Season Guide

Home , Adolph Alexander Weinman, Frances Chung (dancer), Jocelyn Vollmar, Lorena Feijoo, Maria Calegari, Original Ballet Russe

2017 Season Infinite Worlds

Season Guide

HERMÈS BY NATURE

01_241,3X317,5_SanFranciscoBalletSeasonalGuide.indd 1 09/11/2016 09:36 SFB season guide fp template.indd 1 11/11/16 9:52 AM Ticket Information

GIVE US A CALL REPLACING LOST TICKETS IN THE AUDITORIUM Got questions? Call us at 415 865 2000, Misplaced your tickets? We can help. We For the sake of the performers and other Monday through Friday, between 10 am and can easily replace lost or forgotten tickets in patrons, we can’t seat you while a work is in 4 pm. On performance days we keep the phone advance of a scheduled performance. Please progress. Latecomers will be asked to stand lines open until the performance begins. call 415 865 2000 in advance to have your until a break in the action, which might be tickets ready for pick up at Will Call. Or avoid intermission. the line by printing your tickets at home. Simply VISIT OUR BOX OFFICE log in to your account at sfballet.org, click It’s tempting to take a picture to share with SF Ballet Box Office in the Opera House is on “Tickets & Performances,” scroll to your a friend or record a video to post on social open only on performance dates. During the performance and click “Print Tickets.” media, but photographs and recordings of the Repertory Season, the Box Office is open performance are strictly forbidden. Tuesday through Friday, from noon through the first intermission, and on Saturday and Sunday PURCHASING ADDITIONAL TICKETS Part of the joy of coming to the ballet is from 10 am through the first intermission. We Bring friends and family, or see your favorite disconnecting from the outside world for a few hope you’ll understand that during the hour ballet again! We offer discounted subscriber hours. Please turn off and stow your mobile prior to curtain, the Box Office can only handle prices to you when you buy additional tickets. devices before the performance as their lights business for the upcoming performance. To Principal Package Subscribers to a 5- and and sounds are a distraction to the performers contact Ticket Services, please call 415 865 3-performance series may order additional and other audience members. 2000 or email [email protected]. To avoid tickets at the standard subscriber price, and a long wait, please arrive at least 45 minutes 8-performance series subscribers receive We know the performance can be exciting, prior to curtain time when picking up tickets at an additional 20 percent off. Choreograph but please refrain from talking or whispering Will Call. Your Own and Mini-Package subscribers during the performance. And, out of can purchase additional tickets at specially consideration for audience members with reduced subscriber prices. Please note that sensitivities to perfume and other scented EXCHANGING TICKETS this is subject to availability and excludes products, go easy on the fragrance. Your schedule may have changed, but as a special events. subscriber you don’t have to miss the show. Excited to introduce the next generation to Call Ticket Services at least 24 hours before ballet? We recommend that children attending your scheduled performance to exchange GETTING HERE Repertory Season performances be at least your tickets. Naturally all exchanges are The War Memorial Opera House is located 8 years of age. Frankenstein (Program 3) subject to availability and some restrictions at 301 Van Ness Avenue, at Grove Street, in and Salome (Program 5) both deal with apply. Exchanges from mixed-bill programs the Civic Center neighborhood. We highly mature themes and subject matter, so we to story ballet programs are subject to price encourage the use public transportation in don’t recommend them for children under 12. differentials, and we can’t refund the difference support of the City’s Transit First Policy. Consider Children of any age attending a performance in cost if your exchange results in a ticket of taking MUNI to Van Ness station or BART to must have a ticket; lap-sitting is not allowed. lesser value. Civic Center station — both a short walk away. And no infants, please.

Principal Series Subscribers If you are driving, allow time for traffic and No fee for advance exchanges into any regular parking delays. Bear in mind that parking in SHOPPING DISCOUNTS FOR SUBSCRIBERS Repertory Season performance. the Civic Center area can be limited, especially AND DONORS during performances. We recommend finding Subscribers and donors get a 15 percent Choreograph Your Own (CYO) and Mini- parking in advance using the website and app discount on all purchases at the The Shop at Package Subscribers SpotHero, a parking reservation service that SF Ballet, located on the Mezzanine level of $10 per advance exchange. connects drivers to discounted, convenient the Opera House. Present your subscriber ID parking. The Van Ness Improvement Project, a card or your performance ticket at the time of Same-Day Exchanges massive civic improvement project, will impact purchase. Save all year long when you shop For all subscribers there is a $10 day-of- traffic and public transportation for several online at sfballet.org/shop; just log in before performance exchange fee in addition to the years. To sign up for email updates on this shopping to receive your 15 percent discount. above fees and any price differentials. We ask project, visit sfmta.com. that you exchange all tickets before two hours prior to the performance. After that time, Ticket CASTING AND PROGRAM NOTES Services can only accept ticket donations. CURTAIN TIMES Casting is available online a few days before Make sure to check the date and time on every performance. In addition to visiting your tickets and note that the start time for sfballet.org/casting, you can also find casting on DONATING TICKETS performances on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and individual production pages. Have questions? If you can’t attend a performance or exchange Thursdays is 7:30 pm. We created a video to show you how it works, your tickets, please consider donating your at sfballet.org/website-tour. (Programming and tickets for resale. The ticket value is tax- casting are subject to change without notice.) deductible to the extent permitted by law. To donate your tickets, please contact Ticket Service as soon as possible before the performance and we’ll send you a receipt for tax purposes.

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 103

SFB season guide spread template.indd 1 11/16/16 1:56 PM SFB season guide spread template.indd 1 11/16/16 1:56 PM THE ART OF LIVING

Extravagant, understated. Expansive, intimate. Brooding, ethereal. Offered by Gregg Lynn, the Bernice Penthouse is the epitome of juxtaposition. Truly a one-of-a-kind space, this exquisite loft conversion balances opposing design elements. TheBernicePenthouse.com

COW HOLLOW | $7,539,000 PACIFIC HEIGHTS | $6,950,000 SANTA ROSA | $3,995,000 TELEGRAPH HILL | $3,950,000 Contemporary home with 5 bedrooms, 5 full and 2 half baths. Impeccable Grand Queen Anne Victorian on a large lot with 7+ bedrooms, and 3 baths. Custom home with 5 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, and 3 car parking. Highly Renovated 3+ bedroom, 3.5 bath Edwardian in peaceful garden setting. attention to detail and luxurious, timeless finishes. 2652Chestnut.com South-facing garden, and garage. Prime location. PacHtsHome.com functional, aesthetically exquisite. EntertainersDreamHome.com Golden Gate Bridge, City, and Bay views. 2 garages. TelHillViewHome.com Mary Lou Castellanos, Ron Parks 415.297.9000 Janet Feinberg Schindler 415.265.5994 Maria Marchetti 415.699.8008 Janet Feinberg Schindler 415.265.5994

Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered (or unregistered) service marks used with permission. Operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. SAN FRANCISCO BROKERAGE | 117 GREENWICH STREET | SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111 | 415.901.1700 | SOTHEBYSHOMES.COM/SANFRANCISCO Real estate agents affiliated with Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. are independent contractor sales associates and are not employees of Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc.

SFB season guide spread template.indd 1 11/18/16 10:35 AM THE ART OF LIVING

SFB season guide spread template.indd 1 11/18/16 10:35 AM SFB season guide spread template.indd 1 11/8/16 11:25 AM SFB season guide spread template.indd 1 11/8/16 11:25 AM In a complex market, 3001 PACIFIC AVE | $22,000,000 there is no substitute for experience.

#1 RESIDENTIAL AGENT IN SAN FRANCISCO 2008-2015 by total volume in SF MLS Unique opportunity to purchase a grand and historic mansion, used until very recently as a #17 NATIONWIDE FOR 2015 Consulate. Multiple bedrooms, elevator, big stately per Wall Street Journal rankings parcel, top location with gorgeous City views. Recent systems and seismic upgrading. Cosmetic alterations needed in order to create a typical residential floor plan. www.3001PacificAve.com. Co-listed with Mary Toboni License#00625243

765 MARKET 36F | $6,450,000

Spectacular jewel at Four Seasons! Three bedrooms, three and a half baths, formal dining room, iconic NW views. Spacious floorplan, perfect for entertaining. www.765Market36F.com

2572 GREENWICH ST | $6,300,000

Stunning view home. Four bedrooms, three full and two half bathrooms, open kitchen, recreation room, soaring ceilings, all stylishly renovated. There are multiple decks overlooking the Bay and Golden Gate, a landscaped garden, and two-car parking. NOW TEAMED WITH DAUGHTERS AND SON www.2572Greenwich.com NATALIE, VANESSA AND PAUL KITCHEN

2526 FRANCISCO ST | $6,200,000

NATALIE KITCHEN VANESSA KITCHEN PAUL KITCHEN Broker Associate Sales Associate Broker Associate 415.345.3184 415.447.6258 415.345.3188 Contemporary masterpiece! Five bedrooms, [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] CalBRE#01484878 CalBRE#02016667 CalBRE#01928433 four and a half baths with a great room opening directly onto deck and lush garden. With views of the Palace of Fine Arts, a stunning master suite and sleek designer finishes throughout in 415.345.3022 | [email protected] a great Marina location, this home truly has it all. www.NinaHatvany.com www.2526FranciscoSt.com CalBRE#01152226 Co-listed with Emma Prok at Climb R.E.CalBRE#02004380 PACIFIC UNION AND CHRISTIE’S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE 1699 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94109 2017 Repertory Season Guide

11 17 48 52 72

11 Leadership San Francisco Ballet Season Guide Vol. 94 No. 2 15 Board of Trustees 2017 Repertory Season Endowment Foundation Board

Editor: Caitlin Sims Program Notes: Cheryl Ossola 17 Artists of the Company Graphic Designer: Cheshire Isaacs Principal, Soloist, and Principal Dancers Leadership Photography: Erik Tomasson Soloists 72 Program 06 Photo Editing: Erik Almlie Photo Shoot Coordinator: Kyra Jablonsky Corps de Ballet Swan Lake Photo Shoot Creative Director: Jennifer Bakken Ballet Masters & Principal Character Dancers Photo Shoot Stylist: France Pierson Photo Shoot Assistant: Mike Norman Apprentices 76 Program 07 Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists of Local 706: Trio Richard Battle Melanie Birch 48 San Francisco Ballet Orchestra Myles Thatcher World Premiere Raymond Burns Within the Golden Hour© Sarah Coy Toby Mayer 51 2017 Season News & Announcements Christine Martin 80 Program 08 Program 01 Cinderella© Cover 52 2017 Season Campaign Creative: Haffner Symphony The AKA Group Dancers: Dores André and Joseph Walsh Fragile Vessels (World Premiere) 84 Explore Ballet: Photography: Erik Tomasson In the Countenance of Kings Audience Engagement Programs Make-up Artists and Hair Stylists of Local 706: Richard Battle Toby Mayer 56 Program 02 86 San Francisco Ballet Staff Susan Stone Tim Santry Seven Sonatas Optimistic Tragedy (World Premiere) 88 Corporate and Foundation Support Pas/Parts 2016 91 Great Benefactors 60 Program 03 Frankenstein (North American Premiere) 93 Artistic Director’s Council

64 Program 04 95 Season Sponsors Stravinsky Violin Concerto Prodigal Son 98 San Francisco Ballet Endowment Foundation Diamonds 100 Thank You to Our Volunteers

All editorial material ©San Francisco Ballet, 2017 68 Program 05 Chris Hellman Center for Dance Fusion 103 Ticket Information 455 Franklin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102 415 861 5600 Salome (World Premiere) sfballet.org Fearful Symmetries

Advertising Representatives: Marilyn Kallins, Terri Reed, Rob Scott, Mike Hathaway [email protected] 2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 9 SR_SFBallet_lobby_2016.qxp_Layout 1 11/19/15 11:16 AM Page 1

BEYOND EXPECTATION

Visionary works of art everywhere your eyes wander

Thoughtfully curated collections of art at every turn, one of the many reasons why

125 third street stregissanfrancisco.com 415.284.4000

A LEGACY OF LUXURY. NOW AT OVER 30 OF THE WORLD’S FINEST HOTELS & RESORTS

STREGIS.COM

SFB season guide fp template.indd 1 11/25/15 4:32 PM San Francisco Ballet Leadership

HELGI TOMASSON Artistic Director & Principal Choreographer

Helgi Tomasson, one of the supreme classical dancers of his generation, has led San Francisco Ballet for 32 years and is the longest-serving sole artistic director of a major ballet company. Born in Iceland, he danced with Harkness Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet, and New York City Ballet, where he distinguished himself as a dancer of technical purity, musicality, and intelligence. Tomasson assumed leadership of SF Ballet in 1985. Under his guidance, SF Ballet has developed into a Company widely recognized as one of the finest in the world. Tomasson has balanced devotion to the classics with an emphasis on new work, cultivating frequent collaborations and commissions with renowned choreographers such as William Forsythe, Christopher Wheeldon, Alexei Ratmansky, and Mark Morris, among others. Tomasson has choreographed more than 50 works for the Company, including full-length productions of Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Romeo & Juliet (taped for Lincoln Center at the Movies), Giselle, and Nutcracker (taped for PBS’s Great Performances). He conceptualized the 1995 UNited We Dance festival, in which SF Ballet hosted 12 international companies; and the 2008 New Works Festival, which included 10 world premieres by 10 acclaimed choreographers. Tomasson has also connected SF Ballet to the world, through co-commissions with American Ballet Theatre, The Royal Ballet, and Dutch National Ballet; and major tours to Paris, London, New York City, China, and his native Iceland.

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 11 San Francisco Ballet Leadership

GLENN MCCOY Executive Director

Glenn McCoy’s career in the performing arts spans more than 30 years of operations management and marketing. After working for San Francisco Opera and the Metropolitan Opera, he joined San Francisco Ballet in 1987. He served as company manager and general manager before being appointed executive director in April 2002. McCoy has overseen the production of more than 60 new repertory and full-length ballets and more than 45 domestic and international tours, including engagements in Paris, London, New York, Beijing, and Washington, DC. He supervised SF Ballet’s operations for the critically acclaimed international dance festival, UNited We Dance, in 1995 and SF Ballet’s 75th Anniversary Season in 2008. He has overseen tapings of Lubovitch’s Othello, Tomasson’s Nutcracker, and Neumeier’s The Little Mermaid, which have been broadcast on PBS by Thirteen/WNET New York’s performing arts series Great Performances, as well as Tomasson’s Romeo & Juliet, which premiered in Lincoln Center at the Movies’ Great American Dance series in 2015.

MARTIN WEST Music Director & Principal Conductor

Martin West leads an Orchestra that is as musically excellent as it is adventurous. Under his direction the Orchestra has greatly expanded its catalog of recordings. Born in Bolton, England, he studied math at Cambridge. After studying music at the Royal Academy of Music in London and St. Petersburg Conservatory of Music, he made his debut with English National Ballet and was appointed resident conductor. As a guest conductor, he has worked with New York City Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, and The Royal Ballet. He was named music director of SF Ballet in 2005. West’s recordings with SF Ballet Orchestra include the complete score of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker and an album of suites from Delibes’ Sylvia and Coppélia. He also conducted for the award- winning DVD of Neumeier’s The Little Mermaid as well as SF Ballet’s televised recording of Nutcracker for PBS and the 2015 in-cinema release of Romeo & Juliet for Lincoln Center at the Movies’ Great American Dance.

PATRICK ARMAND Associate Director, SF Ballet School

Born in Marseille, France, Patrick Armand studied with Rudy Bryans, his mother Colette Armand, and at the École de Danse de Marseille. He won the Prix de Lausanne in 1980 and continued his studies at the School of American Ballet. In 1981, he joined the Ballet Théâtre Français de Nancy and was promoted to principal dancer in 1983. The following year he joined the English National Ballet, where he danced for six years before joining Boston Ballet in 1990. A frequent guest teacher for schools and companies in Amsterdam, Florence, London, Naples, Tokyo, and Toronto, Armand was appointed teacher and ballet master of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan in 2006. In 1998 and 2009, he served as a jury member of the Prix de Lausanne and since 2010 has been the competition’s official male coach and teacher. In 2010, he was appointed principal of the SF Ballet School Trainee Program, and in September 2012, he became SF Ballet School associate director.

12 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE “First Republic waives ATM access fees worldwide, making business travel easy.”

DUNCH ARTS Emma E. Dunch, President (right); Elizabeth W. Scott, Industry Advisor (left)

(855) 886-4824 or visit www.fi rstrepublic.com New York Stock Exchange Symbol: FRC Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender

EncoreSFBalletGuide 2017 Dunch ND2015.indd 1 11/15/16 3:19 PM SFB season guide fp template.indd 1 11/16/16 1:50 PM Music that’s en pointe. TILSON THOMAS SHAHAM GOERNE MAVERICKS AMERICAN

FEB 23–25 MAR 16–18 MAY 25–27 JUN 23–25

Michael Tilson Beethoven and Tchaikovsky and Michael Tilson Thomas conducts Barber, featuring Shostakovich, Thomas conducts Prokofiev’s Gil Shaham featuring American Mavericks Romeo and Juliet WITH THE SF SYMPHONY Matthias Goerne WITH THE SF SYMPHONY WITH THE SF SYMPHONY WITH THE SF SYMPHONY

TICKETS START AT sfsymphony.org 415-864-6000 $15*

Concerts at Davies Symphony Hall. Programs,artists, and prices subject to change. *Subject to availability. Box Office Hours Mon–Fri 10am–6pm, Sat noon–6pm, Sun 2 hours prior to concerts Walk Up Grove Street between Van Ness and Franklin

Inaugural Partner Official Airline San Francisco Ballet Association Board of Trustees 2016–2017

Carl F. Pascarella, Chair of the Board and Executive Committee

Chris Hellman† Jola Anderson Kelsey Lamond TRUSTEES EMERITI ASSOCIATE TRUSTEES Chair Emeritus Kristen A. Avansino Irv H. Lichtenwald Michael C. Abramson Brenda Leff Rosemary B. Baker Marie O’Gara Lipman John S. Osterweis† Thomas W. Allen President, San Francisco Immediate Past Chair Richard C. Barker Mark G. Lopez Marjorie Burnett Ballet Auxiliary Karen S. Bergman Alison Mauzé Charles Dishman Margaret G. Gill Gary Bridge Marissa Mayer Patricia D. Knight Vice Chair Garrettson Dulin, Jr.† President, BRAVO Chaomei Chen Deborah M. Messemer Millicent Dunham James H. Herbert, II† Hannah Comolli Kurt C. Mobley J. Stuart Francis† Christopher Correa Vice Chair Christine Leong Connors Kara Roell Sally Hambrecht President, ENCORE! Lucy Jewett David C. Cox Christine Russell Ingrid von Mangoldt Hills Stewart McDowell Brady, Susan P. Diekman Randee Seiger Vice Chair George B. James II† Patrice Lovato Kate Duhamel Robert G. Shaw Pamela J. Joyner† Co-Chairs, Allegro Circle James D. Marver Sonia H. Evers Christine E. Sherry Vice Chair David A. Kaplan Julie A. Flynn Charlotte Mailliard Shultz Mary Jo Kovacevich Diane B. Wilsey Shelby M. Gans Catherine Slavonia James J. Ludwig† Vice Chair Joseph C. Geagea David Hooker Spencer Stephanie Marver Jennifer J. McCall Richard Gibbs, M.D. Fran A. Streets Nancy H. Mohr Secretary Beth Grossman Judy C. Swanson Marie-Louise Pratt Patrick M. Hogan Richard J. Thalheimer George R. Roberts Susan S. Briggs Thomas E. Horn Jennifer M. Walske Assistant Secretary Kathleen Scutchfield Donald F. Houghton Miles Archer Woodlief Robert M. Smelick Nancy Kukacka Hiro Iwanaga Timothy C. Wu Susan A. Van Wagner Treasurer James C. Katzman Janice Hansen Zakin Dennis Wu Helgi Tomasson Yasunobu Kyogoku Akiko Yamazaki Artistic Director & Principal Choreographer Glenn McCoy* Executive Director

San Francisco Ballet Endowment Foundation Board of Directors 2016–2017

James D. Marver, President

John S. Osterweis Richard C. Barker Chris Hellman President Emeritus Susan S. Briggs Director Emeritus Hank J. Holland J. Stuart Francis George B. James II Vice President Nancy Kukacka Director Emeritus Hilary C. Pierce Thomas E. Horn Larissa K. Roesch Treasurer Kim Ondreck Carim‡ Chief Financial Officer Laura Simpson‡ Secretary Elizabeth Lani‡ Assistant Secretary † Past Chair * Non-Trustee ‡ Non-Director

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 15 Now May Be the Best Time to Sell Your Jewelry

Van Cleef & Arpels Marquise Diamond Ring with Invisibly-Set Sapphires — Circa 1950

IMMEDIATE PAYMENT KNOWLEDGEABLE | PROFESSIONAL

SAN FRANCISCO 360 POST STREET, SUITE 602

CALL US TO SCHEDULE YOUR PRIVATE APPOINTMENT AT (415) 621-8100 OR GET STARTED ONLINE AT circajewels.com

NOW OPEN IN TOWSON, MARYLAND!

