictures, followed Peck for two months as he created New York City Ballet’s 422nd original ballet, Paz de La Jolla.

* * * *

MARTIN WEST

MUSIC DIRECTOR & PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR

Martin West is acknowledged as one of the foremost conductors of ballet, garnering critical acclaim throughout the world. Born in Bolton, England, he studied math at St. Catharine’s College, Cambridge University, before studying at the St. Petersburg Conservatory of Music and London’s Royal Academy of Music. In fall 1997, West made his debut with English National Ballet and was immediately appointed resident conductor. There, he conducted almost half of the company’s performances throughout England and abroad. From 2004-2007 he held the position of principal conductor before relinquishing the post to allow him the flexibility to guest with other companies. West has worked with many of the top companies in North America such as New York City Ballet, Houston Ballet, and The National Ballet of Canada as well as the The Royal Ballet in England. West has worked with the Hallé Orchestra, Holland Symfonia, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, and Odense Symphony Orchestra in Denmark. He made his U.S. symphonic conducting debut with Silicon Valley Symphony, resulting in an immediate re-invitation. From 1998 to July 2005, West was the music director of the Cambridge Philharmonic Society. In addition, he had a long association with Pimlico Opera, including conducting a ground-breaking performance of West Side Story inside a prison with the inmates as part of the cast. In fall 2005, West joined San Francisco Ballet, having been a frequent guest since his debut two years earlier. In his ten years as music director he has been credited with raising the standard and profile of the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra to new levels and has made a number of critically acclaimed recordings with them, including the complete scores of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, excerpts from Delibes’ Coppélia and Sylvia, and a CD of Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky cello music. He and the Orchestra have also made many world premiere recordings, including music by composers such as Bizet, Moszkowski, Shinji Eshima, Kip Winger, and Maury Yeston whose full-length ballet Tom Sawyer was recorded in 2013. In addition, he conducted on the award-winning DVD of John Neumeier’s The Little Mermaid as well as Helgi Tomasson’s productions of Nutcracker for PBS and Romeo & Juliet for Lincoln Center at the Movies: Great American Dance.

* * * *