FREE INSURED MAIL-IN SERVICE AVAILABLE

111816_CIRCA-SF-BALLET-Season-Guide-fullpg-Ad_VCA-diamond-sapphire-ring.inddSFB season guide fp template.indd 1 1 11/21/1611/21/16 2:09 2:11 PM PM ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & PRINCIPAL CHOREOGRAPHER Helgi Tomasson

PRINCIPAL DANCERS Dores André Luke Ingham Sofiane Sylve Frances Chung Davit Karapetyan Yuan Yuan Tan John and Barbara Osterweis Richard C. Barker Sasha De Sola Principal Dancer Principal Dancer Carlo Di Lanno Maria Kochetkova Sarah Van Patten Taras Domitro Herbert Family Diana Dollar Knowles Lorena Feijoo Principal Dancer Principal Dancer Mathilde Froustey Vitor Luiz Joseph Walsh Carlos Quenedit Vanessa Zahorian Jaime Garcia Castilla Diane B. Wilsey Tiit Helimets Aaron Robison Principal Dancer

PRINCIPAL CHARACTER DANCERS Ricardo Bustamante† Val Caniparoli† Rubén Martín Cintas Anita Paciotti†

SOLOISTS Daniel Deivison-Oliveira†, Koto Ishihara†, Angelo Greco, Francisco Mungamba†, Julia Rowe†, James Sofranko, Jennifer Stahl†, Lauren Strongin, Anthony Vincent†, Wei Wang†, Hansuke Yamamoto, WanTing Zhao†

CORPS DE BALLET Kamryn Baldwin† Benjamin Freemantle† Steven Morse† Natasha Sheehan† Sean Bennett† Jordan Hammond† Kimberly Marie Olivier† Henry Sidford† Ludmila Bizalion† Jillian Harvey Sean Orza† Miranda Silveira† Samantha Bristow† Esteban Hernandez Lauren Parrott† John-Paul Simoens† Max Cauthorn† Ellen Rose Hummel† Elizabeth Powell† Myles Thatcher† Thamires Chuvas† Blake Kessler† Alexander Reneff-Olson† Mingxuan Wang† Diego Cruz† Elizabeth Mateer Rebecca Rhodes† Lonnie Weeks Isabella DeVivo† Norika Matsuyama† Emma Rubinowitz† Maggie Weirich† Jahna Frantziskonis Lee Alex Meyer-Lorey† Skyla Schreter Ami Yuki†

APPRENTICES Alexandre Cagnat†, Shené Lazarus†, Davide Occhipinti†, Nathaniel Remez†, Isabella Walsh†

BALLET MASTER & ASSISTANT TO THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Ricardo Bustamante†

BALLET MASTERS Felipe Diaz†, Betsy Erickson†, Anita Paciotti†, Katita Waldo†

COMPANY TEACHERS Helgi Tomasson, Patrick Armand, Ricardo Bustamante†, Felipe Diaz†

CHOREOGRAPHER IN RESIDENCE MUSIC DIRECTOR & PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR Yuri Possokhov Martin West

†Received training at SF Ballet School

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 17 Principal Dancers

DORES ANDRÉ Born in Vigo, Spain, Dores André joined the Company in 2004, was promoted to soloist in 2012, and to principal dancer in 2015.

“Those fortunate enough to see her Juliet discovered a new side of this dancer we thought we knew so well: a sensitive musicality and natural acting ability, and ample charisma to lead a full-length ballet.” —DanceTabs

18 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE FRANCES CHUNG Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Frances Chung joined SF Ballet in 2001. She was promoted to soloist in 2005 and principal dancer in 2009.

“Frances Chung made a miracle of technical precision and imaginative musicality out of the Grand Pas de Deux… she stepped out onto the point of her toe, and time stood still. She could have been there forever.” —Bay Area Reporter review of Nutcracker

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 19 Principal Dancers

YUAN YUAN TAN Yuan Yuan Tan was born in Shanghai, China. She joined SF Ballet as soloist in 1995 and was promoted to principal dancer in 1997. She was appointed Richard C. Barker Principal Dancer in 2012.

“Yuan Yuan Tan blends glittering technique with subtle artistry to create her stage magic.” —Dance Magazine

20 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE SOFIANE SYLVE Sofiane Sylve was born in Nice, France. She danced with Germany’s Stadttheater in Karlsruhe, Dutch National Ballet, and New York City Ballet joining SF Ballet as a principal dancer in 2008.

“Sylve stood out in everything — the Ratmansky, the Wheeldon, the McGregor and the Liang. Tall, dark, handsome, electric, she animates every passage she’s assigned.” —The New York Observer

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 21 Principal Dancers

CARLOS QUENEDIT Born in Havana, Cuba, Carlos Quenedit danced with Miami City Ballet, Ballet de Monterrey, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and The Joffrey Ballet. He joined SF Ballet as a soloist in 2012 and was promoted to principal dancer in 2014.

“Carlos Quenedit gave a vibrant performance… dancing with lots of passion and drama.” — criticaldance.org review of Allegro Brillante

22 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE VANESSA ZAHORIAN Vanessa Zahorian was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania. After an apprenticeship at Russia’s Kirov Ballet, she joined SF Ballet in 1997. She was promoted to soloist in 1999 and to principal dancer in 2002. She was appointed Diane B. Wilsey Principal Dancer in 2014.

“Ms. Zahorian has a rivetingly elegant physique, sparklingly precise legs and feet, a beautiful face offset by raven-black hair, and apparently complete technical accomplishment.” —The New York Times

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 23 Principal Dancers

TARAS DOMITRO Born in Havana, Cuba, Taras Domitro danced with Ballet Nacional de Cuba prior to joining SF Ballet as a principal dancer in 2008.

“In a bravura solo, Taras Domitro ripped up the stage in circling leaps.” —The Mercury News review of Prism

24 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE VITOR LUIZ Born in Juiz de Fora, Brazil, Vitor Luiz danced at Birmingham Royal Ballet and Ballet do Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro prior to joining SF Ballet as a principal dancer in 2009.

“Vitor Luiz was picture-perfect throughout his virtuosic dancing…his performance never dissolved into sentimentality, but remained buoyant and enticing.” —San Francisco Examiner review of Giselle

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 25 Principal Dancers

MATHILDE FROUSTEY Mathilde Froustey was born in Bordeaux, France, and danced as a soloist with Paris Opera Ballet. She joined SF Ballet as a principal dancer in 2013.

“[Froustey] has brought a quicksilver technique, a pliant torso, witty musicality, pinpoint articulation and sheer elan to everything she has danced… Froustey looks delicate, but hers is the strength of spun steel.” —San Francisco Chronicle

26 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE LORENA FEIJOO Born in Havana, Cuba, Lorena Feijoo danced with Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Ballet de Monterrey, Royal Ballet of Flanders, and The Joffrey Ballet prior to joining SF Ballet as a principal dancer in 1999.

“Feijoo is a powerful classical ballerina…from the sensual line of her neck and the presentational thrust of her torso, from the crystalline articulation of her steps to the seamless and breezy way she put these steps together…she was simply unforgettable.” —San Francisco Chronicle review of Giselle

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 27 Principal Dancers

MARIA KOCHETKOVA Born in Moscow, Russia, Maria Kochetkova danced with The Royal Ballet and English National Ballet before joining SF Ballet as a principal dancer in 2007. She joined American Ballet Theatre as a principal dancer in 2015. She was appointed Herbert Family Principal Dancer in 2012.

“Kochetkova…seems well on her way to ‘conquering everything.’ She has reached a rarefied frequent-flyer status, crisscrossing the globe to perform with high-profile partners and the world’s preeminent companies…And she makes it all look ethereal and effortless.” —Dance Magazine

28 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE CARLO DI LANNO Carlo Di Lanno was born in Naples, Italy. He danced with La Scala Ballet and Staatsballett Berlin before joining SF Ballet as a soloist in 2014. He was promoted to principal dancer in 2016.

“This young dancer is everything a Romeo ought to be: technically pure yet natural, tender yet honor-bound to fight, conflicted yet focused on his one true desire.” —Dance Tabs review of Romeo & Juliet

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 29 Principal Dancers

JAIME GARCIA CASTILLA Jaime Garcia Castilla was born in Madrid, Spain. He was named an SF Ballet apprentice in 2001 and joined the Company as a corps de ballet member in 2002. He was promoted to soloist in 2006 and to principal dancer in 2008.

“Garcia Castilla is a dynamically gifted dancer; the clean lines of his white arms sliced through the dark ocean set, providing a malevolent, virile counterpoint to the mermaid’s idiosyncratic vulnerability. Bravo.” —SF Weekly review of The Little Mermaid

30 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE TIIT HELIMETS Born in Viljandi, Estonia, Tiit Helimets danced with Estonian National Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet before joining SF Ballet as a principal dancer in 2005.

“Helimets fulfills all the qualifications for a genuine danseur noble. He is tall and blessed with textbook proportions, infinitely tapered legs, and an aristocratic bearing.” —Dance Magazine

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 31 Principal Dancers

JOSEPH WALSH Born in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Joseph Walsh danced with Houston Ballet before joining SF Ballet as a soloist in 2014. He was promoted to principal dancer that same year.

“Joseph Walsh … dispatched the bravura challenges of his role with even greater ease, finding an exemplary balance of elegance and humility.” —Huffington Post

32 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE DAVIT KARAPETYAN Born in Yerevan, Armenia, Davit Karapetyan danced with Zurich Ballet before joining SF Ballet as a principal dancer in 2005. He was appointed John and Barbara Osterweis Principal Dancer in 2013.

“[Karapetyan’s] astonishing technique permits him to leap the stage in a single bound or dash off strings of entrechats in one phrase.” —San Francisco Chronicle

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 33 Principal Dancers

SARAH VAN PATTEN Sarah Van Patten, born in Boston, Massachusetts, danced with Massachusetts Youth Ballet and the Royal Danish Ballet before joining SF Ballet as a soloist in 2002. She was promoted to principal dancer in 2007. She was appointed Diana Dollar Knowles Principal Dancer in 2013.

“Any season in San Francisco will shine with Van Patten moments, performances that transcend technique and seem to glow with a special quality.” —Dance Magazine

34 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE LUKE INGHAM From Mount Gambier, Australia, Luke Ingham danced with Australian Ballet and Houston Ballet. He joined SF Ballet as a soloist in 2012 and was promoted to principal dancer in 2014.

“Luke Ingham delivered a spectacular performance in San Francisco Ballet’s opening night presentation of Liam Scarlett’s Hummingbird.” —The Huffington Post

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 35 Principal Dancers

SASHA DE SOLA Born in Winter Park, Florida, Sasha De Sola was named an apprentice in 2006. She joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in 2007 and was promoted to soloist in 2012 and principal in 2016.

“Sasha De Sola in Serenade...executed leg extensions and fouetté turns with imperious femininity.” —San Jose Mercury News

36 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE AARON ROBISON Born in Coventry, England, Aaron Robison danced with Birmingham Royal Ballet, Ballet Corella, and Houston Ballet prior to joining SF Ballet as a principal dancer in 2016.

“His Oberon had astonishing power, leaping a mile high and stalking across the stage like a fierce Nijinsky satyr.” — Houston Chronicle review of A Midsummer Night’s Dream

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 37 Soloists

ANGELO GRECO Born in Sardinia, Italy, Angelo Greco danced with La Scala Ballet before joining SF Ballet as a soloist in 2016.

WEI WANG Wei Wang was born in Anshan-Liaoning, China. He was named an apprentice in 2012, joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in 2013 and was promoted to soloist in 2016.

38 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE KOTO ISHIHARA Born in Nagoya, Japan, Koto Ishihara joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in 2010 and was promoted to soloist in 2014.

ANTHONY VINCENT Anthony Vincent was born in Phoenix, Arizona. He was named an apprentice in 2004, joined the Company in 2006 and was promoted to soloist in 2008.

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 39 Soloists

LAUREN STRONGIN Born in Los Gatos, California, Lauren Strongin danced with Sarasota Ballet of Florida and Houston Ballet before joining SF Ballet as a soloist in 2015.

JAMES SOFRANKO A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, James Sofranko joined SF Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 2000. In 2007 he was promoted to soloist.

40 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE HANSUKE JULIA ROWE YAMAMOTO A native of Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, Julia Rowe danced with Oregon Ballet Born in Chiba, Japan, Theatre before joining SF Ballet as a Hansuke Yamamoto member of the corps de ballet in 2013. danced with National Ballet She was promoted to soloist in 2016. of Canada before joining SF Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 2001. He was promoted to soloist in 2005.

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 41 Soloists JENNIFER STAHL Born in Dana Point, California, Jennifer Stahl was named apprentice in 2005, and joined the Company in 2006. She was promoted to soloist in 2013.

DANIEL DEIVISON-OLIVEIRA Daniel Deivison-Oliveira was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in 2005 and was promoted to soloist in 2011.

42 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE FRANCISCO MUNGAMBA Born in Madrid, Spain, Francisco Mungamba joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in 2011 and was promoted to soloist in 2016.

WANTING ZHAO Born in Anshan-Liaoning, China, WanTing Zhao joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in 2011. She was promoted to soloist in 2016.

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 43 Corps de Ballet

KAMRYN BALDWIN† DIEGO CRUZ† Born in Honolulu, Hawai’i Born in Zaragoza, Spain Joined in 2015 Joined in 2006

SEAN BENNETT† ISABELLA DEVIVO† Born in San Francisco, California Born in Great Neck, New York Named apprentice in 2011 Joined in 2013 Joined in 2012

LUDMILA BIZALION† JAHNA FRANTZISKONIS Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Born in Tucson, Arizona Named apprentice in 2006 Joined in 2015 Joined in 2007 Returned in 2016

SAMANTHA BRISTOW† BENJAMIN FREEMANTLE† Born in Media, Pennsylvania Born in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada Named apprentice in 2014 Named apprentice in 2014 Joined in 2015 Joined in 2015

MAX CAUTHORN† JORDAN HAMMOND† Born in San Francisco, California Born in Irvine, California Named apprentice in 2013 Joined in 2010 Joined in 2014

THAMIRES CHUVAS† JILLIAN HARVEY Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Born in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania Named apprentice in 2014 Named apprentice in 2012 Joined in 2015 Joined in 2012

†Received training at San Francisco Ballet School

44 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE ESTEBAN HERNANDEZ STEVEN MORSE† Born in Guadalajara, Mexico Born in Harbor City, California Joined in 2013 Joined in 2009

ELLEN ROSE HUMMEL† KIMBERLY MARIE OLIVIER† Born in Greenville, South Carolina Born in New York, New York Named apprentice in 2011 Named apprentice in 2009 Joined in 2012 Joined in 2010

BLAKE KESSLER† SEAN ORZA† Born in Jacksonville, Florida Born in San Francisco, California Named apprentice in 2015 Named apprentice in 2007 Joined in 2016 Joined in 2008

ELIZABETH MATEER LAUREN PARROTT† Born in Boca Raton, Florida Born in Palm Harbor, Florida Joined in 2016 Named apprentice in 2012 Joined in 2013

NORIKA MATSUYAMA† ELIZABETH POWELL† Born in Chiba, Japan Born in Boston, Massachusetts Joined in 2014 Named apprentice in 2011 Joined in 2012

LEE ALEX MEYER-LOREY† ALEXANDER RENEFF-OLSON† Born in Zurich, Switzerland Born in San Francisco, California Named apprentice in 2003 Named apprentice in 2012 Joined in 2004 Joined in 2013 Returned in 2013

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 45 Corps de Ballet

REBECCA RHODES† JOHN-PAUL SIMOENS† Born in Chicago, Illinois Born in Omaha, Nebraska Named apprentice in 2008 Named apprentice in 2014 Joined in 2009 Joined in 2015

EMMA RUBINOWITZ† MYLES THATCHER† Born in San Francisco, California Born in Atlanta, Georgia Named apprentice in 2012 Named apprentice in 2009 Joined in 2013 Joined in 2010

SKYLA SCHRETER MINGXUAN WANG† Born in Chappaqua, New York Born in Qingdao, China Joined in 2014 Named apprentice in 2013 Joined in 2014

NATASHA SHEEHAN† LONNIE WEEKS Born in San Francisco, California Born in Los Alamos, New Mexico Joined in 2016 Joined in 2010

HENRY SIDFORD† MAGGIE WEIRICH† Born in Marblehead, Massachusetts Born in Portland, Oregon Named apprentice in 2011 Named apprentice in 2014 Joined in 2012 Joined in 2015

MIRANDA SILVEIRA† AMI YUKI† Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Born in Saitama, Japan Named apprentice in 2013 Named apprentice in 2014 Joined in 2014 Joined in 2015

†Received training at San Francisco Ballet School

46 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE Ballet Masters & Principal Character Dancers

RICARDO BUSTAMANTE† RUBÉN MARTÍN CINTAS Born in Medellín, Colombia Born in Reus, Spain Joined in 1980 Joined in 2000 Appointed ballet master in 2004 Named principal character dancer in 2014 Named principal character dancer in 2007 Appointed assistant to the artistic director in 2009

VAL CANIPAROLI† ANITA PACIOTTI† Born in Renton, Washington Born in Oakland, California Joined in 1973 Joined in 1968 Named principal character dancer in 1987 Named principal character dancer in 1987 Appointed ballet master in 1991

FELIPE DIAZ† YURI POSSOKHOV Born in Bogota, Colombia Born in Lugansk, Ukraine Joined in 1995 Joined in 1994 Appointed ballet master in 2012 Named choreographer in residence in 2006

BETSY ERICKSON† KATITA WALDO† Born in Madrid, Spain Born in Oakland, California Joined in 1988 Joined in 1964 Appointed ballet master in 2010 Appointed ballet master in 1992

Apprentices

ALEXANDRE CAGNAT† NATHANIEL REMEZ† Born in Grasse, France Born in Washington, DC Named apprentice in 2016 Named apprentice in 2016

SHENÉ LAZARUS† ISABELLA WALSH† Born in Durban, South Africa Born in Rolling Hills, California Named apprentice in 2016 Named apprentice in 2016

DAVIDE OCCHIPINTI† Born in Rome, Italy Named apprentice in 2016

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 47 SF Ballet Orchestra’s 40th Anniversary celebration //

San Francisco Ballet Orchestra

For more than 40 years, the Grammy Award–winning San Francisco Ballet Orchestra has made the music that propels our movement. With a core group of 49 regular members that expands to 65 players for certain productions, the Orchestra’s repertory extends from classics such as Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and Nutcracker to the more abstract and contemporary of ballet and symphonic works. The Orchestra’s artistry has also been featured in orchestral performances, mostly recently at a special 40th anniversary concert held at Herbst Theatre in March 2016. Our musicians are as brilliant as individual artists as the © orchestra is as an ensemble. Please visit sfballet.org/orchestra for photos of each of SF Ballet Orchestra’s musicians. Erik Tomasson

Martin West, Music Director and Principal Conductor

VIOLIN I VIOLA OBOE TROMBONE Cordula Merks Yi Zhou Laura Griffiths Jeffrey Budin Concertmaster** Principal Principal Principal Wenyi Shih Anna Kruger Marilyn Coyne Hall Goff Acting Associate Concertmaster** Associate Principal 2nd & English Horn Beni Shinohara Joy Fellows BASS TROMBONE Assistant Concertmaster Assistant Principal CLARINET Scott Thornton Heidi Wilcox Caroline Lee Natalie Parker Principal Principal Mia Kim Paul Ehrlich Andrew Sandwick TUBA Robin Hansen 2nd & Bass Clarinet CELLO Peter Wahrhaftig Brian Lee Principal Eric Sung BASSOON Mariya Borozina Principal Rufus Olivier TIMPANI Jonah Kim Principal VIOLIN II Associate Principal James Gott Patrick Johnson-Whitty Principal Marianne Wagner Victor Fierro 2nd & Contrabassoon Principal Assistant Principal PERCUSSION Craig Reiss Thalia Moore HORN Associate Principal David Rosenthal Nora Pirquet Kevin Rivard Principal Rebecca Jackson Principal Assistant Principal** CONTRABASS Keith Green HARP Patricia Van Winkle Steve D’Amico Brian McCarty Annabelle Taubl Clifton Foster Principal Associate Principal Principal Elbert Tsai* Shinji Eshima Bill Klingelhoffer Associate Principal Jeanelle Meyer *Leave of Absence Jonathan Lancelle TRUMPET/CORNET ** Season Substitute Assistant Principal Adam Luftman Mark Drury Principal Tracy Davis Orchestra Personnel Manager Joseph Brown** and Music Administrator FLUTE Matthew Naughtin Barbara Chaffe Music Librarian Principal Julie McKenzie 2nd & Piccolo

48 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE Visit the iconic Cliff House where 1090 Point Lobos San Francisco awesome views, historic ambience, 415-386-3330 and warm hospitality are a www.CliffHouse.com San Francisco tradition!

Voted Best Brunch 2015 & 2016 SF Examiner Reader’s Choice

• Dine in the elegant Sutro’s at the Cliff House or the casual Bistro. restaurant. • Join us on Sundays for our famous Champagne Buffet in the Terrace Room. • Watch beautiful sunsets with live jazz Friday nights in the Balcony Lounge.

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 49 An evening at the ballet is an inspiration. Living in San Francisco is a dream.

Let Frank Nolan’s knowledge of the market work for you. Let him inspire you in this magical city.

AMONG THE TOP 10 REALTORS IN SAN FRANCISCO FRANK NOLAN | 415.321.7011 [email protected] BRE#01300017

SFB season guide fp template.indd 1 11/30/16 3:08 PM 2017 Season News & Announcements

NEW PILOT PROGRAM: DRINKS IN THE AUDITORIUM SF Ballet, SF Opera, and SF Symphony are experimenting during the first pre-professional. Upper-level students will then perform challenging six months of 2017 with allowing audiences to enjoy beverages in the repertory pieces, solos, and works specially created for them. Following auditorium. Many other venues across the country have adopted similar the June 1 performance, SF Ballet Auxiliary hosts An Invitation to Dance: SF policies, so that you don’t have to choose between enjoying a drink and all Ballet School’s 2017 Student Showcase Dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel the other things you might want to do during intermission. You may bring San Francisco. The evening will celebrate the achievements of the students drinks purchased in the venue into the auditorium, as long as they are in the and faculty of SF Ballet School and raise funds to support the School’s approved compostable cup with a lid, which will be available at all bars in scholarship and financial aid programs. both the War Memorial Opera House and Davies Symphony Hall. All three companies will meet regularly to monitor this pilot effort and will decide, following the six-month trial period, whether or not to continue the program. POSSOKHOV AWARDED BALLET’S OSCAR, THE BENOIS DE LA DANSE We want your feedback, so look for a survey in your post-performance email SF Ballet Resident Choreographer Yuri Possokhov was awarded a and let us know what you think. prestigious Benois de la Danse award on May 17, 2016. Considered the equivalent of an “Oscar” for ballet, the awards are given annually in multiple categories. In a ceremony at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, former NEW WEBSITE LAUNCHED Bolshoi Ballet Director Yuri Grigorovich presented Possokhov the award We’re thrilled by the response to the newly redesigned website that we for “Best Choreographer” for his Hero of Our Time, created for the Bolshoi unveiled in September. Among the site’s new features is an Explore section Ballet. You won’t have to go to Russia to see Possokhov’s next new work: that offers a behind-the-scenes look at SF Ballet and its artists, as well as Optimistic Tragedy will premiere on Program 2, which runs from January 26 more general information and insight into ballet as an art form. Our new to February 5. site also offers dancer profiles, robust information about our repertory, an easy-to-navigate purchase path, and a responsive design that adapts to a mobile device, a tablet, or a desktop monitor. Subscribers can log into their VIEWERSHIP SKYROCKETED FOR WORLD BALLET DAY LIVE 2016 account and easily access ticket and membership information. A website We welcomed the world into our studios during the third-annual World tour is available to familiarize users at sfballet.org/website-tour. Ballet Day LIVE on October 4, 2016. Along with Australian Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, The Royal Ballet, and The National Ballet of Canada, we live- streamed Company class, rehearsals, and artist interviews. The 20-hour SF BALLET’S 2017 OPENING NIGHT GALA CELEBRATES event was streamed via Facebook Live for the first time. Live broadcast THE MAGIC OF BALLET viewership doubled (from 350,000 to 727,151) and post-event viewership One night a year, SF Ballet supporters and fans dazzle us at our annual of SF Ballet’s recorded broadcast on YouTube tripled (from 30,978 to Opening Night Gala. Join us for the 2017 Opening Night Gala, Ever Magical, 93,642). You can catch highlights of our broadcast on our website; to on Thursday, January 19, 2017. This festive evening includes cocktails, a learn about 2017 World Ballet Day programming, sign up for SF Ballet lavish dinner, a one-night-only performance at the Opera House, and the e-news at sfballet.org or “like” us on Facebook. Bay Area’s best after party in San Francisco’s beautiful Beaux Arts–style City Hall. We hope that you’ll join us for this one-of-a-kind evening. SENSORIUM We filled the Opera House with millennials for Sensorium, our annual NEW PROGRAM LETS SUBSCRIBERS SHARE BENEFITS performance specifically designed to introduce young adult audiences You already know the best way to enjoy ballet is to subscribe. Now you can to ballet, on March 23, 2016. Affordable ticket prices and contemporary let a friend sample some of the benefits of being a subscriber. Look for the choreography had us trending on Twitter, while pop-up experiences like special voucher enclosed with your tickets. Give it to a friend and they’ll get an interactive costume display, video installations, and a pool-themed 15 percent off single tickets to any mixed-repertory program (Programs 1, basement dance party became selfie central. We had a surge in signups 2, 4, 5, and 7) and 15 percent off purchases at The Shop at SF Ballet. Go to for The List, our program offering last-minute ticket deals and invitations to sfballet.org/taste for more information. exclusive insider events for audience members ages 21–39. To sign up for The List and to learn about this year’s Sensorium, visit sfballet.org/thelist.

SF BALLET SCHOOL INVITED TO SPRING BALLET FESTIVALS IN PARIS AND TORONTO SF BALLET DANCED TO RAVE REVIEWS IN LA AND DC SF Ballet School was invited by the Paris Opera Ballet School to spend a A group of SF Ballet dancers performed at The Music Center as a part of week in Paris this spring taking classes and rehearsing, in preparation for “Fall for Forsythe,” a month-long retrospective of choreographer William the “Gala des Écoles de Danse du XXIe Siècle” performance on April 7, Forsythe’s work in Los Angeles. The Company danced Pas/Parts 2016, 2017 at the Palais Garnier. SF Ballet School is the only US ballet school sharing a triple bill with dancers from Pacific Northwest Ballet in The represented in this prestigious gala. Dancers from SF Ballet School will also Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude and Houston Ballet in Artifact Suite. Laura attend Assemblée Internationale 2017, an international dance festival held Bleiberg wrote in the Los Angeles Times that SF Ballet “dances Forsythe at Toronto’s National Ballet School in May. SF Ballet School is one of 22 better than any other American company, making it a tough act to follow professional ballet schools from 11 countries invited to participate. Dancers Friday night.” take classes, rehearse, and perform together during the weeklong event. SF Ballet then returned to The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts with the Washington, DC premiere of Christopher Wheeldon’s STUDENT SHOWCASE 2017 DATES ANNOUNCED Cinderella©. In the Washington Post, Sarah Kaufman wrote: “The deep The next generation of professional dancers are preparing for SF Ballet humanity of this production only adds to the luxurious theatrical magic School’s 2017 Student Showcase, to be held May 31–June 2 at Yerba of it, and the result is exhilarating.” You won’t miss out as a local: both Buena Center for the Arts. Student Showcase opens with an ensemble Pas/Parts 2016 (Program 2) and Cinderella© (Program 8) are a part of our piece that illustrates the progression of skills from talented beginner to upcoming 2017 Repertory Season.

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 51 HAFFNER SYMPHONY COMPOSER: WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART CHOREOGRAPHER: HELGI TOMASSON SCENIC AND COSTUME DESIGN: SANTO LOQUASTO LIGHTING DESIGN: THOMAS R. SKELTON World Premiere: June 25, 1991 — San Francisco Ballet, Mozart & His Time Bicentennial Celebration, War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California 01 FRAGILE VESSELS THE JOY OF WORLD PREMIERE

COMPOSER: SERGEI RACHMANINOV DANCE CHOREOGRAPHER: JIŘÍ BUBENÍČEK JAN 24 – FEB 4 SCENIC DESIGN: OTTO BUBENÍČEK COSTUME DESIGN: UROŠ BELANTIČ LIGHTING DESIGN: JIM FRENCH World Premiere: January 24, 2017 — San Francisco Ballet, War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California The 2017 world premiere of Fragile Vessels is made possible by Lead Sponsor Gaia Fund, with additional support from PERFORMANCE DATES the Osher New Work Fund of the San Francisco Ballet Endowment Foundation. Tuesday 01/24 7:30pm Wednesday 01/25 7:30pm IN THE COUNTENANCE OF KINGS Friday 01/27 8:00pm Sunday 01/29 2:00pm COMPOSER AND ORIGINAL ORCHESTRATIONS: SUFJAN STEVENS Thursday 02/02 7:30pm ORCHESTRATION FOR SAN FRANCISCO BALLET: MICHAEL P. ATKINSON Saturday 02/04 2:00pm CHOREOGRAPHER: JUSTIN PECK Saturday 02/04 8:00pm COSTUME DESIGN: ELLEN WARREN LIGHTING DESIGN: BRANDON STIRLING BAKER World Premiere: April 7, 2016 — San Francisco Ballet, War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California The 2016 world premiere of In the Countenance of Kings was made possible by Lead Sponsors Mr. Richard C. Barker, Gaia Fund, David and Kelsey Lamond, Yurie and Carl Pascarella, and The Seiger Family Foundation, with additional support from the Byron R. Meyer Choreographers Fund and Osher New Work Fund of the San Francisco Ballet Endowment Foundation.

52 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE Vanessa Zahorian and SF Ballet in Tomasson’s Haffner Symphony //

PROGRAM NOTES By Cheryl A. Ossola

HAFFNER SYMPHONY © Erik Tomasson Haffner Symphony blends classical elegance with the The second-movement quartet is something that Soloist HAFFNER SYMPHONY lightheartedness of a garden party. This buoyant ballet, Sasha De Sola says she particularly enjoys dancing. “Not PRODUCTION CREDITS created by San Francisco Ballet Artistic Director and only do you have the connection with your partner in the Music: Symphony No. 35 Principal Choreographer Helgi Tomasson, is a celebration, first and final movements, but you’re courted through the in D Major, K. 385 (Haffner Symphony). Costumes as if the principal couple invited their best friends to an second movement,” she says. “You end up dancing with constructed by Barbara Matera, afternoon of dance and everyone is having a grand time. everyone. [Haffner] has a nice, communal kind of feel, Ltd., New York, New York. Scenery constructed by San which is rare in tutu ballets.” Francisco Opera and Ballet Tomasson created Haffner Symphony in 1991, for the Scene Shop. Mozart & His Time Bicentennial Celebration in San In translating Mozart’s music into movement, Tomasson Francisco. In fact, he made two ballets for the occasion, so has created a dance with vigor and complexity, nuance he searched for contrasting music. For Haffner he chose and sensitivity. An overhead sweep of the arms, echoing a Mozart’s Symphony No. 35 in D Major (also called the musical embellishment, might finish with a small burst; lifts Haffner Symphony) because of its jubilatory feeling; for eat up floor space, lingering in the air. De Sola calls the the second ballet, Meistens Mozart, he selected songs by choreography a nod to classicism, adding that “there’s a Mozart and others. Choreographing two ballets in the same lot of pure classical technique.” time frame was a new experience for Tomasson that he says was “very refreshing — and interesting to discover that But physicality isn’t everything — a big part of the onstage you could really do two different things [at once].” Though picture is how the dancers relate. At one point, when the process of choreographing is “never relaxing,” he says, the three men lift De Sola, they present her like a gift- he liked being able to change gears, returning to each wrapped treasure. (She peeks out sweetly from beneath ballet-in-progress feeling fresh. her upheld arm.) And when Corps de Ballet member Max Cauthorn walks out and matches Principal Dancer Maria “Fresh” is a fitting description of Haffner Symphony. The Kochetkova’s stance in a deep lunge, it’s like he’s starting music contains no adagio movement, which is typically a conversation. You can almost hear the garden-party where a grand pas de deux (a duet that also includes chatter around them. solos for both dancers) occurs in classical ballet. For that reason, Tomasson skipped the duet and used the second In rehearsal, Music Director and Principal Conductor and third musical movements for back-to-back quartets, Martin West coaches Company Pianist Nina Pinzarrone one for a woman and three men, one for a man and on interpretation: “It’s an aria; everything is singing.” three women. “It was an interesting structure,” he says. Tomasson uses the same word, often, asking the dancers “Why not put three women with a guy and have them to move more. “I really like when people use the space complement him? Visually, that was more interesting for and don’t rein [themselves] in. When I say to sing it, with me than giving her a long solo.” Mozart it’s so easy — just let the music carry you.”

FRAGILE VESSELS WORLD PREMIERE

When you commission a ballet from Czech choreographer wanted that day was a CD of Sergei Rachmaninov playing Jiří Bubeníček, you get a package deal: Jiří and his his own music, including Piano Concerto No. 2. “I just twin brother, Otto, collaborate when they create works loved it,” Bubeníček says, and thought he might make for companies in North America, Europe, and Asia. In a ballet to this concerto someday. Eight years later he choreographing Fragile Vessels for San Francisco Ballet, entered a competition for choreographers in Hamburg, Jiří had Otto at his side, as designer, assistant, and creating a pas de trois (trio), a love triangle that mirrored advisor. What this prolific choreographer has created is a events in his personal life, set to the concerto’s second ballet that carries tremendous emotional weight for him, in movement. He realized he wanted to choreograph to the both music and concept. complete concerto, and he got his chance when Helgi Tomasson called. You can track the evolution of Fragile Vessels back to a day in 1993 when Bubeníček, newly hired as a dancer by Tomasson, SF Ballet’s artistic director and principal Hamburg Ballet, went to a music store while on tour in choreographer, says he was “aware of [Bubeníček] Tokyo. Coming from a communist country, he was stunned choreographing in Europe and had heard some very by the freedom to buy whatever he wanted. What he good things.” He asked to see some of his work. One

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 53 Erik Tomasson Erik Tomasson

01 © Erik Tomasson ©

FRAGILE VESSELS CONTINUED piece was “very contemporary,” Tomasson says. “Another Bubeníček says. “When I was a young choreographer was neoclassical dancing that moved beautifully, very I was more shy, so I would prepare every step.” But, he musical. I thought it would be wonderful to have him do discovered, the movement he created on himself didn’t something for us.” necessarily fit the dancers. “I don’t prepare any steps anymore; I prefer to work with people, to be creative,” At SF Ballet, Bubeníček wanted to take risks. “I wanted he says. “Also I think the dancers feel better when it’s to make something demanding,” he says. “I had strong something made on them, and they can inspire me as well.” dancers; this is what I want to do for them — use their ability.” Once he started choreographing, he found that he wanted When Fragile Vessels begins, a chaotic rush of movement “to make them move even more and enhance the classical quickly becomes ordered. Bubeníček knows how to pace a vocabulary.” He says he likes to be “very musical, but I also ballet, allowing dense passages of embellished movement think that the dance and the music [are] in the same level. to transition into quiet moments. The corps de ballet dances Right: Dores André and Joseph Walsh in Peck’s In the Countenance of Kings // in Peck’s Right: Dores André and Joseph Walsh // Fragile Vessels Dores André and Francisco Mungamba rehearse Bubeníček’s Left: I’m not trying to always follow the music; sometimes the many of the same steps as the principal dancers, echoing choreography is leading the music, so there’s this dynamic and building on them. There’s depth in the relationships as well.” too — a pas de deux for Principal Dancers Sofiane Sylve and Joseph Walsh involves romance but also a sense of According to Music Director and Principal Conductor Martin discovery, as if they’re sharing a new experience. It’s an West, the Rachmaninov concerto gives Bubeníček plenty to equal partnership, not a man presenting a woman in the work with. “It’s a great piece,” West says, “a true concerto traditional classical way. Many moments reveal an emphasis in the sense that the orchestra and piano have big voices. on human dynamics and communication; often the dancers Everybody loves playing Rachmaninov. He reminds me move in response to someone else. For example, in a pas of Gershwin in that he was a completely unique voice.” de deux for André and Soloist Wei Wang, he pushes her His music is “so deep, it’s so clever, it’s so unique — like flexed leg into extension, as if to show how intimately they Gershwin, all those melodies he wrote. You think, ‘Oh, are connected. anybody could do that.’ No, they couldn’t. He was a genius, and so was Rachmaninov.” Bubeníček often finds inspiration in fine art, so look FRAGILE VESSELS closely — you might see poses that reference Auguste PRODUCTION CREDITS Rachmaninov’s big voice demands movement that equals it. Rodin’s The Thinker and 18th-century Italian sculptor Music: Piano Concerto No. 2, Antonio Canova’s Orfeo ed Euridice. For Bubeníček, Op. 18 by Sergei Rachmaninov, “He’s a Russian composer, so I want Bolshoi [movement]; that Costumes constructed by means huge, big,” Bubeníček tells the dancers, demonstrating inspiration also comes from the not-so-distant past, and Žolna šport, Ljubljana, Slovenia. from people you might not expect, like 1920s supermodel Scenic construction and a downward sweep of his arms that seems to use every painting by San Francisco muscle. “You have to lick the floor.” Working with Principal Audrey Munson. If you’ve ever admired the statue of a Ballet Carpentry and Scenic Dancer Dores André and Soloist Francisco Mungamba in a woman that towers above San Francisco’s Union Square Departments. pas de deux, he says, “The body can move in so many ways. or stands in many places in New York City (including atop I want to see three-dimensional bodies, not two-dimensional.” Grand Central Station), “a kind of heroic woman, [with a] His choreography, filled with counterbalances, unconventional beautiful Greek face,” Bubeníček says, you’ve seen Audrey lifts, and imaginative partnering, unfolds in a complex structure Munson. Fleetingly, Sylve and Walsh imitate the pose peppered with geometric formations. Describing Bubeníček’s she struck in modeling for Adolph Alexander Weinman’s movement quality as full would be an understatement; it is sculpture Descending Night. lush, fluid, lugubrious — as the choreographer puts it, juicy. “I like to see the body moving as it is built, not to give it any Interesting as these nods to art are, they’re not essential to limitations,” he says. the viewing experience. More important, Bubeníček says, is for audiences to decide for themselves what story is being “His movement is his own,” Tomasson says. “It’s very told, and for dancers to create magic with this ballet, to much based in the classical idiom, and both brothers were “give it soul,” he says. As Otto explains to André, Walsh, and exceptionally good dancers. They’re also good partners, Wang about a point when they run downstage in a triangle and both of them are very strong. I think that comes into the formation, “You’re not human anymore; you’re something choreography.” SF Ballet dancers “learned a different take bigger, the world.” on partnering or movement. Bubeníček’s style is not like anybody else’s.” Sometimes dancers “just want to dance the best,” Jiří Bubeníček says, and we viewers come to the theater Fragile Vessels has three themes, most visible in the second expecting top-notch technique. “Somehow we forget what movement pas de trois but present throughout: love, it is about — the feeling and the love.” He puts his hand separation, and forgiveness. Working from a concept, not over his heart. In order for dance to become art, he says, “it from specific movement ideas, is a skill he had to develop, should always come first from here.”

54 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE IN THE COUNTENANCE OF KINGS

In the Countenance of Kings, the first work created for energy and speed and athleticism and changes in rhythm San Francisco Ballet by Justin Peck, takes its name from that it would be impossible not to create something similar part of its score, The BQE by Sufjan Stevens. Like the in scale. I’m riding the wave of the music.” music, the ballet is big, cinematic, energetic, and joyful. That might seem surprising to anyone who thinks of the The score, part of a mixed-media project that premiered BQE (Brooklyn-Queens Expressway) as a symbol of urban as an original film with live orchestra accompaniment, blight. But as Peck says, for Sufjan the BQE “inspired great has been shortened and re-orchestrated to fit the San IN THE COUNTENANCE composition. Sometimes what’s not necessarily the most Francisco Ballet Orchestra. It’s “very multilayered,” says OF KINGS obviously beautiful thing will inspire something beautiful.” Music Director and Principal Conductor Martin West. “I find PRODUCTION CREDITS it almost a throwback to the ’60s psychedelic stuff — lots Music: “The BQE” by Sufjan Twenty-nine-year-old Peck, a soloist and, since 2014, of things going on all at once; you don’t quite know what’s Stevens used by arrangement with New Jerusalem Music resident choreographer at New York City Ballet, has next. It’s like the BQE, I suppose, coming from Publishing, publisher and choreographed more than 30 ballets. When SF Ballet Artistic all directions.” copyright owner. Music of Sufjan Stevens orchestrated Director and Principal Choreographer Helgi Tomasson saw for San Francisco Ballet by Peck’s work, he immediately thought it “was not the average For this ballet, Peck visualized a protagonist, and that Michael P. Atkinson. Costumes constructed by Ellen Warren, or the ordinary. There was a major talent there.” idea led him to name the rest of the cast. (The corps de Portland, Oregon. ballet, for example, is “The School of Thought.”) He says Peck’s interest in choreography arose early. “When I he was working conceptually with “how we perceive the first came to SAB [the School of American Ballet in New world around us. It’s not a narrative, but it’s like a semi- York City] I didn’t know a lot about ballet as an art form,” story.” Motifs of awakening and seeing infiltrate the ballet, he says. “It wasn’t until I was exposed to the works by and relationships are evident everywhere — these people [George] Balanchine, [Jerome] Robbins, and some new know one another, and they play, tease, tend, challenge, choreographers too that I saw how movement and music and run. The dancers seem to explore a new world, and in could interrelate and that there can be something just in setting them to this task Peck makes great use of the stage: that relationship.” movements bursting with opposing energy, suspension, and expansiveness; freeze-frame “Kodak moments;” and Athleticism is a quality that appealed to Peck as a languid movements he calls “gooey.” And that athleticism dance student, and it’s a predominant quality in his he loves? It colors much of the ballet. “Take it up a notch,” choreography. In the Countenance of Kings has breath he calls to one dancer in rehearsal. “Like your limbs and suspension, complexity and contrast: stillness and are going to separate from your body.” Yet beneath this speed, quick changes of direction. Peck describes contemporary, jazzy, exuberant dancing, ballet’s classical his aesthetic as not only athletic but also “a musically foundation is there, and Peck calls for it over and over. “We sensitive one, and a bright, punctuated way of moving. All want to start from a classical position,” he tells the dancers, the while still using a classical vocabulary when I can.” “then slowly decompose.”

In this ballet, everything he does comes from the music. The result, says Tomasson, is that Peck “captured the “Sufjan wrote such a huge piece of music, with so much energy this company has. He did beautiful things for us.”

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 55 SEVEN SONATAS COMPOSER: DOMENICO SCARLATTI CHOREOGRAPHER: ALEXEI RATMANSKY STAGED BY: NANCY RAFFA COSTUME DESIGN: HOLLY HYNES LIGHTING DESIGN: BRAD FIELDS World Premiere: October 2, 2009 — American Ballet Theatre, The Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts 02 at Bard College; Annandale-on-Hudson, New York MODERN OPTIMISTIC TRAGEDY WORLD PREMIERE

MASTERS COMPOSER: ILYA DEMUTSKY JAN 26 – FEB 5 CHOREOGRAPHER: YURI POSSOKHOV SCENIC AND PROJECTION DESIGN: ALEXANDER V. NICHOLS COSTUME DESIGN: MARK ZAPPONE LIGHTING DESIGN: CHRISTOPHER DENNIS World Premiere: January 26, 2017 — San Francisco Ballet, War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California PERFORMANCE DATES The 2017 world premiere of Optimistic Tragedy is made possible by Lead Sponsors Mr. Richard C. Barker, Thursday 01/26 7:30pm Yurie and Carl Pascarella, and Miles Archer Woodlief, with additional support from the TeRoller Fund for New Productions Saturday 01/28 2:00pm of the San Francisco Ballet Endowment Foundation. Saturday 01/28 8:00pm Tuesday 01/31 7:30pm PAS/PARTS 2016 Wednesday 02/01 7:30pm Friday 02/03 8:00pm COMPOSER: THOM WILLEMS Sunday 02/05 2:00pm CHOREOGRAPHER: WILLIAM FORSYTHE STAGED BY: JILL JOHNSON AND CHRISTOPHER ROMAN SCENIC AND LIGHTING DESIGN: WILLIAM FORSYTHE COSTUME DESIGN: STEPHEN GALLOWAY TECHNICAL SUPERVISOR, FORSYTHE PRODUCTIONS: TANJA RÜHL World Premiere: March 31, 1999 — Paris Opéra Ballet, Palais Garnier; Paris, France San Francisco Ballet Version Premiere: January 24, 2016 — War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California 56 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE SF Ballet in Ratmansky’s Seven Sonatas // ©

Erik Tomasson PROGRAM NOTES By Cheryl A. Ossola

SEVEN SONATAS

Alexei Ratmansky choreographed Seven Sonatas in 2009, as individuals. Then they come out of the canvas as SEVEN SONATAS his first year as artist in residence at American Ballet couples, with different ways of expressing love — a PRODUCTION CREDITS Theatre (ABT). He’d just left the Bolshoi Ballet where, as conflictive way, a joyous way, a playful way. And then you Music: Domenico Scarlatti: artistic director, he had made his mark by choreographing see men together with their very masculine humor, very Keyboard Sonatas, K. 474, 198, 481, 39, 547, 450, and full-length ballets and restaging the classics and Soviet- Alexei humor, and the women mocking them — it’s very 30. Costumes constructed by era ballets. Seven Sonatas, his second work for ABT, is folkloric in a way.” Cygnet Studios, New York, New York. ballet on a more intimate scale. It’s “a jewel of a piece,” says Helgi Tomasson, San Francisco Ballet’s artistic In the studio at SF Ballet, Raffa gives detailed feedback director and principal choreographer. “Just beautiful — and to the dancers as they rehearse. “Breathe with the body, the quality of it, the inventiveness!” not the arms,” she says about a moment in the finale. “Find different ways to do it, some stronger, some softer.” An ensemble piece for six dancers, Seven Sonatas Emphasizing the need for precision, she reminds the is set to seven of Domenico Scarlatti’s 555 keyboard dancers that “we see everything — every detail, every sonatas, performed by an onstage pianist. The ballet is transition. The floor is grey, the backdrop is blue, the “a study of the music with a human element woven into piano and wings are black and you’re in white.” it,” says Nancy Raffa, an ABT ballet master and stager of Ratmansky’s works. “It gives the dancers an opportunity Raffa says Ratmansky asked her to convey to the dancers to be individual, to be free, to make their spirit move the idea that the music is playing because of what the through their body and be the music. They have to stay in dancers feel and do. “He’s saying, ‘Create music with your the margin of what Alexei is asking for, but there’s a lot of bodies. Don’t dance to the music; be the music.’” artistic freedom there.” The dancers move through solos, duets, and trios. “Then The piece premiered in a small venue at Bard College; the tone becomes very heavy and serious. They go on Ratmansky played off that intimacy in creating a chamber this journey as individuals, then as couples, then as trios, ballet. “He wanted it to be as if this dance was happening, then as a whole community together. It actually is quite this life was happening, and the audience was looking dramatic.” By ending with everybody in unison, she adds, through a peephole in the door,” says Raffa. Rather than the ballet is saying “that the human condition is like a projecting to the audience, “the dancers are bringing us common language that all human beings share. Alexei into their world.” never loses that notion of ‘We need to say something with this art form or it doesn’t mean anything.’ And Using painting as a metaphor for the choreographic he manages to do that with Seven Sonatas in a really process, Raffa says the dancers “come out of the canvas simple way.”

OPTIMISTIC TRAGEDY WORLD PREMIERE

When Choreographer in Residence Yuri Possokhov believed in the Revolution believed in the best futures [for commissioned music from Russian composer Ilya everyone]. But it’s tragic because revolution often brings Demutsky, he had no idea he would end up making a death and misery for people.” On a navy ship soon after ballet about revolution. Demutsky hadn’t anticipated it the end of World War I, a captain heads a crew made either. But when Possokhov told him the music brought to up of communists and anarchists. Then the ship’s new mind the 1933 play An Optimistic Tragedy about the 1917 commissar arrives — a woman, whose presence stirs the Russian Revolution, Demutsky immediately understood soldiers’ emotions and libidos and deepens the divide the connection. Possokhov was inspired by the play between the two factions. The play hints at romance and by Sergei Eisenstein’s 1925 silent film Battleship between the Captain and the Commissar, but Possokhov Potemkin, creating a dramatic ballet driven equally by expands upon the idea, pitting the Captain and the leader emotion and aesthetics. of the anarchists against each other in pursuit of the Commissar. The Commissar dies — but before she does, Possokhov explains that “optimistic tragedy” refers Possokhov gives her a romantic, tension-filled pas de to the idea of death for a worthy cause. “People who deux with the Captain. The rest of his ballet, presented

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 57 02 Erik Tomasson Erik Tomasson © Erik Tomasson OPTIMISTIC TRAGEDY CONTINUED ©

in a black-and-white palette like the films that inspire it, is Rachmaninov, and Shostakovich — had a profound impact “emotional feelings of the play — just dance, nothing else,” on me,” Demutsky says. “When I was studying at San Possokhov says. Francisco Conservatory of Music, my composition teacher, David Conte, said, ‘Ilya, never lose your composer’s voice. Choreographically, Possokhov is well suited to telling Save the so-called Russianness in your music.’” Demutsky’s this kind of heightened dramatic story. When he creates, extensive choral background also influences his work, says Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer Helgi he says. “Particularly this is reflected in a vocal nature of Tomasson, “he brings the classical ballet he came from, the melodic lines. I see an orchestra as a choir with extended Bolshoi — that larger-than-life approach to dance — and with features in terms of timbres, range, etc.” that comes theatricality. At the same time, having been so long in the West, he’s influenced by other things. But he For his ballets, Possokhov often draws on art, literature, doesn’t let go of his roots.” and history from various cultures, but Optimistic Tragedy Pas/Parts 2016 // Pas/Parts Sylve in Forsythe’s and Sofiane Carlo Di Lanno Left: Optimistic Tragedy // Optimistic Tragedy Right: SF Ballet rehearses Possokhov’s is purely Russian in story, imagery, and emotion. When Like all of Possokhov’s ballets, Optimistic Tragedy evolved the music is percussive, lines of sailors move like from the music, which Music Director and Principal Cossacks — masculine, militant, sexual. When the music Conductor Martin West calls “a terrific piece, intensely surges, the men gather in wavelike formations that evoke dramatic.” Possokhov has worked with Demutsky before, the ocean. At several points in the pas de deux, Possokhov when the composer was assigned by the Bolshoi to wants more fluidity, less definition, telling Principal Dancer compose music for Possokhov’s full-length ballet Hero Lorena Feijoo not to match the music’s rhythm but to of Our Time in 2015. Admiring Demutsky’s music for its freeze for a moment, “then go, make freedom.” In group emotion and symphonic qualities, Possokhov asked him to sections, he creates shapes and steps drawn from statues write a score for his next SF Ballet premiere, planned as an and structures in Moscow. “You see in Russia a lot of abstract, plotless ballet. In listening to what Demutsky had monuments, especially with the marines, with sailors,” he written, “I understand that there’s no way to make abstract says. The most visible depiction of these monuments comes [ballet],” Possokhov says. The music is “rich, so powerful, when the sailors lift the Commissar high above their heads and it’s little bit — there’s a word pathétique, in French. In in a running stag position; then they run, holding her aloft OPTIMISTIC TRAGEDY Russia pathétique means full of emotion, full of everything. for us to admire. The group of men is the foundation and the PRODUCTION CREDITS Almost right away, I thought about revolution — Russian, Commissar is the object of glory. “It’s powerful,” Possokhov Music: Original composition says. “That’s why I like it.” by Ilya Demutsky. Costumes French, even contemporary.” And that led him to think of the constructed by Mark Zappone play An Optimistic Tragedy. et Co., Seattle, Washington. Those Russian monuments are in the constructivist style, Scenic construction and painting by San Francisco The timing for a ballet about the Russian Revolution a modern art movement (embraced by many artists who Ballet Carpentry and is fortuitous, as 2017 marks its 100th anniversary. believed in the ideals of the Revolution) that favored the Scenic Departments. Serendipitously, the music has a military quality that idea of construction over composition, the concreteness “emerged accidentally from the very beginning of the of materials and forms over the abstract and conceptual. work,” Demutsky says. “I was given carte blanche with This aesthetic, characterized by clean lines and geometric this work. Yuri’s only desire was that I had to compose shapes, dominates the film Battleship Potemkin and, deeply emotional music. While I was composing the piece in turn, Possokhov’s ballet, which he describes as I was thinking about love, melancholy, passion, fear, pride, “aesthetically at the beginning of the last century, doubt, resoluteness, tenderness — everything that can be constructivism.” Throughout the ballet, projections help materialized in Yuri’s stunning choreography.” to illuminate the story and enhance the shipboard setting. Describing the set, Possokhov says, “I love it — simple but Also serendipitous, given the use of silent-film-type projections strong. Everything [is] gray; there’s no color at all. Even in the ballet, is the cinematic quality of the score, which [the] flag is gray.” Demutsky says comes from using various forms, such as a march, a waltz, an adagio, and a bolero. “There is much Constructivism was the art form that marked “the escape in common between ballet and cinema — music serves a from Revolution,” Possokhov says. Transitions of any kind functional role in these art forms,” he says. “At the same time I can foster creativity, and out of this period of violence, of am convinced that my music is self-sufficient. Here I agree with political and social upheaval, came beauty. “[Constructivism] Stravinsky, who liked to listen to his ballet music in concert.” was first in the arts [after the Revolution], especially in architecture. Many poets, many painters came from There’s no denying the music’s Russian roots. “Russian revolutionary feelings,” he says. “The socialist Revolution and Soviet music — Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Stravinsky, brought art to the world.”

58 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE PAS/PARTS 2016

William Forsythe was one of the first choreographers The ballet’s name suggests a series of parts, visible in Helgi Tomasson engaged after becoming San Francisco the flow of solos, duets, trios, and mercurial groupings; Ballet’s artistic director and principal choreographer in the entire cast is onstage only in the finale. “What I like,” 1985. The former director of Frankfurt Ballet and The Forsythe says, “is that first you think it’s about a few Forsythe Company made New Sleep for SF Ballet in 1987, people. Then they diminish as others take over, and then and though Tomasson wanted to bring him back to create near the end another group takes over, people you didn’t PAS/PARTS 2016 another work, 15 years went by before their schedules see at the beginning.” PRODUCTION CREDITS aligned. When they did, Forsythe remade Pas/Parts, Music: “Pas/Parts” by Thom Willems, used by arrangement created for Paris Opera Ballet in 1999, for the 2016 SF Forsythe works fast, and his output is voluminous. “He can with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc. Ballet Repertory Season. In so doing, he revised the work only choreograph really quickly; his brain works that fast,” publisher and copyright owner. Costumes constructed by so significantly that what was to have been a North says Principal Dancer Frances Chung. “Trying to keep Christopher Read, Toronto, American premiere was, in effect, a world premiere. up with that for two weeks, six hours a day, was hard.” Canada. Scenic construction by San Francisco Ballet Carpentry Along with accommodating the pace, the dancers had to and Scenic Departments. Forsythe says that being able to re-create this ballet on this radically change things they’d memorized, and do so on particular company was worth the long wait. “I wanted to do the spot. In experimenting with movement for the new it at San Francisco Ballet because of this musical quality I’ve finale, for example, Forsythe called on one dancer to do seen here for 30 years. It’s something that Helgi has insisted her part in a duet — but alone, and double time, leaving upon.” Forsythe wanted the ballet to be more classical — “it out all the repeats and adding a cha-cha rhythm. “I have was unnecessarily modern in some respects,” he says — and a solo that changed every time I worked with him on it,” with the Company’s dancers and their musicality, he “found says Chung, laughing. “A lot.” new freedom in it by revisiting the classicism.” The choreographer encourages dancers to work in this For audiences, perhaps the most familiar aspects collaborative way. “Don’t be afraid to offer yourselves,” of Forsythe’s works are his use of syncopation and he said during rehearsals. The electronic score by his counterpoint and the three-dimensionality of his longtime collaborator, Thom Willems, uses repeated movement. In Pas/Parts 2016, he uses stylistic differences musical phrases or rhythms “with not a lot of information to enhance the counterpoint. “I’m trying to alternate that’s structurally helpful,” Forsythe says. So he asked the between very symmetrical classical counterpoints and dancers to help him build the structure by adding pauses more amorphous counterpoints that flow,” he says. Those to a movement phrase, doing a phrase backward, or trying differences are what creates visual rhythm, which in “not to stop in the most logical place.” This collaboration turn generates tension, and curiosity on the part of the gives the dancers a sense of ownership. “That’s very viewer. “People are trying to predict what’s happening,” important,” Forsythe says. “That’s what creates a he explains. “If you can satisfy that, that’s good; but you performing community: ‘These are your steps. They were should also try to confound people a bit.” made for you.’”

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 59 03

COMPOSER: LOWELL LIEBERMANN FRANKENSTEIN CHOREOGRAPHER: LIAM SCARLETT SCENIC AND COSTUME DESIGN: JOHN MACFARLANE FEB 17 – 26 | NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE LIGHTING DESIGN: DAVID FINN PROJECTION DESIGN: FINN ROSS NOVEL BY: MARY SHELLEY World Premiere: May 17, 2016 — The Royal Ballet, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; London, UK San Francisco Ballet Premiere: February 17, 2017 — War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California PERFORMANCE DATES The 2017 North American premiere of Frankenstein by San Francisco Ballet is made possible by Friday 02/17 8:00pm Lead Sponsors Bently Foundation and The Hellman Family; Costume Sponsor E. L. Wiegand Foundation; and Sponsors Ms. Laura Clifford, Stephanie and James Marver, and an anonymous donor. Saturday 02/18 2:00pm Additional support is provided by Elisabeth Pang Fullerton, Marie and Barry Lipman, and Karl and Holly Peterson. Saturday 02/18 8:00pm Frankenstein deals with mature themes and subject matter. Not recommended for children under 12. Sunday 02/19 2:00pm Tuesday 02/21 7:30pm Wednesday 02/22 7:30pm Thursday 02/23 7:30pm Saturday 02/25 8:00pm Sunday 02/26 2:00pm

60 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE 61 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET SAN 2017 SEASON GUIDE 2017 SEASON Shelley wrote her novel in 1813 and set it in the 1700s, Shelley wrote her novel of the human body were at a time when the functions the discovery of galvanism (the largely mysterious and when stimulated with an electrical contraction of a muscle imaginations. “I think that’s scientists’ current) sparked Scarlett says, “because there was why the book works,” the idea and the so much unknown in that period, where real.” fear of creating something new was almost to a ballet Adapting a book of this depth and complexity be made in order narrative is difficult, and changes must Scarlett cut several characters, he to tell the story clearly. “the intention and emotions but says in the ROH video, that you that go through the book, and the empathy that I’ve feel for absolutely every character is something He omits the Arctic Circle setting tried to stay true to.” scenic design that begins and ends the book, but the And though reflects the desolation of that environment. some of the he changes the circumstances surrounding deaths, he retains all the significance and characters’ consequences of those events. Lowell Scarlett turned to composer help tell this story, To previous Liebermann, whose music he used for three Scarlett says, “I wanted ballets. For Frankenstein, he has done something hauntingly beautiful, and I think Conductor SF Ballet Music Director and Principal that.” he says, “very great music,” agrees. “It’s Martin West always dramatic, full of leitmotifs that come back, so we’re write easy music. It’s doesn’t Lowell on a journey. taken fast and exposed, a lot of energy going on.” it’s tricky, so he knew what Liebermann had read Frankenstein, What surprised him was that to expect in terms of story. other updating it, as he has done with Scarlett wasn’t story ballets. “When he told me that this was going to then I had to readjust,” be absolute period Mary Shelley, to be too anachronistic Liebermann says. “The music can’t what you’re seeing and to the nature of the story and the I felt the need to write way people reacted in that time. Scarlett What music that would be true to that period.” wanted, Liebermann says, was “a very romantic-sounding certainly a very melodic score.” score, full-length ballet and first is Liebermann’s Frankenstein What was written for dance. only the second piece he’s difficult about composing this ballet, he says, was that he had only an outline to work from, “the emotional thrust of a lot of decisions until he’s make Liam doesn’t each scene. actually working with the dancers. So the challenge was composing music when I had no idea what the movements He compares the or the detailed action.” were going to be, experience to composing an opera, in which lyrics provide writing more like he says, “it’s “With ballet,” a detailed story. . “I’ve revisited it at various at it revisited “I’ve . Frankenstein By Cheryl A. Ossola If the name “Frankenstein” makes you think of a green- makes If the name “Frankenstein” then with bolts threaded into his neck, faced Boris Karloff be what you’re won’t ballet Frankenstein Liam Scarlett’s Gothic Inspired by Mary Shelley’s expecting. It’ll be better. Prometheus, The Modern or, horror story Frankenstein; thrills. Both Scarlett delivers far more than scary-monster about the book and ballet tell a disturbing, tragic tale of tampering consequences of abandonment, the risks and, most of all, the power with the creation of human life, withheld. both given and of love, through movement Scarlett tells the story of Frankenstein embodying all the dualities of Shelley’s in a poetic way, desire and and fear, curiosity book — love and hate, That duality guilt — within one man, Victor Frankenstein. concept. In every is amplified by the overarching design represented by Victor’s, we see two worlds: scene, within the the 18th-century buildings he inhabits, sits world, a landscape described by Scenic and Creature’s “an Costume Designer John Macfarlane as conveying overwhelming sense of emptiness.” Ballet is a co-production of The Royal Frankenstein The O’Hare, and San Francisco Ballet. When Kevin pitched the idea to Helgi artistic director, Ballet’s Royal artistic director and principal SF Ballet’s Tomasson, vision for the Scarlett’s he described choreographer, says Tomasson. production. “I was intrigued right away,” hard to and it’s “I’m always looking for something new, different and maybe find something full-length [that’s] he says, is how Scarlett What is remarkable, daring.” so suited to “this time we addresses a theme that’s so much about acceptance are living through — it’s When he saw yourself.” of someone who is not like says, “I was amazed Tomasson in London, Frankenstein to see how many people were wiping their tears. touching.” It’s He was about 11 Scarlett is deeply invested in this story. read first he when poignancy always had a different and it’s points in my life, Opera every time that I’ve read it,” he says in a Royal “The fragments of emotions that House (ROH) video. shine through, I think, differ with the age that you read such a multi- it. Even now different gems come up; it’s and incredibly written, that it kind of struck layered story, a ballet inspired He wanted to make something with me.” “a story of betrayal, by this book, he says, because it’s Shelley was really death, and above all, love. life, curiosity, And on her commenting on the state of human emotions.” own as well — she experienced tremendous loss early in with the deaths of her mother (in giving birth to her life, her), three of her four children, and her young husband, Bysshe Shelley. the poet Percy PROGRAM NOTES PROGRAM FRANKENSTEIN PRODUCTION CREDITS Frankenstein is a co-production Frankenstein The of San Francisco Ballet and Original Ballet. Music: Royal composition by Lowell Liebermann. Costume Assistant Terrey, Mary Supervisor: Costume Supervisor: Karen Short; Scenery construction and Opera House, painting by Royal Manoukian Bob and Tamar Thurrock, Production Workshop, Additional painting by John Macfarlane; Props and Armoury House Opera by Royal Production Department; Dance Ltd.; floor painted by Coolflight Scenery construction by Cardiff Theatrical Services Ltd.; Pyrotechnics provided by Le Glowing wire effects Maitre Ltd.; supplied by elwirecraft.co.uk; Costumes, jewellery, headdresses, dyeing, props by Production Opera House Royal Department; Wigs by Campbell Associates; Additional Young costumes by Fran Alderson, Gillian Crawford, Allsopp, Robert D’Abo, Crichton, Lal Karen Parkinson Anna-Maria Genuise, Jackie Hallatt, Gill, Zlata Halkova, Naomi Isaacs, Andrea Moon, Phil Reynolds, David Plunkett, Gwen Russell, Sue Smith, Mervyn White; Charles Wallace, Additional dyeing and printing by Hadrill, Hatley Print, Penny Schultz and Wiremu Fabric Effects, Sheila White.

FRANKENSTEIN CONTINUED

a two-and-a-half-hour symphony.” His strategy was to focus who these people are meant to be, and from where.’ It’s on “finding the right music to capture what is going on one of the great pleasures of doing ballet costumes — that emotionally at any given moment, and having a musical you get people to look believably like real people, but follow-through that would tie the whole thing together. It’s a they can dance.” full-blown symphonic score.” Macfarlane is a very hands-on artist, constructing models While Liebermann wished for a detailed libretto, designer himself and doing much of the painting. For a backdrop, John Macfarlane would have preferred to have the music he lets the scenic artists rough in the design. “Then I get at hand to guide him in his work. “Music helps with the going on it, normally with one other painter, and basically design process because it gives you all your pivot points, turn it into one of my paintings,” he says. For the front a kind of thread for how to go through the piece,” he cloths, he painted the skulls, which were photographed, says. “Music is what makes me see in my head — images, then animated and embellished via projections. For the set changes, and what would be exciting to go with Creature’s body stocking, he spent an hour on each the relevant moments of music.” However, because his dancer’s costume, drawing all of the scars and sutures, creative process coincided with Liebermann’s, he had to tendons and sinews. create the sets and costumes without music to guide him. Fortunately, the story has “a lot of meat on the bones,” Choreographically, Frankenstein is laced with Macfarlane says. “I kicked off by doing the anatomy characterization and filled with movement that is distinctly theater. For the designer, it’s the core of the piece — it’s Scarlett’s — what Ricardo Cervera, a ballet master at The a fantastically theatrical space, a very magical and Royal Ballet, calls “Liamisms.” For example, in one lift a frightening space. It has all the connotations of dissection dancer wraps herself around her partner in a suspended in an era when people were digging up bodies out of leap; elsewhere, when gesturing with a leg, a dancer graveyards so they could learn anatomy.” Next came the turns in, knee and foot toward the midline, before skull-emblazoned front cloths, “and then I moved out in turning out. “In order to make something bigger, or more different directions from there,” he says. open, you close it first,” says Cervera, who taught much of Frankenstein to the SF Ballet dancers. And there’s For the Frankenstein family’s home, Scarlett “wanted a Scarlett’s use of the upper back, especially with the house where there’s been terrific sadness,” Macfarlane women: “always very, very open,” Cervera says, “very says. “So no matter how lovely it seemed, you came out luscious and expansive.” of the house and there was a coldness and the feeling that, in this very bleak and empty landscape, something In some story ballets, the main characters have was out there.” For the first interior scene he chose a movement motifs — steps that are specific to them. In washed-out palette. “That whole scene should feel like a Frankenstein the motifs come in the form of movement bleached photograph of this one moment in a family’s life, quality that tells us who they are. “Henry is upbeat,” when it was all lovely,” he says. The reds we see later in Cervera says. “Victor is a little bit heavier,” his movements the ballet are faded pinks here, and Macfarlane ended up slowed by longing and guilt. In his Act 2 pas de deux with bleaching the blue dress he had designed for Elizabeth, Elizabeth, the young woman taken in by the Frankenstein which looked too solid and heavy once he saw it onstage, family when she was orphaned as a child, Victor struggles to “a very pale, kind of frosted blue, and quite cloudy.” with conflicting feelings. “His love for her is as strong as his guilt for what he’s done, so every time he looks at her Macfarlane calls the 18th century “a very kind period or feels that love, the guilt comes as well,” Cervera says. for dancers,” explaining that the women’s corseted “And she doesn’t understand what’s going on. She goes bodices are “pared away round the neck and shoulders,” from being quite childish and girly to almost trying to take thus allowing for freedom of movement. The skirts are that mother role, hold him, support him, because he’s so voluminous, but he used lightweight fabrics suitable to fragile.” In the Creature’s movement, he says, there’s an dancing, creating the period shape by adding net at the element of the grotesque. “Some of his stitches haven’t hips and in back. “And you’ve got the most fantastic coats healed yet; he hasn’t been put together quite right. for men,” he says. Macfarlane bears in mind the effect Therefore it can’t be just beautiful movement the whole Scarlett’s demanding choreography can have on the way through. [His solo] breaks into moments that remind costumes. “Liam is capable of shredding a costume in you that he’s not really human.” one rehearsal,” he says. The idea of struggle permeates the ballet. Characters In designing costumes, what’s most important to chafe against themselves, one another, and social Macfarlane is to give each dancer an onstage identity. “I constraints. “There’s the social etiquette that you have hate costumes that don’t mean anything,” he says. “You to adhere to, and there are all the inner battles, all the go to a lot of classical ballet and you think, ‘I don’t know relationships,” Cervera says. The movement reflects this

62 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE conflict with “a lot of pull in, pull away; pull in, pull away. And constant hesitation — a wrapping inwards.” To demonstrate, he shrinks his shoulders and collapses his chest. “It really expresses when someone is fragile or vulnerable.” The duet for the Creature and Elizabeth is filled with promenades (poses that revolve in place) and reversals. “It’s the struggle of no matter where you go, you’re entangled,” Cervera says. “He’s completely in control of her.”

If you dig into the book’s subtext, you might see Victor and the Creature as two aspects of one being. Scarlett addresses that interpretation by giving the same steps to both Victor and his creation, in very different contexts. “A section in the Creature and Elizabeth pas de deux is straight out of the Victor and Elizabeth pas de deux,” says Cervera. “The same movement can look so different — with Victor it’s loving; with the Creature it’s aggressive. The Creature is trying to understand. His intention is not to hurt Elizabeth, necessarily. In the pas de deux, doing the same steps, he’s saying, ‘Love me — I’m doing the same thing

Erik Tomasson Victor did. What is wrong with you?’” ©

The Creature’s desperate need for love is denied, and that’s what changes him from benign to murderous. Scarlett says he tells the dancers that the Creature should feel like he’s just been born. “He doesn’t have a teacher,” Scarlett says, “he doesn’t have a parent to take him, pick him up, to laugh at his mistakes, to say that everything’s going to be all right, or to teach him anything. He relies on mimicking,” without understanding what he’s doing. The Creature searches for Victor, his creator/parent, and when he finds him, he gets not love but rejection. In his solo, he discovers who — or what — he is when he realizes that all the drawings and data in Victor’s notebook pertain to him, that he was assembled from parts of dead men. Then the final inscription: “Experiment failed.” With that revelation comes deep pain. “Your scars and your stitches should ache,” Scarlett says. A

Frankenstein // Frankenstein rehearsing Scarlett’s Frances Chung and Joseph Walsh turning point comes when the Creature accidentally kills Victor’s younger brother, William, and discovers that he can get Victor’s attention by taking away what he loves.

In Frankenstein, the big-picture aspects — choreography, dramatic arc, visual elements, and music — combine to tell a compelling story. But the dancers must tend to subtleties too, conveying action or revealing their characters through small, still moments. Doing this can be difficult. “As a dancer you always associate movement with expressing something and stillness with being vacuous,” Cervera says. “But Liam says, ‘Don’t be afraid of stillness; it can tell so much about a character.’”

All of these aspects add up to what Tomasson calls Frankenstein’s “theatrical drama,” one of the ballet’s strengths. “At the end of the first act, you can’t wait to see what comes next, and the same thing at the end of the second act,” he says. “Even though you know [the story], you can’t wait to see what he has done with it.”

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 63 STRAVINSKY VIOLIN CONCERTO COMPOSER: IGOR STRAVINSKY CHOREOGRAPHER: GEORGE BALANCHINE STAGED BY: BART COOK AND MARIA CALEGARI LIGHTING DESIGN: LISA J. PINKHAM AFTER RONALD BATES World Premiere: June 18, 1972 — New York City Ballet, Stravinsky Festival, New York State Theater; New York, New York 04 San Francisco Premiere: March 28, 1995 — War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California MUST-SEE PRODIGAL SON COMPOSER: SERGEI PROKOFIEV CHOREOGRAPHER: GEORGE BALANCHINE BALANCHINE LIBRETTO: BORIS KOCHNO MAR 7 – 18 STAGED BY: RICHARD TANNER SCENIC AND COSTUME DESIGN: GEORGES ROUAULT ORIGINAL LIGHTING DESIGN: JEAN ROSENTHAL World Premiere: May 21, 1929 — Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes, Théàtre Sarah Bernhardt; Paris, France PERFORMANCE DATES New York City Ballet Premiere: February 23, 1950 — City Center of Music and Drama; New York, New York Tuesday 03/07 7:30pm San Francisco Ballet Premiere: March 27, 1984 — War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California Wednesday 03/08 7:30pm Friday 03/10 8:00pm Sunday 03/12 2:00pm DIAMONDS Thursday 03/16 7:30pm COMPOSER: PETER ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY Saturday 03/18 2:00pm CHOREOGRAPHER: GEORGE BALANCHINE Saturday 03/18 8:00pm STAGED BY: JUDITH FUGATE COSTUME DESIGN: KARINSKA World Premiere (Jewels): April 13, 1967 — New York City Ballet, New York State Theater; New York, New York San Francisco Ballet Premiere: January 30, 1987 — War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California

64 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE PROGRAM NOTES By Cheryl A. Ossola

STRAVINSKY VIOLIN CONCERTO

With the first strike of violin bow on strings, Stravinsky movements that he had in his brain from watching or STRAVINSKY VIOLIN Violin Concerto grabs your attention. Though it follows in doing them himself — all of this style,” Bart says. “It was CONCERTO the footsteps of George Balanchine’s stark “black-and- really illuminating and wonderful.” PRODUCTION CREDITS white ballets” (costumed in simple leotards and tights), Music: Violin Concerto in D. Stravinsky Violin Concerto marked a move into new The two arias at the heart of the ballet are nestled within Used by arrangement with European American Music creative terrain for choreographer. Created in 1972 for an ever-changing structure in which no choreographic Distributors Corporation, sole New York City Ballet’s Stravinsky Festival, this ballet mixes grouping goes unexplored. In these slower sections, the U.S. and Canadian agent for B. Schott’s Soehne, publisher neoclassicism and Georgian folk dance to both exuberant choreographer etches an equation between woman and and copyright owner. The and melancholy effect. violin, muse and instrument. Cook describes moments in performance of Stravinsky Violin Concerto, a Balanchine© the second pas de deux when the man holds the woman Ballet, is presented by Balanchine occasionally revisited a beloved score, and “as a fiddler would hold a violin — and if he’s not, it isn’t arrangement with The George Balanchine Trust© and has such was the case with Igor Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto correct.” The arias — daring, evocative, and what Cook been produced in accordance in D Major, which he used for his short-lived Balustrade, calls “very special Balanchine” — are the ballet’s pinnacle. with the Balanchine Style© and Balanchine Technique© Service choreographed in 1941 for the Original Ballet Russe. The “They’re different than anything else he’s done,” he says. standards established and 1931 concerto, commissioned by virtuoso violinist Samuel Though they are abstract, “they’re perhaps the most provided by the Trust. Dushkin, has wide-ranging moods that share a unifying emotional [parts] of his ballets,” he says, “other than that element: an electrifying chord, always the same, that starts pas de deux he made for Suzanne [Farrell] with the kiss in each musical movement. it, Meditation.”

Bart Cook, a former New York City Ballet dancer who Balanchine is as revered for his craftsmanship as for his is now a stager for The Balanchine Trust, remembers artistry, and in Stravinsky Violin Concerto he proves how that Balanchine created Stravinsky Violin Concerto very intertwined these two aspects of an art form are. “He used quickly. “It came out of that first Stravinsky Festival; it was to say, ‘There are only so many words in the vocabulary. a real creative renaissance for Balanchine,” he says. “It It’s how you arrange them that makes a poem,’” says was on the schedule one day, and then the next day he Cook. “He was making new words all the time, expanding said, ‘Let’s look at those pas de deux I made yesterday.’ the language. I think this is exceptional Balanchine.” And up got those four principals [Karin von Aroldingen, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, Kay Mazzo, Peter Martins], and we were blown away. He did [the duets] in maybe an hour and a half, two hours each — something amazing.”

Cook describes Stravinsky Violin Concerto as “a precursor to a whole new arena of choreography. You need ballet technique to do all these weird things, but they’re way off. And then with the ethnicity on top of it, it’s wonderfully layered.” Many years later Cook went to Tbilisi, to work with the State Ballet of Georgia. There, in the country of Balanchine’s heritage, he saw folk dances that revealed the origins of many of the steps in this

Erik Tomasson and other Balanchine ballets. “There were all of these © Stravinsky Violin Concerto Stravinsky Stravinsky Violin Concerto Stravinsky The Balanchine Trust, Photos The Balanchine Trust, ©

Left: Garen Scribner and James Sofranko in Balanchine’s in Balanchine’s Garen Scribner and James Sofranko Left: in Balanchine’s Zahorian and Davit Karapetyan Right: Vanessa Both: Choreography by George Balanchine 2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 65 04 Erik Tomasson Erik Tomasson © © Marty Sohl © The Balanchine Trust © Left: Yuan Yuan Tan in Balanchine’s Prodigal Son // in Balanchine’s Tan Yuan Yuan Left: Center: Vanessa Zahorian and Davit Karapetyan in Balanchine’s Diamonds // in Balanchine’s Zahorian and Davit Karapetyan Center: Vanessa Right: Sofiane Sylve and Helgi Tomasson rehearse Balanchine’s Diamonds // Tomasson rehearse Balanchine’s Sylve and Helgi Right: Sofiane All: choreography by George Balanchine

PRODIGAL SON

Prodigal Son is the last ballet George Balanchine be a symbol, Tanner says, and that makes her difficult to created for the Paris-based Ballets Russes and its larger- portray. “Hugging another person is a human thing; not PRODIGAL SON than-life director, Serge Diaghilev. Three months after something you learn in ballet class,” he says. “It’s alien PRODUCTION CREDITS Prodigal Son premiered in 1929, Diaghilev died, and four to the girls to have no emotion when they’re hugging Music: Prodigal Son, Op. 46, used by arrangement with years later Balanchine found a new home in the United [the Son].” Yet the Siren isn’t evil, he insists. The right Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., States. But Prodigal Son lived on, a ballet with a moving approach is “just like a rattlesnake.” (Watch for the Siren’s publisher and copyright owner. Costumes constructed by story adapted from a parable in the Gospel of St. Luke, motif, a hand extending cobra-like above her head.) Nancy Endy and Annmarie told through movement as powerful as the emotions that Finneral. Hats constructed by Nina Parker. The performance drive its characters. For dancers who portray the Son, the challenges are of Prodigal Son, a Balanchine both physical and mental. The Son begins the ballet at Ballet©, is presented by arrangement with The George Prodigal Son was Diaghilev’s idea, as he felt a personal an emotional high point, which can be difficult to portray. Balanchine Trust© and has connection to the story. Even so, says Richard Tanner, a Some dancers tend to “make it too soft,” Tanner says. But been provided in accordance with the Balanchine Style© and stager for The Balanchine Trust who sets Prodigal Son on once they find that high point, the trick is not to overact. Balanchine Technique© service companies in Europe and the U.S., including San Francisco “It’s a really fine line,” he continues. “It’s all about the standards established by Ballet, it became a staple in Balanchine’s repertory. (Of gestures. If they’re carrying on too much, [the meaning] The Trust. the 11 ballets Mr. B created for the Ballets Russes, only two doesn’t show.” have survived: Prodigal Son and Apollo, originally Apollon Musagète.) “Balanchine could really tell a story,” says One of the dancers who performed Prodigal Son during Tanner. “Here’s this spoiled rich boy who runs away from Balanchine’s time at New York City Ballet was Helgi home, is seduced, robbed, pillaged, and then crawls back Tomasson, SF Ballet’s artistic director and principal home on his knees, literally. It’s very effective.” choreographer. Dancing it “was always emotionally exhausting, emotionally gratifying,” he says. “When the Son The ballet’s choreography ranges from airborne crawls to the Father in the end and the Father picks him up expressions of power and rage to everyday gestures to and embraces him, it’s such a beautiful moment. Once I got circus-like stunts, probable vestiges of Soviet modernism, there, I didn’t care if my knees hurt or I was bruised.” which often included gymnastic movements. Acrobatics aren’t typical of Balanchine’s work, but choreographing Tomasson remembers one rehearsal in particular, when for a group (in this case, a gaggle of amoral goons), is he and Balanchine were onstage alone. “He was very something he did often, deploying intricate patterns. particular about when the Prodigal Son comes back, the crawling and the begging,” he says. “He got down on the Sergei Prokofiev wrote the music to tell the story along floor and showed me how to do it, and he was in his 70s! with the ballet. He was distressed by Balanchine’s I said, ‘No, Mr. B, you don’t have to do that,’ and he said, ‘I depiction of the Siren, envisioning her as a sweet have to show you what I want.’ That time on the stage, just temptress. Balanchine wanted the impassive Siren to the two of us, was wonderful.”

66 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE DIAMONDS

With sparkling white costumes, the traditional hierarchy “They’re very elegant and gracious, and they have to have DIAMONDS of a principal couple backed by eight demi-soloists and the technique but also that idea of easy confidence.” PRODUCTION CREDITS a corps de ballet, and a Tchaikovsky score, George Music: Tchaikovsky: Balanchine’s Diamonds is both a glance over the shoulder As is typical of Balanchine’s work, the choreographic Symphony No. 3 in D major, Op. 29, movements 2, 3, 4 at the splendor of classical ballet and utterly timeless. Part patterns and formations are complex — tough to teach and & 5. Costumes courtesy of of the full-evening Jewels — and a perfect stand-alone equally tough to learn. In Jewels “the shapes and patterns National Ballet of Canada. The performance of Diamonds, a ballet — Diamonds is a glittering tribute to the imperial on the floor are very much like the jewels themselves,” Balanchine Ballet©, is presented Russian ballet of Balanchine’s childhood. Fugate says; Diamonds has diamond-shaped patterns, by arrangement with The George Balanchine Trust© including part of the polonaise that’s called “Bow Tie” and has been provided in Diamonds marks its 50th birthday this Repertory Season. because the ensemble forms point-to-point triangles. accordance with the Balanchine Style© and Balanchine The three-part Jewels premiered April 13, 1967, at New Technique© service standards York City Ballet. Jewels became part of San Francisco In setting Diamonds, Fugate refers to a 1983 video, filmed established by The Trust. Ballet’s repertory in 1992, and the Company performed around the time of Balanchine’s death. Later stagings Diamonds without its companion pieces (Emeralds and have overemphasized organization and structure, she Rubies) for the first time in 2008. explains. “There’s something to be said for organized chaos, and everybody moving and then arriving in a Set to Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 3, place — not, ‘You have to go behind this [dancer], and you Diamonds offers both refined elegance and a nod to have to go over there.’ Mr. B didn’t create that way. He Russian folkdance. “The group things — the polonaise, said, ‘Now run to this place.’” the waltz — they’re typical [of the] imperial Russian ballet that Mr. B [George Balanchine] grew up with,” That’s not to say she doesn’t strive for precision and says Judith Fugate, a stager for The Balanchine Trust. uniformity. “But the individual dancers are as important,” There are floaty, swanlike arms, extensions that unfold she says. “I have so many visions of Suzanne [Farrell, who as if there’s all the time in the world, and deep, fluid danced the world premiere]. Mr. B created Diamonds for her bends. The principal ballerina moves with airy speed on but then let her do what she wanted. A lot of it has become pointe. “In the pas de deux, there are many moments incorporated into the choreography — that pose that’s so that we call Swan Lake,” Fugate says. “Just a movement famous.” She demonstrates, sweeping one hand over her or a gesture that’s evocative of it.” That central duet, head, fingers landing at the nape of her neck, elbow out. danced to an andante that Music Director and Principal Conductor Martin West calls “gorgeous, the highlight Such personalized movements are important, Fugate says, of the whole work,” is a gentle exchange rather than a and it’s why she allows the principal dancers to choose, virtuosic contest. for example, which arm to raise, or gives them freedom in transitional steps. “They’re individuals,” she says, “and As with all of Balanchine’s ballets, Fugate says, the dancers they hear the music differently. It’s a joy for me, because must move expansively, “to cover the floor and be lush and that was one of the things Mr. B loved the most — the full.” The principal dancers must have aplomb, she says. individuality of his dancers and playing to their strengths.”

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 67 FUSION COMPOSERS: GRAHAM FITKIN AND RAHUL DEV BURMAN CHOREOGRAPHER: YURI POSSOKHOV SCENIC, VIDEO, AND PROJECTION DESIGN: BENJAMIN PIERCE COSTUME DESIGN: SANDRA WOODALL LIGHTING DESIGN: JAMES F. INGALLS World Premiere: April 22, 2008 — San Francisco Ballet, War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California The 2008 world premiere of Fusion was made possible by San Francisco Ballet 75th Anniversary Sponsor 05 Ms. Susan A. Van Wagner. CONTEMPORARY SALOME WORLD PREMIERE

VOICES COMPOSER: FRANK MOON MAR 9 – 19 CHOREOGRAPHER: ARTHUR PITA SCENIC AND COSTUME DESIGN: YANN SEABRA LIGHTING DESIGN: JIM FRENCH World Premiere: March 9, 2017 — San Francisco Ballet, War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California PERFORMANCE DATES The 2017 world premiere of Salome is made possible by Lead Sponsor Denise Littlefield Sobel, with additional support Thursday 03/09 7:30pm from the Osher New Work Fund of the San Francisco Ballet Endowment Foundation. Saturday 03/11 2:00pm Salome deals with mature themes and subject matter. Not recommended for children under 12. Saturday 03/11 8:00pm Tuesday 03/14 7:30pm FEARFUL SYMMETRIES Wednesday 03/15 7:30pm Friday 03/17 8:00pm COMPOSER: JOHN ADAMS Sunday 03/19 2:00pm CHOREOGRAPHER: LIAM SCARLETT SCENIC AND LIGHTING DESIGN: DAVID FINN COSTUME DESIGN: JON MORRELL World Premiere: January 27, 2016 — San Francisco Ballet, War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California The 2016 world premiere of Fearful Symmetries was made possible by Lead Sponsors Shelby and Frederick Gans, and Alison and Michael Mauzé, with additional support from the Osher New Work Fund and TeRoller Fund for New Productions of the San Francisco Ballet Endowment Foundation.

68 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE SF Ballet in Possokhov’s Fusion // © Chris Hardy PROGRAM NOTES By Cheryl A. Ossola

FUSION

Fusion, created by San Francisco Ballet Choreographer Soloist Lauren Strongin rehearsed Fusion for the first FUSION in Residence Yuri Possokhov for the 2008 New Works time this season, and she has enjoyed working with PRODUCTION CREDITS Festival, was inspired in part by a performance by dancers from the original cast. “There are a lot of group Music: Rahul Dev Burman, Whirling Dervishes, whose spinning dances are a form sections, so you’re forced to be aware of your peers and arranged by Osvaldo Golijov: “Aaj Ki Raat” (“Tonight is the of devotion. A quote in the Whirling Dervishes program to work together.” She says Possokhov’s choreography, Night”) used by arrangement book touched Possokhov deeply: “Any thoughts can be demanding in both technique and musicality, always with Kronos Performing Arts Association. Graham Fitkin: expressed by dance.” pushes the dancers. Fusion, she says, is “very quick, “Hard Fairy,” “The Cone with lots of intricate steps. He plays with being on Gatherers,” and “Bed” used by arrangement with Graham Fusion combines “spirituality with contemporary jazz balance and off balance. There’s a lot of unexpected Fitkin. Costumes constructed by movement,” Possokhov says. The idea of a spiritual movement, so you’re constantly surprising yourself, and Birgit Pfeffer, Groveland, California. Scenic construction journey melds with the emotions arising from Possokhov’s the audience, hopefully.” and painting by San Francisco personal sojourn when he stopped dancing and gave Ballet Carpentry and Scenic Departments at the San himself fully to choreography. “It was a hard time for Strongin danced the Lolita role in Possokhov’s Swimmer, Francisco Opera me,” he said. “I made the decision to leave the stage, and she says Fusion feels “very different, which I really Scenic Studios. but it didn’t bring me right away to happiness to be only admire. Even though Yuri has his own style, each ballet of a choreographer. It takes time. [The ballet is] about my his is very different, in its moods. [In Fusion,] it seems to searching, my fighting inside myself.” me that he really played off the music he chose.” Strongin sees the concept of fusion in the “melding of a dancer One way he conveys the idea of moving away from one to the music and the dancers to each other, and these kind of existence toward another is with flight imagery. separate worlds — the Dervishes and this kind of abstract At times the women use their arms like wings, but what jazz dancing. I’ve enjoyed trying to find that in myself and Possokhov wants is something deeper. The motion is make it seamless and effortless in really technical and “a reaction to what you’re doing,” he told the dancers. difficult choreography.” Though he always knows what he’s saying with his choreography, he doesn’t necessarily explain what that is. Fusion’s jazziness comes from three pieces by British “I don’t want it to be so obvious,” he says. composer Graham Fitkin that form the predominant portion of the score. Film composer Rahul Dev Burman’s A profoundly musical choreographer, Possokhov says Bollywood-esque “Aaj Ki Raat” (“Tonight is the Night”) his steps always come from what he hears in the score; opens the ballet, and when it gives way to the Fitkin, the yet he’s open to what his dancers bring to the creative transition from one musical style to another feels not process. For example, a running step that evolved only organic but inevitable. In fact, Music Director and from movement experimentation with Principal Dancer Principal Conductor Martin West blended them for the Lorena Feijoo “changed some elements for the ballet,” ballet’s final moments, creating the perfect metaphor for he says. “It was a nice step to be the theme of the Possokhov’s artistic journey: the indelible bond between movement — running, searching.” dancing and choreographing.

SALOME WORLD PREMIERE

When a choreographer with an affinity for David Lynch The way Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer films gets his hands on the story of Salome, unusual things Helgi Tomasson sees it, Pita’s work is dance theater. He are bound to happen. And they do, in Arthur Pita’s first had been keeping an eye on Pita’s career. “I knew he commission for San Francisco Ballet. His Salome is inspired was very much a theater person, and I thought that would by two other works by that title, Oscar Wilde’s 1891 play be good for us,” he explains, noting that he likes that and David McVicar’s production of Richard Strauss’ opera, Salome is “completely contemporary. It’s not in biblical plus the Bible story and the style of David Lynch. But the costumes. The story is strong, but it’s being told in a very influence of previous works is overshadowed by Pita’s contemporary way.” freewheeling imagination and textured contemporary movement. His Salome explores power, ritual, and desire Pita was inspired to create his own Salome while watching like you’ve never seen it done before. Billy Wilder’s 1950 Sunset Boulevard. “Gloria Swanson

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 69 Erik Tomasson

05 © Erik Tomasson Erik Tomasson © SALOME CONTINUED wants to make her version of Salome, and she keeps offer, it’s good to utilize that. A little bit of everybody’s going, ‘Salome, what a role,’” Pita says. Taken with the idea soul goes into the piece.” of a ballet about Salome, he thought about focusing the work on the idea of a rite of passage. In the Bible story, a Pita’s movement is full-bodied and explosive, sensual young (unnamed) woman must dance for her stepfather, and graphic. The men are grounded, their weight Herod, at his birthday banquet and, in a grisly encore, deep into the floor, limbs flinging and retracting, feet bring the head of John the Baptist to her mother, Herodias. pounding; Salome’s moves are sinuous, sometimes off- (The seven veils were Oscar Wilde’s invention.) To Pita, balance, weight into the hip. Motifs reminiscent of birds brought up in a Portuguese Catholic family, Bible stories and horses abound. “It’s always nice to refer to animals, “were really stories, like fairy tales,” he says, yet he wanted especially with something that’s quite ritualistic,” he Left: WanTing Zhao and Vitor Luiz rehearse Pita’s Salome // rehearse Pita’s Zhao and Vitor Luiz WanTing Left: the story to feel modern. “How would the story exist now? says. Underneath everything, the classical foundation // Fearful Symmetries Ingham in Scarlett’s Feijoo and Luke Right: Lorena Where would these people be?” He rejected the idea of he works from is apparent. This is contemporary Salome as a strip-act temptress, finding it “misogynistic, movement, but a kind that classically trained ballet and too easy.” Instead, he says, “I was looking at the idea dancers do best. of a ritual. This is a dark ritual, a little bit like the inspiration for The Rite of Spring, which is a sacrifice.” Pita, Moon, and Seabra have worked together since 2010, and typically the process is what Moon calls Pita’s Salome diverges from its source material: instead of symbiotic. “He gets dancers to improvise, and as Herod’s birthday, it’s Salome’s, and instead of seven veils they’re creating choreography, I’m creating music.” This in a striptease, seven shrouded men, hostages of some time, though, Moon wrote “a chunk of music based kind, must dance in competition to be Salome’s mate. The on the narrative, and Arthur’s pulled it apart,” he says. Herodias character doesn’t demand John’s head, but she “Sometimes a whole section I’d written for a particular does choose John for her daughter and determine his scene he used somewhere else.” For the beginning, fate. His initial inspiration arose from a single image in the which Moon wanted to be low pitched and dim, he opening scene of Mulholland Drive: a limousine winding wrote primarily for woodwinds, which have “a kind of along a highway, headlights on. “I immediately got chills,” dark, sonorous color,” he says. “I’m trying to give an Pita says. He envisioned his characters in that limo, “going atmosphere of dread or strangeness like you get in SALOME to do this awful thing, or the consequences might be Lynch films; you just know something’s wrong.” Then, in PRODUCTION CREDITS the seven veils section, that ominous tone gives way to awful. The limousine is everything — it’s the castle, it’s the Music: Original composition palace, it’s money, it’s wealth, it’s dark, it’s horrible, it’s like a propulsive rhythm and “a snakiness to the melody,” he by Frank Moon. Costumes says. “What’s happening in that dance is that she’s high. constructed by Parkinson Gill, a coffin, it’s sinister, you never know who’s inside it.” Once London, England. he knew his characters would arrive in a limo, he says, [To show that,] I like the kind of silvery, snaky flowing, “then it made sense that they’re doing something illegal in with echoes and trailers of sound.” the middle of nowhere, some kind of celebration.” As for the designs, when Pita said he wanted to At this celebration, Salome is given a drug and the rite have a limousine onstage, he unleashed an entire of passage begins. “The whole point of a ritual is to be concept. Seabra places the coffin-like sedan in a black changed,” Pita says. And changed Salome becomes, void — perhaps a clearing in a forest, but certainly a secret though not in the way intended. At the end, when she place. A monochrome costume palette amplifies the dark gets into the limo with “that trophy of the ritual,” he says, setting. Thinking of the ballet as timeless, Seabra chose “dramaturgically, there’s something exciting about that, to work within “a flow of periods — the ’30s for Herod and and there’s something sad and tragic. That innocence is Herodias, but also very present [day], in what Salome will still there. There’s a beautiful line in the Oscar Wilde play, be wearing. I get very inspired by Valentino,” he says. something like, ‘I want to taste the blood; does it taste For the props used in the ritual, he turned to the past: like love?’” “Something that’s passed from generation to generation, something old, something precious.” Creating this twisted tale was a collaborative process involving the dancers; the composer, Frank Moon; and “I love ritual,” Pita says. “I think we all do tiny rituals in lots the scenic and costume designer, Yann Seabra. Working of ways; some of them we don’t understand.” It’s ritual with four casts for the principal roles, Pita asked each that drives this ballet. At its heart is Pita’s reimagining Salome-and-John pair to create part of the movement of Wilde’s “Dance of the Seven Veils,” which Tomasson in their pas de deux; then all of them learned the others’ calls brilliant. “This is where I feel the theater aspect [of steps and Pita tailored them to what he had in mind. Arthur’s work] comes through,” he says. “I’ve always said Similarly, each dancer in the piece choreographed a short it’s amazing how dance can be such a huge rainbow. movement phrase, which Pita then borrowed from. “It’s It’s not just the classical and the contemporary and the been a lot of fun,” he says. “If people have got things to modern — it’s all those things.”

70 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE FEARFUL SYMMETRIES

There’s an untamed intensity to Fearful Symmetries, Liam Putting himself on that choreographic edge is as physical Scarlett’s second work for San Francisco Ballet. Created a process as it is mental. “Liam is doing every step with only two years after his acclaimed Hummingbird, the us, showing us what the musicality is,” says Principal ballet is set to John Adams’ Fearful Symmetries, whose Dancer Frances Chung. “He’s very specific, so the process driving ferocity finds its equal in the choreography. is easy.” What’s not easy, she says with a laugh, “is waking Adams, on his website, calls the score an example of up the next morning and you can’t move, because it’s that his traveling music, “music that gives the impression of physical. You’re using muscles you never knew you had.” continuous movement over a shifting landscape.” SF Ballet Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer Helgi The movement is “very grounded, very athletic and FEARFUL SYMMETRIES Tomasson calls it “wonderful.” physical,” says Soloist Jennifer Stahl. “[Liam’s] musicality PRODUCTION CREDITS is phenomenal — you can almost see the orchestra in the Music: “Fearful Symmetries” by John Adams used by The title of both music and ballet comes from a poem, movement. It seems very sensual but natural.” arrangement with Hendon William Blake’s “The Tyger:” “What immortal hand or eye, / Music, Inc., a Boosey & Hawkes company, publisher and Could frame thy fearful symmetry?” This gave Scarlett Sensuality is key in Fearful Symmetries, but Scarlett plays copyright holder. Costumes the idea of “a tiger or something prowling — the music with our perception of it, conveying the idea that imperfect constructed by Parkinson Gill, London, England. definitely has a sense of pounce or attack,” he says. “It’s beauty is desirable. In rehearsals he uses the example of feline in that respect. The group should work together a classical sculpture that’s missing an arm; though broken, as a pack as opposed to a group of dancers; there has the sculpture’s lines are clear, the emotions and tensions to be some synergy within them as a pack.” One way he captured in the stone still evident. So when a dancer’s arm facilitated that mentality was by putting the women in flat gets trapped against the body in partnering or a shoulder shoes. “When you do a group piece and everyone is on rises to an awkward angle, he tells the dancer to make the same path to begin with — there’s no pointe shoe, no something of it. Working this way, says Principal Dancer skirt — then suddenly you have a pack as opposed to a Luke Ingham, means “you almost have to turn your ballet divide,” he says. brain off. Just because it’s not comfortable doesn’t mean it doesn’t look the way it should.” In this ballet, the phrase “everything in moderation” does not apply to Scarlett’s choreography; he creates in a Pushing classicism’s boundaries is part of Scarlett’s way that’s riskier, more exposed. When what he calls “an visual aesthetic, but in Fearful Symmetries he does it in undercurrent, a tone of simmering tension” emerged in response to the music. “I don’t think the music apologizes the ballet, he built on it, amping up the physical dynamics. for anything,” he says. “I’ve been telling the dancers not to “It’s tension that could be released at any moment,” he apologize for anything, so that everything is amplified and says. “That’s sometimes the more important thing — that intentional. Especially with the women, it’s like Renaissance you build the suspense.” beauty; the proportions are way off. No person would ever look like that, but there’s beauty within it.”

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 71 06

COMPOSER: PETER ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY SWAN LAKE CHOREOGRAPHER: HELGI TOMASSON BLACK SWAN PAS DE DEUX AND ACT II CHOREOGRAPHY: MAR 31 – APR 12 AFTER MARIUS PETIPA AND LEV IVANOV SCENIC AND COSTUME DESIGN: JONATHAN FENSOM LIGHTING DESIGN: JENNIFER TIPTON PROJECTION DESIGN: SVEN ORTEL HAIR, WIG AND MAKE-UP DESIGN: MICHAEL WARD PERFORMANCE DATES ASSISTANT TO MR. TOMASSON ON THIS PRODUCTION: LOLA DE AVILA Friday 03/31 8:00pm World Premiere: March 4, 1877 — Bolshoi Theatre; Moscow, Russia. Choreography by Julius Reisinger. Saturday 04/01 2:00pm Premiere of the Petipa-Ivanov Production: February 8, 1895 — Mariinsky Theatre; St. Petersburg, Russia Saturday 04/01 8:00pm San Francisco Ballet Premiere: September 27, 1940 — War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California. Sunday 04/02 2:00pm Choreography by Willam Christensen. Thursday 04/06 7:30pm Premiere of Current San Francisco Ballet Production: February 21, 2009 — Friday 04/07 8:00pm War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California The 2009 world premiere of Helgi Tomasson’s Swan Lake was made possible by Exclusive Sponsor Tuesday 04/11 7:30pm Mrs. Jeannik Méquet Littlefield. The 2016 redesign of Act I was underwritten by Denise Littlefield Sobel. Wednesday 04/12 7:30pm Swan Lake is family-friendly. Recommended for children 8 and up.

72 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE 73 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET SAN 2017 SEASON GUIDE 2017 SEASON catapulted us into a major company.” catapulted us into a major company.” By Cheryl A. Ossola In 1988, three years into his tenure as San Francisco Ballet’s artistic director into his tenure as San Francisco Ballet’s In 1988, three years one of Lake, produced Swan Helgi Tomasson and principal choreographer, ballet at its most enduring of the classical ballets. “It’s the most beloved and films of it when I was very says. “I remember seeing Tomasson beautiful,” next It was also the ultimate was the ultimate in ballet.” young, and to me it troupe was more of a regional step in making a name for SF Ballet, which proud “I was very status it has now. then, before developing the international says. “Swan Tomasson it at that time,” of that production because we needed Lake when Julius Reisinger back to 1877, heritage goes ’s Lake Swan It was only Bolshoi Theatre. choreographed the first production at the considered Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Peter moderately successful, and its composer, Eighteen years later a failure. his first attempt at writing ballet music produced by Lake in 1893), the Swan death (unfortunately after Tchaikovsky’s Ivanov was considered a masterpiece. and Lev Marius Petipa choreographed by Willam in 1940, Lake SF Ballet premiered its first Swan San Francisco Opera Ballet. Christensen, ballet master of what was then and Ivanov’s created his own version, based on Petipa In 1988 Tomasson the spirit of choreography and all of landmark ballet. He retained much of the The story. version while making changes that clarified the the Petipa/Ivanov decided to 21 years, until Tomasson 1988 production served the Company for is the most well-known Lake “Swan revamp the ballet for the 2009 Season. he says. the most universally loved,” ballet of all the full-lengths, and probably want it to become a museum piece.” “I didn’t from a new Lake decided, to approach Swan Tomasson It was time, perspective — and to do that, he wanted to collaborate with a designer who Olivier and Award was new to ballet. He brought in Jonathan Fensom, a Tony and Farinelli and the King, 2016) End, 2007, nominee (for Journey’s Award End and on West who has designed dozens of productions in London’s For Fensom, whose limited ballet viewing had included The Royal Broadway. “the thought of doing a ballet was incredibly exciting — to Lake, Swan Ballet’s he was as a classical piece of work but actually lift it,” Lake respect what Swan get more sophisticated, and I think we says. “Times change; we move on. We need to push the boundaries a little farther.” concept while created a visually fresh with Fensom, Tomasson Working . Though classical heritage retaining choreography that draws on the ballet’s the idea of pushing the visual boundaries to give new life to this he liked intent, as always, was to stay true to the original, venerable ballet, Tomasson’s the second act — you don’t both choreographically and at heart. “Particularly are so many other things you he says. “But there really mess with that,” to some scenically and with costumes, and even choreographically can do, kept, A lot of it I extent, in the first act and third act, which I had already done. but there have also been elements that I have changed; it has to do with in the 1988 production he For example, rethinking the whole production.” for Odette replaced a waltz danced by the corps de ballet with a pas de deux his and Prince Siegfried; he wanted Siegfried to approach Odette to convey to make sorrow and ask for forgiveness. “For storytelling, I felt that I needed that he says. He kept them connect in the end and explain why they both die,” pas de deux in the 2009 production but chose more dramatic music for it. PROGRAM NOTES PROGRAM Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Music: Peter 20. Costume Op. Lake, Swan Yvonne Design Associate, Milnes. Design Assistant to Carole Hancock. Ward, Mr. constructed by Yoshi Tutus England. London, Terashima, Costumes constructed by Phil Jane Keir, Sasha Reynolds, Johnson, Charles Hanrahan, Karen Sue Kay, Gordon, Robert London, Shannon, Mark Wheeler, England. Additional costumes constructed by the San Francisco Danielle Opera Costume Shop, McCartan, Costume Director. Wigs and Feather Headdresses constructed and dressed by at the Wig Christine Sterritt Further of London. Workshop wig dressing by Melanie Birch and the Wig Boys, San Francisco, California. Boots by Pluma, Oregon. Specialty Portland, shoes by John Hiatt, Salt Lake Utah. Scenic Design City, Chad Owens, San Associate, California. Scenic Francisco, Design Assistants, Alasdair Jason Alistair Turner, Oliver, England. London, Southgate, S. Video Design Associate, New New York, Tucker, Katy Video Design Assistant, York. New York, Vincent Acken, Peter Scenic construction New York. and painting by San Francisco Ballet Carpentry and Scenic departments at the San Francisco Opera Scenic Studios. SWAN LAKE SWAN PRODUCTION CREDITS

SF Ballet in Tomasson’s Swan Lake // © Erik Tomasson 06

SWAN LAKE CONTINUED

The most important change in the 2009 production was the fact that Siegfried is now torn between two worlds. the addition of a Prologue. “Helgi said that though it’s The starkness of the open stage emphasizes the scale called Swan Lake, it was always Siegfried’s story because of the set pieces as well as their sculptural nature. For he was the character you were introduced to first,” says Fensom, the latter is key. “We light dancers by the Fensom. “We wanted to make it Odette’s story, and to do essence of them — they are sculptural forms in space,” he that we needed to introduce her first.” Understanding how says. “I wanted to treat the set in the same way.” Von Rothbart brought Odette under his power, making her a swan by day and a woman by night, allows viewers His costume designs, with the same elegance and to accept that Siegfried, searching for meaningful love, simplicity as the sets, reflect this sensibility as well. “I could find it in this glorious bird/woman. “Who is this swan wanted to treat [Swan Lake] like an opera chorus, where that he falls in love with?” Tomasson says. “I needed to everyone is different,” says the designer. “We create a clarify that she is a real person that Rothbart has turned world where they’re all individuals who, at a wonderful into a swan.” moment, come together and dance. When you think of something like the early 19th century, older people would Tomasson and Fensom worked together to present Swan wear silhouettes that were from slightly earlier, say from Lake in a way that makes it accessible even first-time the 1790s. Peasants would have a completely different balletgoers who don’t know the story. Together, the silhouette because they’re working class. So we’ve staging, environment, costumes, lighting, and projections created a world that real characters inhabit.” make the story clear and compelling. “With this new setting, Swan Lake is different,” Tomasson says. “So many Creating that world involved artists and craftspeople in people have said they felt it was more approachable, not two countries, at the San Francisco Opera scenic and as much of a fairy tale.” costume shops and seven individual costume makers in and around London. Fensom had the costumers Although the sets echo the ballet’s centuries-old themes use natural fabrics like silks and linens to add richness and emotions, they’re sleek and streamlined. Fensom to the period costumes. The sets’ massive scale and chose one dominant scenic element for each set — simple, functionality required that they be built with plywood striking, and symbolic — and borrowed from the historic and aluminum, which are stronger than typical theatrical architecture and decor he saw in San Francisco’s City Hall materials such as Styrofoam and flats (canvas-covered and War Memorial Opera House and at the Louvre in Paris. wooden frames). Making the job more complex were challenges like requirements for scene changes — for The first-act set “represents the oppression that Siegfried example, one gigantic piece has to roll onstage but can’t feels. He’s trapped,” Fensom says. In Act 2, the lake appear to be on wheels. is “raw and rough and wild,” he says. And behind the elegant, abstract architecture of the third act, the Of course, all of this world-building is done in service to reappearance of the moon reminds us of the lake — and the dancing. For many aspiring ballerinas, Swan Lake is

74 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE a dream ballet with the added appeal of a dual role. That For Kochetkova, one key aspect of dancing Odette is was true for Principal Dancer Yuan Yuan Tan, who danced getting the arms right. “It’s not classical arms whatsoever,” Odette/Odile a few years after joining the Company as a she says. “I see Swan Lake as a contemporary ballet in soloist in 1995; it was her first principal role in a full-length the way it has to be done now; otherwise it’s going to look classical ballet. Coaching her was Irina Jacobson, an boring and it does not feel right.” It’s essential to find “this authority on 19th- and 20th-century ballets who danced balance between being classical/traditional with proper with the Kirov (now Mariinsky) Ballet and was on the classic technique” while moving “in a very different way,” faculty of San Francisco Ballet School. “Irina was very she says. “I think it’s the way it has to be done now, and tough,” Tan says. “I remember I was very challenged. But I the only way ballerinas can enjoy it. Otherwise it becomes did it and it was good.” this really careful thing. A swan is a big bird with wings; that’s important to remember.” Asked if she has a preference for Odette (the White Swan) or Odile (the Black Swan), Tan demurs. “They’re so That means the arms should have “fluidity, but not in a different,” she says. “They have their own way of doing snake way or Arabian dance way,” Kochetkova continues. things.” But ask her if she has a favorite scene or moment “She’s a swan; she’s not a creature. She may be a bit of a in the ballet and she turns mischievous: “When I jump off woman too. There is a famous Pushkin fairy tale [The Tale the cliff,” she says, laughing. “Just kidding.” She becomes of Tsar Sultan] where there’s a beautiful woman who lives serious again when talking about the need to grow in this in a lake, and instead of arms she has wings. That’s how I dual role over time. “You cannot always stay the same,” imagine my swan.” For a more visual source of inspiration, she says. “You always want to do better than you did she looks to The Swan Princess, a painting by Russian before.” Dancing the role now compared to when she was symbolist artist Mikhail Vrubel. 19, for example, she says, “you feel different, the physique

Erik Tomasson is different — artistically too, how you make it convincing.” Swan Lake, Kochetkova says, is “very technically © demanding, and it gets everything out of you too.” Making Odette/Odile convincing was difficult for Principal What she really likes, she says, is the point in the last

Swan Lake // Lake Swan Dancer Maria Kochetkova at first; succeeding in the dual act when “all the hard stuff is done and you have this role meant overcoming her fear of it. “I never thought of beautiful music and you can really let go and enjoy.” Erik Tomasson

© myself as right for Swan Lake, so to find myself in it and be That’s understandable, given that she calls Swan Lake able to enjoy it was really important.” Finding herself came “the hardest full-length I’ve done. Being my type of body, from uncovering the meaning behind the movement, she I have to work extra hard to make every single position

Swan Lake // Lake Swan says. “When I understood how my White Swan moves, and extra long, extra large. So I get tired more than from any Black Swan — when I started moving the way I felt and the other ballet. And it gets me in shape. If I can do Swan way it was comfortable, the characters came naturally.” Lake, I can do anything.”

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 75 Left: Yuan Yuan Tan and Tiit Helimets in Tomasson’s and Tiit Helimets in Tomasson’s Tan Yuan Yuan Left: Right: SF Ballet in Tomasson’s Right: SF Ballet in Tomasson’s TRIO COMPOSER: PETER ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY CHOREOGRAPHER: HELGI TOMASSON SCENIC DESIGN: ALEXANDER V. NICHOLS COSTUME DESIGN: MARK ZAPPONE LIGHTING DESIGN: CHRISTOPHER DENNIS World Premiere: February 25, 2011 — San Francisco Ballet, War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California The 2011 world premiere of Trio was made possible by Lead Sponsors The Bernard Osher Foundation, 07 and Jennifer and Steven Walske; and Sponsors Sue and John Diekman, and O.J. and Gary Shansby. MADE FOR NEW THATCHER WORLD PREMIERE

SF BALLET COMPOSER: MICHAEL NYMAN APR 5 – 18 CHOREOGRAPHER: MYLES THATCHER COSTUME DESIGN: SUSAN ROEMER LIGHTING DESIGN: JIM FRENCH World Premiere: April 5, 2017 — San Francisco Ballet, War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California PERFORMANCE DATES The 2017 world premiere by Myles Thatcher is made possible by Lead Sponsors Fang and Gary Bridge, Wednesday 04/05 7:30pm David and Kelsey Lamond, and The Seiger Family Foundation, with additional support from the Saturday 04/08 2:00pm Byron R. Meyer Choreographers Fund of the San Francisco Ballet Endowment Foundation. Saturday 04/08 8:00pm © Sunday 04/09 2:00pm WITHIN THE GOLDEN HOUR Thursday 04/13 7:30pm Friday 04/14 8:00pm COMPOSERS: EZIO BOSSO AND ANTONIO VIVALDI Tuesday 04/18 7:30pm CHOREOGRAPHER: CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON SCENIC AND COSTUME DESIGN: MARTIN PAKLEDINAZ LIGHTING DESIGN: JAMES F. INGALLS World Premiere: April 22, 2008 — San Francisco Ballet, War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California The 2008 world premiere of Within the Golden Hour© was made possible by San Francisco Ballet 75th Anniversary Sponsor the Stephen and Margaret Gill Family Foundation.

76 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE SF Ballet in Wheeldon’s Within The Golden Hour

TRIO

In Trio, San Francisco Ballet Artistic Director and For Principal Dancer Vitor Luiz, the first movement is “all TRIO Principal Choreographer Helgi Tomasson captures the about the elegance and the style. We try to make it as PRODUCTION CREDITS energy, momentum, and emotional tones of Peter Ilyich smooth and soft as possible without losing the brilliance. Music: String Sextet in D Minor Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence. In expressing the It’s joyful to dance and watch. Tchaikovsky really inspires “Souvenir de Florence,” Op. 70. Costumes constructed by concept of remembrance suggested by the music’s title, me — he’s one of my favorite composers.” Mark Zappone et Co., Seattle, Tomasson infuses Trio with his childhood memories of Washington. Scenic construction and painting by San Francisco listening to Tchaikovsky’s glorious music. The second movement, the adagio, is ballet’s traditional Ballet Carpentry and Scenic home for the slow, romantic pas de deux. But the depth Departments at the San Francisco Opera Scenic Studios. Tomasson first heard Souvenir de Florence decades ago, and length of this nine-minute adagio made Tomasson and he remembered it as “one thing from beginning to think beyond a traditional love duet. “It has a certain end,” he says. Listening to it again, he says, “I discovered sadness about it, a feeling of inevitability,” he says. almost immediately that it wasn’t.” He wondered if he “The first part is very longing and revealing, and it gets should connect the movements, make the piece the interrupted with those staccato violins, almost ghostlike, continuous whole he’d remembered — but the more eerie.” When the melody repeats, he says, “it’s deeper, he considered that idea, the less he liked it. “I kept sadder. Something has happened.” He begins this section coming back to title, Souvenir,” he says, “images or with a pas de deux — a solo man, a figure of death, remembrances” of what seemed to him like three distinct watches a couple dance their declaration of love — then occasions. Reinforcing the trio concept was Music Director segues into a dance for three, in which the death figure and Principal Conductor Martin West, who said the last wages gentle battle for the woman. Tomasson says he two movements, which were written in Russia, should be doesn’t see her fighting death. “She accepts it,” he says. played as one. They have a different flavor than the first “It’s like death is stronger than love.” two movements, which Tchaikovsky wrote in Florence. In the third movement, Tomasson uses what he describes The ballet is a visually rich triptych, with sets and as “Russian motif steps” drawn from character dance costumes as lush as the choreography. In the first to reflect the music. “Very Russian sounding, but not movement, a principal couple and 10 corps de ballet overpowering,” he says. Near the end of the ballet dancers soar through choreography that’s dynamic, the music builds, echoing the energy of the opening elegant, and playful. Soloist Sasha de Sola, who dances movement. “It gets very joyous, fast, and exciting.” the principal woman’s role in the first movement, describes it as “grand and sweeping — all of the steps, Luiz says Trio was the first ballet of Tomasson’s in which even the costume. When I dance it, I feel like I have to he was part of the creative process. Working with an cover the whole stage — the music calls for it, but also in-house choreographer, he says, “you always learn a lot, the choreography. There are so many waltzes where it’s and I think that’s what we want as dancers. You have to necessary to use the upper body to propel the legs. It’s feel like you don’t know anything so you can always be grand and luscious.” learning something new.”

NEW THATCHER WORLD PREMIERE

Choreographers contemplating a new work find inspiration Michael Nyman. Thatcher selected seven short pieces in all kinds of places — a piece of music that stirs up and arranged them in a structural and emotional arc to emotions, an image that triggers an image or memory, fit his concept. “I wanted [music] that had some darkness a snippet of history that leads to a story idea. SF Ballet and pain, but also had lightness and joy to it,” he says. Corps de Ballet member Myles Thatcher’s imagination was “[Michael Nyman’s] music has all of that, especially for sparked by a quote by comedian Louis C.K.: “The world being minimalist music. There’s such emotion in the is amazing and nobody’s happy.” Thatcher interpreted subtext — it can emote but it doesn’t dictate. It gives me the quote to mean that “it’s easy to get stuck in our own freedom to play.” Minimalist music relies less on melody personal agendas, baggage, and dramas,” he says. “To get and more on rhythm, repetition, and subtle shifts. The out of that, first we need each other, to relate to each other shifting, Thatcher says, provides “a frame for the [ballet’s] and be there as a community.” structure. [This music is] purely mathematical, so it’s really nice to work with; you can explore.” For Thatcher, the first step in creating a new work is finding the music. For this ballet, the second he has With a musical framework in place, Thatcher turned created for SF Ballet, he turned to the work of composer his focus to choreography, and “playing with a sense

NEW THATCHER CONTINUED of community, whether it’s positive or negative, and how “I have to go by feeling first; if I over-intellectualize the it influences us,” he says. “I’ve been exploring how we reasoning behind things first, it never works.” interact with society and how society can interact with us. We can be in a room full of people and still feel absolutely The movement he has created both emphasizes and tests alone.” In his new work, he has created a complex internal the community theme. Throughout the ballet, we see fluidity // Trio in Tomasson’s Maria Kochetkova Left: structure in which dancers group and regroup in constantly and continuity, weighted movements, supported falls, gentle 2017 new work // Right: San Francisco Ballet rehearses Thatcher’s shifting numbers. At times a single dancer comes into repositionings, flocking passages of unison steps, and times focus, but it’s not long before he or she is reabsorbed when members of the group who seem to need an emotional into the group. This shifting ensemble fits the theme of boost are given a physical one. There’s no shying away from community, but it’s also Thatcher’s preference in terms emotion here — Thatcher wants heart in his movement, and of ballet structure. Though he acknowledges the value of softness; he wants the torso to flex and extend as much as “having a whole journey for one person within a ballet,” he an arm or leg. The goal is to “bring some humanity into it,” says, an ensemble ballet is “more exciting to watch, for me, he says. “I’m fascinated by dynamics in movement that my and that’s how I enjoy creating.” generation has developed, or the one before us, like with hip-hop and a way of moving that articulates the four points The ballet opens with a couple in conflict. In rehearsals of the shoulders and the hips. It’s expressive. Even just Thatcher tells Principal Dancers Vanessa Zahorian and softening here” — he collapses his chest — “means so much.” Joseph Walsh that the first moments of their duet “should feel like a face-off at an old abandoned warehouse.” Later Threaded throughout are movement motifs that reinforce he explains that they’re like “those people who enjoy the theme. An arm snakes, its movement completed by NEW THATCHER confrontation. In the beginning, we’re not sure if they’re the hand flipping 180 degrees; both hands slide across PRODUCTION CREDITS the torso on diagonals, one up to the heart, one down to Music by Michael Nyman: having fun. It’s like when you have chemistry with someone “Queen of the Night” and who isn’t really good for you; there’s a toxicity there, but the hip. There’s rocking, reaching, and, most important, “An Eye For Optical Theory” embracing. In developing motifs, Thatcher says he sees from The Draughtsman’s there’s pleasure in that. I wanted that kind of dynamic.” Contract, “Prawn-Watching” “theme sensations, if that makes sense. I try to find steps from A Zed and Two Noughts, that have the same sensations for the dancers.” So when “A Wild and Distant Shore”, From this confrontation, the ballet moves through “Lost and Found”, and “The expressions of sadness and rejection to its turning point, a what he calls “theme arms” might extend horizontally in Heart Asks Pleasure First/ front of the body in one bit of choreography, they retain that The Promise” from The Piano duet created on Principal Dancers Dores André and Carlo and “Wheelbarrow Walk” from Di Lanno. These two, who seem to be in love but aren’t shape and quality when they move overhead. Drowning by Numbers. Music used by arrangement with quite connecting, are the opposite of the combative couple, G. Schirmer, sole agent for Thatcher says. They have chemistry, “but for some reason From 2014 to 2015, Thatcher spent a year in the Rolex Chester Music, publisher and Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative under the mentorship copyright owner. Costumes they can’t realize it in the context of the group. Maybe they constructed by S-Curve aren’t supposed to be together. Maybe there’s something of choreographer Alexei Ratmansky, whose neoclassical Apparel & Design, San preventing them from being together.” Even if they don’t ballets often emphasize our bonds as human beings. That Francisco, California. remain a couple (a possibility Thatcher leaves open-ended), experience, along with the work he’s done in the past few their struggle to accept love opens the door to a happier years, has aided Thatcher’s development as a dancemaker. state within this small community. At this point in the ballet, Of particular note to Artistic Director and Principal Thatcher asks his dancers to be “simple and human.” Choreographer Helgi Tomasson is a more sophisticated way Conflict and isolation give way to empathetic hugs, a serene of “moving groups of dancers around, the complexity of the and imaginative moment of togetherness inspired by (of all movement’s structure,” he says. “I’m glad to see how he’s things) a Rolodex, some comic relief, and a pervasive feeling growing. He’s very talented, and I have big hopes for him.” of acceptance. Thatcher thinks it’s too soon to tell what effect spending In creating the ballet’s structure, Thatcher works a year under Ratmansky’s guidance has had on his instinctively, then analyzes what he’s created. “I listen to my development as an artist. But he does know this about intuition and then question why I felt that.” The questioning his choreographic process: “A huge influence is the is necessary “so I can articulate [what I’ve done] to myself dancers — huge, huge, huge,” he says. “They really shape and to my dancers, so they get the right picture,” he says. what [the ballet] is going to be. It’s really humbling.”

Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon looks at each Antonio Vivaldi’s Violin Concerto in B-flat Major. Wheeldon new ballet as an opportunity to stretch himself artistically, describes the Bosso music as “not particularly complex, WITHIN THE and his wide-ranging works reflect that philosophy. His although some parts get rhythmically layered.” At times it’s © GOLDEN HOUR choreography, he says, embodies “a kind of synthesis haunting, at times playful; the Vivaldi is delicately pensive. PRODUCTION CREDITS between using the classical ballet technique, which I And all of the music creates a strong sense of place. “One Music: Ezio Bosso: The sky seen from the moon; Le Notti…; Of the love, and finding other dance forms to inspire a new, part sounds really Celtic; we call it the ‘Hebrides pas de Thunders; Dance of the tree; interesting way of looking at a ballet step.” He produced deux,’” he says. “It feels like two people in a big, expansive, Worried; African skies. Antonio Vivaldi: Andante from Violin a fine example of that kind of synthesis in creating Within barren but beautiful, poetic place, and they’re alone and Concerto in B-flat major, RV 583. the Golden Hour© for San Francisco Ballet’s New Works there’s nothing around except for a little white cottage in Costumes constructed by Tricorne, Inc., New York, New York. Scenic Festival in 2008. One of his best-loved works, this ballet the distance and a couple of moo-cows.” Another duet construction and painting by San has since been performed in venues worldwide. makes him think of “a Fellini-esque scene with the couple Francisco Ballet Carpentry and Scenic Departments at the San dancing around the Trevi Fountain,” he says. “And she’s in Francisco Opera Scenic Studios. Wheeldon’s eagerness to explore is apparent in his a purple polka-dot dress with heels and a big ’do.” Such choreographic career, which includes film, opera, and imagery helped Wheeldon create what he describes as a Broadway (notably, his successful An American in Paris) “quirky” pas de deux, which samples from social dances in addition to his many ballets. Music is central to his like the waltz, tango, and Charleston. The duet flows with creative process. “With each piece I’m very conscious of the melody or becomes fragmented, like the plucked violin going through different musical choices,” he says. “What strings we hear. did I achieve with that previous work, and how does that inform what I’m doing next?” He finds inspiration in art and What Within the Golden Hour© shows clearly is how other choreographers’ works — and sometimes in his own. Wheeldon responds to different tracks in the music. “Maybe there was something in a previous ballet [of mine] He calls it “punctuating the choreographic rhythm in that didn’t work as a whole, but there’s an idea within it juxtaposition to what’s going on musically. It’s fun to go that I could use,” he says. “I use that as a starting point, in and out of different aspects of the music, to go with and then it naturally takes a different course.” the sweep of the melody and then make an unexpected turn and suddenly have the dancers make the underlying Within the Golden Hour© is “like a series of small paintings rhythm visual. If you follow the melody all the way or sketches that are inspired by the music,” Wheeldon says. through, you end up with a rather bland, two-dimensional Rather than choosing a single composition to work with, representation of what you’re hearing.” In the end, he he compiled a score with six pieces for strings by Italian says, “dance is at its most successful when it’s making the composer Ezio Bosso and the Andante movement from music visual.”

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 79 08

© COMPOSER: SERGEI PROKOFIEV CINDERELLA CHOREOGRAPHER: CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON ASSISTANT TO THE CHOREOGRAPHER: JACQUELIN BARRETT APR 28 – MAY 07 LIBRETTO: CRAIG LUCAS SCENIC AND COSTUME DESIGN: JULIAN CROUCH LIGHTING DESIGN: NATASHA KATZ TREE AND CARRIAGE SEQUENCE DIRECTION/DESIGN: BASIL TWIST PROJECTION DESIGN: DANIEL BRODIE PERFORMANCE DATES SCENIC ASSOCIATE: FRANK MCCULLAGH Friday 04/28 8:00pm World Premiere: December 13, 2012 — Dutch National Ballet, Het Muziektheater; Amsterdam, Netherlands Saturday 04/29 2:00pm U.S. Premiere: May 3, 2013 — San Francisco Ballet, War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California Saturday 04/29 8:00pm Cinderella© is a co-production of San Francisco Ballet and Dutch National Ballet. Sunday 04/30 2:00pm The 2013 San Francisco Ballet premiere of Cinderella© was made possible by New Productions Fund Tuesday 05/02 7:30pm Lead Sponsors Mrs. Jeannik Méquet Littlefield, and Mr. and Mrs. John S. Osterweis; Major Sponsors Rudolf Nureyev Dance Foundation, and Larry and Joyce Stupski; Wednesday 05/03 7:30pm and Sponsors Richard C. Barker, Christine H. Russell Fund of the Columbia Foundation, Thursday 05/04 7:30pm Suzy Kellems Dominik, Stephanie Barlage Ejabat, Gaia Fund, The William Randolph Hearst Foundation, Saturday 05/06 2:00pm Cecilia and Jim Herbert, Alison and Michael Mauzé, and Diane B. Wilsey. © Saturday 05/06 8:00pm Cinderella is family-friendly. Recommended for children 8 and up. Sunday 05/07 2:00pm

80 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE 81 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET SAN

© 2017 SEASON GUIDE 2017 SEASON tells © You’ll find . You’ll © premiered in Amsterdam in 2012, then flew across the premiered in Amsterdam © By Cheryl A. Ossola Atlantic to make its US premiere in San Francisco in 2013. its US premiere to make Atlantic says Helgi Tomasson, works has something unique,” “Each of Christopher’s Wheeldon is an director and principal choreographer. artistic SF Ballet’s Formerly a resident worldwide. in demand at companies acclaimed dancemaker, City Ballet and now an artistic associate at The Royal choreographer at New York . with the musical An American in Paris Ballet, he caused a sensation on Broadway Cinderella a frequent presence at SF Ballet, with 13 works in the repertory. And he’s no fairy godmother, no pumpkin coach, no clock striking midnight — but you won’t you won’t no pumpkin coach, no clock striking midnight — but no fairy godmother, or when Cinderella shows and “dances,” miss them a bit when a tree comes alive miss them when the And you won’t charm runs deep. backbone and her Prince’s I wanted Christopher Wheeldon. “What dancing and the storytelling come from by taking the choreographer says, “was echo the darkness in the music to do,” version rather than the [Charles] some of the themes from the Brothers Grimm fairy godmother and pumpkin coach. “The Grimm version with its version,” Perrault nature and the spirit of mother.” centered around is more serious and a bit darker, got the idea of a tree that grows from the grave of Cinderella’s where he That’s poetic [than a fairy “the deliverer of all things magic, which I think is more mother, he says. “There are comic moments because godmother] and quite beautiful,” a more serious Cinderella in a way.” comedy written into the music, but it’s there’s in 1940 but shelved for That music, written by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev II, made its first appearance when Bolshoi Ballet War several years during World “I Zakharov. premiered Cinderella in November 1945, choreographed by Rostislav about the score. Conductor Martin West says Music Director and Principal love it,” come around, way the themes immediately striking, and astonishingly clever the “It’s Prokofiev’s the way he could create an atmosphere out of something very simple.” says, “came from the heart, but Cinderella is more cerebral. and Juliet, West Romeo but once you’ve lived with it, it starts to eat at you. Some longer to get into, It takes of it is so beautiful.” music is the main reason Principal Dancer Beautiful enough, in fact, that Cinderella’s this ballet. As a student at the Bolshoi had wanted to dance Maria Kochetkova she watched a video of the ballet (with Russian ballerina Raisa Ballet Academy, because of the “Not in the title role) and dreamed of dancing it someday. Struchkova says. Kochetkova pas de deux or unusual costumes or story that I wanted to act,” parts change with her mood, she says. Her favorite “It was because of the music.” Even though the first-act music.” the waltz; sometimes I really like “Sometimes it’s it so realistic and dramatic.” she says, “the score makes the story is a fairy tale, in 1893, Petersburg It debuted in St. As a ballet, Cinderella has a lengthy pedigree. famous Ivanov, with Enrico Cecchetti and Lev choreographed by Marius Petipa first whipped classical ballet. (This was when ballerina Pierina Legnani of “fathers” leg repeatedly out an unheard-of 32 consecutive fouettés — pirouettes in which one The of virtuosity.) extends and whips in, foot to knee — a feat that is now a standard had to wait until 1938 to see a Cinderella, and when the chance came it was West cat. which added the role of Cinderella’s one-act version in London, Michel Fokine’s Ballet in London, Wells In 1948, Sir Frederick Ashton made a Cinderella for Sadler’s The heart of the old, the spirit of the new. Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella Wheeldon’s Christopher the spirit of the new. The heart of the old, PROGRAM NOTES PROGRAM the same uplifting story people have heard for centuries, but this is a ballet full of ballet this is a people have heard for centuries, but the same uplifting story and Dutch Ballet twists. A co-production of San Francisco innovations and modern National Ballet, Cinderella was his eighth commission and first full-length story ballet for the Company. Company. story ballet for the was his eighth commission and first full-length Cinderella words about originality ring true in Wheeldon’s Tomasson’s

© , Op. 87 by Music: Cinderella, Op. by used Sergei Prokofiev, arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc., publisher and copyright Masks constructed owner. by Julian Crouch. Projection Southern. Patrick Programmer, Scenic construction by Het Muziektheater Scenic and Special thanks to Shop. Paint Head of Costume Oliver Haller, Department for Dutch National Ballet. Costume construction by Das Gewand, Maßschneiderei Lowland Schoppe, Rainer and Phil Sacha Keir Tailors, Schouten, Esther Kim Reynolds, Datema, Bert Nuhaan, and Klaus Schreck. CINDERELLA PRODUCTION CREDITS

and it was the first English full-length ballet done in the cultural exchange,” says Wheeldon, “but it has its pluses tradition of the 19th-century classics. He based it on the and minuses. One dancer hasn’t necessarily followed it Perrault fairy tale and used the Prokofiev score. Ashton through from beginning to end. On the other hand, more revived an old tradition by casting men — including people have had the benefit of being created on.” himself — as the Ugly Sisters. Margot Fonteyn, his choice for Cinderella, was injured during rehearsals, and so it In creating a world for his characters to inhabit, Wheeldon was Moira Shearer of The Red Shoes fame who created assembled an artistic team with imaginations as big as the title role. his own. Step one was brainstorming with playwright and librettist Craig Lucas, who describes the early stages of Ashton’s Cinderella was followed by an onslaught of Cinderella© as “a constant back and forth, teasing out productions. Among them, Mikhail Baryshnikov and a shared understanding of what is exciting about the Peter Anastos made Cinderella for American Ballet story. [We wanted] to burrow into possibilities we had Theatre in 1984; like Fokine’s, it included Cinderella’s Cat. never seen explored.” These included a substitute for the Baryshnikov had never danced this ballet in Russia; it Fairy Godmother — an essential element, according to was the music that enticed him to create his own. Rudolf Wheeldon. “We all toy with the idea that loved ones are Nureyev, in his 1986 production for Paris Opera Ballet, always watching over us in some way,” he says. He and set the ballet in Hollywood and gave the beleaguered Lucas settled on the tree that grows when Cinderella cries Cinderella an alcoholic father. And in SF Ballet over her mother’s grave — in effect, a character, “a living Choreographer in Residence Yuri Possokhov’s 2006 thing that could embrace the action,” says Lucas — and production for Bolshoi Ballet, the Storyteller (Prokofiev four Fates who offer guidance and protection. himself) replaces the Fairy Godmother. Wheeldon also knew he wanted his Cinderella to be in Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella© isn’t the first to find charge of her destiny. Yes, she’s a servant in her own a home at SF Ballet — that honor goes to a production home, but “she knows she doesn’t have to be there by Lew Christensen and Michael Smuin, then co-artistic forever,” he says. “It is good versus evil; it is that if you’re directors, in 1973. Wheeldon’s version, with all the a good person things can come out right. But it’s not technological advantages of the 21st century, began saying if you’re meek or subservient you’ll be rewarded.” percolating when he and Tomasson discussed ideas for a new full-length ballet to be co-produced with Dutch The concept of an empowered Cinderella suits National Ballet. Kochetkova just fine, “because I feel like you do have to fight for things in life, but by being a good person, not As Wheeldon soon found, creating a production on two by pushing others out of the way. I feel like she’s a really continents simultaneously isn’t easy. “It was my crazy strong character.” Cinderella gains some of her strength idea,” he says. “I said, ‘I’ll do some of it here and some of from the four Spirits (seasonal fairies in Prokofiev’s score), it there, and we’ll make it work.’” Several Dutch National who, while teaching her to dance, imbue her with such Ballet principal dancers rehearsed in San Francisco for gifts as elegance and lightness of being. The steps she a few weeks in 2012, and several from SF Ballet went learns form the basis of her solo at the Prince’s ball. to Amsterdam; that way the choreography could be created on both companies at once. “It promotes a nice

82 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE Cinderella’s Prince, too, is more complex than in traditional make the tree be more than scenery — a character that versions — more than “just a handsome mug,” Wheeldon would, in effect, dance. The mechanics aren’t that difficult, says. He and Lucas gave the Prince a childhood — and he says; it’s just like moving any piece of scenery. But then a servant who happens to be his best friend. In a classic “you get to the moment when you’re choreographing for mistaken-identity plot device, the Prince masquerades the tree, to the music, and you’re saying, ‘Now it makes as the servant, so “the Prince sees who Cinderella really this shape; now it’s that shape.’ You feel the tree as you is,” says Lucas. “She isn’t reacting to someone’s status; would a dancer. That’s when it comes alive.” she is treating him [respectfully] as she would the lowliest person, something he isn’t used to experiencing. He has Twist has done many productions involving dance no idea that Cinderella is also hiding her identity.” and music, and his work spans continents. (His Obie Award–winning Symphonie Fantastique, an underwater But what’s a story without a setting? Wheeldon chose puppetry and art extravaganza set to Hector Berlioz’ Julian Crouch to do the sets and costumes because score, ran for two years and caught Wheeldon’s eye.) of his “very fantastical approach to design. He always But of everything Basil has created, what holds particular seems to embrace the darker side of the fairy tales meaning for him is the tree in Cinderella©. “This is he’s done,” he says. Crouch had designed for theater, maybe corny, but as a child I always used to go to [SF opera, and musicals, but ballet was a new world for him. Ballet’s] Nutcracker,” he says. “And the tree growing And he discovered that “it needs to be fluid. I think this onstage — it’s one of the reasons I work in the theater. Cinderella© is more fluid than the traditional,” he says. “It I so loved that moment.” So he’s thrilled, he says, to be moves scene to scene more rapidly; it has more locations. “doing my own tree on the same stage.” So for me it’s been an exercise in suggestion, really — I’ve had to suggest a location and support the atmosphere The tree’s foliage and movements are enhanced by and then move fluidly to the next one.” As for the projections — not in a major way, Couch says, but to costumes, he says there’s “a looseness about them. Fairy “support the atmosphere, like the lighting does.” And

Erik Tomasson tales are ‘once upon a time,’ not ‘once upon 1870.’” The lighting is where Natasha Katz comes in. To her, this ballet ©

// period is the 1800s “but spread over the century,” he says. is “about transitions. Cinderella has moments of revelation © “Each character is allowed to drift a bit in time. I’d say it’s and transition, and they’re all tapered to a place of joy.” timeless; in that sense it has a fluidity as well.” What that means in terms of lighting, she says, is that “you Cinderella can’t have light without darkness. The lighting really is the Crouch describes his design method as “like a purifying chiaroscuro of emotion. We’re going to have darkness process.” Set designs come before those for costumes, when it’s emotionally dark, and we’re going to have joy Erik Tomasson © Erik Tomasson and he starts by collecting images that spark his when we’re supposed to have joy. And that is light and © // © // imagination. “You collect these things and they become fluffy and beautiful and fun.” © the beginning of a conversation, with yourself, but also ©

Cinderella with the people you’re collaborating with.” The images What’s most exciting about this Cinderella , says Katz, “is Cinderella lead to ideas, which then develop into a design concept. that it’s completely new, that we all started from the same place together.” She wasn’t one of those little girls who One of Crouch’s collaborators is award-winning puppeteer dreamed of being Cinderella — but if she had been, she Basil Twist, whose primary role with Cinderella© was to says, “this is the one I would have dreamed about.”

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 83 Center: Frances Chung and Sarah Van Patten in Wheeldon’s in Wheeldon’s Patten Center: Frances Chung and Sarah Van Right: SF Ballet in Wheeldon’s Right: SF Ballet in Wheeldon’s Left: SF Ballet in Wheeldon’s SF Ballet in Wheeldon’s Left: Explore Ballet

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS Who are the new voices in the ballet world today? What makes a ballet a “classic”? How difficult is it to do the MEET THE ARTIST INTERVIEWS (AND PODCASTS) black swan’s famous turns in Swan Fridays, 7:00–7:30 pm Sundays, 1:00–1:30 pm Lake? What’s a typical day in the life Open to all ticket holders for selected performances of a dancer? SF Ballet’s Explore Ballet programs answer these questions For an inside look at the performance you’re about to see, come a bit early. Perfect for newcomers, and more. balletomanes, and everyone in between, pre-performance Meet the Artist Interviews (MTAs) feature a conversation with an artist who worked on the performance. Curious about what our artists have to Information at sfballet.org/explore say? An archive of previous MTAs is available at sfballet.org/explore/podcasts.

All Audience Engagement Programs are subject to change. The views, opinions, and information 2017 POINTES OF VIEW (POV) LECTURE SERIES expressed are strictly those of the participants, and do not necessarily represent or imply any official Wednesdays, 6–6:45 pm FREE and open to the public position of San Francisco Ballet Association. War Memorial Opera House, Orchestra Level Please use the carriage entrance on the north side of the building

Company artists, visiting scholars, and others offer key insights into the performance. All are welcome — you don’t need to buy a ticket to attend.

Jan 25 | Program 1 moments that predicted a growing presence, In the years since Jennifer Homans predicted DeFrantz considers how African-American ballet’s eminent demise in her Apollo’s Angels, audiences, dancemakers, and performing artists we have seen the rise of a new crop of have shifted and revised ballet’s possibilities as choreographers — all of them young, and many of an art form. them American. Chief among these artists is Justin Peck, a dancer with New York City Ballet and now Mar 15 | Program 5 its resident choreographer. Writer Claudia La Rocco Contemporary music offers choreographers the shares her thoughts on Peck and his colleagues. chance to explore new sonic worlds and take audiences into new states of artistic consciousness. Feb 1 | Program 2 Musicologist Jim Steichen and Music Director How do production elements contribute to the and Principal Conductor Martin West discuss the overall look and feel of new ballets? Dance strategies that the conductor and musicians use to Educator Mary Wood talks with Ballet Master Anita prepare music that many in the audience — and on Paciotti, Production Director and Lighting Designer stage — are hearing for the first time. Christopher Dennis, and Set Designer Alexander Nichols about Yuri Possokhov’s world premiere Apr 5 | Program 7 Optimistic Tragedy. Dance Educator Mary Wood and Rubén Martín Cintas, a former SF Ballet principal dancer who Feb 22 | Frankenstein is currently SF Ballet School faculty and pas de Litquake, the Bay Area’s literary festival, and deux teacher, discuss the art of pas de deux. San San Francisco Ballet co-present Frankenstein Francisco Ballet School Trainees demonstrate the at the Ballet: Mary Shelley and Her “Hideous intricacies of partnering. Progeny.” Professor Ellen Peel from the Comparative and World Literature Department Apr 12 | Swan Lake at SF State University reflects on the origin Dance Scholar Carrie Gaiser Casey speaks of Frankenstein. Shelley was often asked, “how with the people who make the magic happen I, then a young girl, came to think of...so very backstage. Former Company dancers and current hideous an idea.” Peel will address that question backstage production crew Laurie Cowden and by looking at cultural and scientific forces in her Sedley Chew talk about their professional lives day, and by considering Shelly’s early life. Peel in the wardrobe and stage crew departments will comment on how the novel has managed to and their transition from dancer to backstage play so powerfully on our wishes and fears for two production crew. centuries, becoming a myth continually reborn in new avatars, now including a ballet. May 3 | Cinderella© Ballet Master Betsy Erickson and artists from Mar 8 | Program 4 the Company speak with dance educator Thomas F. DeFrantz, dance researcher and Chair Mary Wood on preparing to dance Christopher of African American Studies at Duke University, Wheeldon’s Cinderella©. What makes this ballet offers a history of the African-American presence as thrilling for the artists to dance as it is for the in American ballet. Focusing on the historical audience to watch?

84 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE DANCE FOR ALL AGES LET’S DANCE OPEN CLASSES AT FAMILY WORKSHOP SF BALLET SCHOOL Cinderella© Let your spirit soar as you experience the Apr 9, 2:30–3:30 pm joy of moving in our beautiful studios. An enchanted day awaits your family when you BALLET APPRECIATION join us for our Let’s Dance Family Workshop for ADULT BALLET CLASSES Are you looking to deepen your knowledge Cinderella. Kids and adults alike will discover the of SF Ballet and the art form in general? This magical story, choreography, music, and costumes Our open classes are inclusive and fun, a unique, in-depth series explores both the of Cinderella during our 60-minute workshop. Kids good workout that stretches your artistry as inspiration for the magic you see onstage will even get to learn excerpts from Christopher well as your muscles. Open to adults and © and the intricacies of how we get it there. Wheeldon’s Cinderella from an SF Ballet School teens over the age of 16 with basic ballet Take one course or take them all; you’ll faculty member. Whether or not your family has experience, classes start at the barre, then come away with an inside look into ballet in seen our production onstage at the Opera House, move to the center through traditional ballet the 21st century. For more information: our Cinderella Let’s Dance Family Workshop is exercises and combinations. Be prepared sfballet.org/ballet-appreciation. sure to spark your child’s imagination. to sweat (at least a little) and to have a good time. It is recommended that true ballet Let’s Dance Family Workshops are recommended beginners start with our Beginner Ballet 1 BALLET 101: SAN FRANCISCO BALLET for families with children ages 6–12. You are series. We want to make sure you get the Jan 23, Jan 30, and Feb 6, 6–8 pm welcome to attend this Family Workshop even full attention of our teachers, so we limit A beginner’s guide to SF Ballet if you do not have performance tickets to enrollment to 30 students per class. Classes © Curious about life behind the curtain at SF Cinderella. Children must be accompanied by fill quickly — reserve your spot today. Ballet? Ballet 101 is three class sessions an adult. Tickets are $20 for children and adults, designed to harness the knowledge of with a minimum purchase of one child and one Beginner Ballet 1 Series (8 weeks) Company artists and staff to give you an adult ticket. Everyone participates and everyone Jan 11–Mar 1 overview of the art form and access to needs a ticket, regardless of age. For the safety Wednesdays, 9:30–11 am, individuals that make SF Ballet one of the of our young visitors, adults unaccompanied by a taught by Jeffrey Lyons world’s most celebrated ballet companies. child will not be allowed into the Family Workshop. It’s never too late to start taking ballet. This You’ll also get to take (or watch) a ballet class Children should wear comfortable clothes that eight-session beginner series is for those with a faculty member from SF Ballet School allow for movement, but ballet shoes are not who are new to ballet and those who feel and you’ll receive a comprehensive overview required. Children are welcome to wear their like they would like to get a handle on the of the 2017 Repertory Season. favorite ballet costume. basics. Instruction will be broken down to the core elements and then built each week so that you’ll finish feeling confident and BALLET 201: CLASSICAL BALLET MASTER CLASSES excited to continue your training. Students Feb 27, Mar 6, and Mar 13, 6–8 pm REGISTER TO DANCE OR OBSERVE must be at least 16 years old to participate. A deep dive into the tradition of the Master Classes provide an in-depth look at one art form particular ballet or choreographer. Designed BALLET FOR YOUNG CHILDREN Why does San Francisco Ballet continue to for advanced-level dancers ages 15–25, Master Give your child the gift of dance! Learning do the classics and how is classical ballet Classes also welcome up to 75 observers, and different than contemporary ballet? How has the joy of movement begins with Pre-Ballet offer an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at the classes at San Francisco Ballet School. We ballet changed through the years and what rigor and craft of ballet. To participate in or observe does it mean for a dancer to have classical introduce young children ages 4–7 to the a Master Class, you must register in advance. fundamentals of classical ballet, focusing training? Join us for this new course to learn Children ages 8–14 must be accompanied by an the answers. In three class sessions, you’ll on proper body alignment, basic ballet adult, and those under 8 are not allowed. For more technique and terminology, and musicality. attend a coaching session for a classical information: sfballet.org/masterclasses. ballet and hear how dancers are guided Audition not required. Fall 2017 classes will to attain the perfection required when be open for enrollment beginning in April. Sunday, Jan 29, 10 am–noon More at sfballet.org/school/pre-ballet. performing a classical role. Contemporary Ballet, SF Ballet Style SF Ballet Soloist James Sofranko and Ballet BALLET 202: CONTEMPORARY BALLET Master Katita Waldo take you on a journey ADULT BALLET WORKSHOP through the fascinating choreography of June 5–9 Aug 14, Aug 21, and Aug 28, 6–8 pm Forsythe’s Pas/Parts 2016. The future of ballet Why do kids always get to have all the fun? For the first time, SF Ballet School Why does San Francisco Ballet value new Sunday, Mar 12, 10 am–noon work and what exactly is contemporary is organizing a summer dance workshop Balanchine Rep at SF Ballet just for adults. Join acclaimed faculty and ballet? Does it require different training or School Faculty Member Tina LeBlanc and skills to dance new works? This new course special guests in daily ballet technique Company Ballet Master Felipe Diaz give an inside and repertory classes in our beautiful provides the answers to these questions in look at preparing to dance Balanchine ballets. three class sessions. Plus, you’ll get to speak studios with live accompaniment. Dance lovers from across the country will unite with a choreographer who is creating a new Sunday, Apr 9, 10 am–noon work for SF Ballet’s 2018 Repertory Season. in San Francisco this summer to share in Tomasson’s Swan Lake a one-week experience of a dancer’s life Getting to the core of the corps de ballet, join at SF Ballet. Early bird discount available Ballet Master Betsy Erickson and two artists of the through Feb 28. For more information: Company (TBD based on casting) for an insightful sfballet.org/adultworkshop. look at corps de ballet roles in Swan Lake.

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 85 San Francisco Ballet Staff

HELGI TOMASSON ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & PRINCIPAL CHOREOGRAPHER DEVELOPMENT FACILITIES GLENN MCCOY JENNIFER MEWHA, Associate Director of Development NATHAN BRITO, Facilities Manager EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FERMIN NASOL, Senior Manager, ZACHARY HUFFAKER, Facilities Supervisor Capital and Principal Gifts ADRIAN RODRIGUEZ, Facilities Coordinator

ELIZABETH LANI, Planned Giving Manager TODD MARTIN, STANLEY WONG, Facilities Assistants ARTISTIC JIM SOHM, Research Manager TAMARA DE LA CRUZ, NICOLE DRYSDALE, RICARDO BUSTAMANTE, Ballet Master EMILY MARKOE, Membership Manager YANA VINCENT, Receptionists & Assistant to the Artistic Director INGRID ROMAN, Special Events Manager SENG SAECHAO, Weekend Facilities Assistant FELIPE DIAZ, BETSY ERICKSON, ARI LIPSKY, Christensen Society Manager ANITA PACIOTTI, KATITA WALDO, Ballet Masters AMY DREW, Corporate Giving Officer & Interim Institutional Giving Officer YURI POSSOKHOV, Choreographer in Residence INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY NICOLE LUGTU, Christensen Society Officer CAROLINE GIESE, Artistic Administrator MURRAY BOGNOVITZ, Director of ASHLEY RITS, Development Database Coordinator ALAN TAKATA-VILLAREAL, Logistics Manager Information Technology HALEY O’NEIL, Individual Gifts Associate ABBY MASTERS, Assistant to the Artistic Staff STACY DESIMINI, IT Operations & Project Manager RYAN ENGSTROM, Major Gifts Associate KAREN IRVIN, Application Administrator CATHERINE DAVIS, Special Events Associate & Help Desk Coordinator

ESTHER LIM, Special Events Assistant JOSH MARSHALL, Web Administrator OPERATIONS LYNN NOONAN, Principal Gifts Consultant JIAPENG JIANG, IT Specialist DEBRA BERNARD, General Manager LAUREN CHADWICK, Company Manager

JULIETTE LEBLANC, Production Analyst MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS FRONT OF HOUSE MARY BETH SMITH, Director of JAMYE DIVILA, House Manager Marketing & Communications PRODUCTION MARIALICE DOCKUS, Head Usher KYRA JABLONSKY, Associate Director, Communications RODNEY ANDERSON, DANICA BURT, CHRISTOPHER DENNIS, Production Director THOMAS WEITZ, Associate Director, Digital Strategy ANTHONY CANTELLO, LAURENT DELA CRUZ, DANIEL THOMAS, Technical Manager MARY GOTO, Senior Manager, Marketing and Sales MARTIN DIAS, STARSKY DIAS, MARIALICE DOCKUS, KATE SHARE, Manager of Wardrobe, Wig, JONATHAN DROGIN, CHIP HEATH, ELAINE KAWASAKI, Make-Up, and Costume Construction VALERIE MEGAS, Senior Manager, Retail Operations EILEEN KEREMITSIS, RYSZARD KOPROWSKI, JIM FRENCH, Lighting Supervisor APRIL JOHNSTON, Marketing & Promotions Manager BILL LASCHUK, SHARON LEE, LENORE LONG, NICHOLAS ASHBY, Web & Digital Platforms Manager DOUG LUYENDYK, EVELYN MARTINEZ, JANE GREEN, Production Stage Manager LEONTYNE MBELE-MBONG, DALE NEDELCO, JESSICA BARKER, Stage Manager JAMES HOSKING, Video Producer/Editor WAYNE NOEL, BETH NORRIS, JAN PADOVER, NIXON BRACISCO, Master Carpenter ERIK ALMLIE, Media Asset Administrator JULIE PECK, ROBERT REMPLE, BILL REPP, OLIVIA RAMSAY, Social Media Producer RILLA REYNOLDS, ROBYN SANDBERG, JOE SAVIN, KELLY CORTER KELLY, Master Electrician KELLY SMITH, STEPHANIE SOMERSILLE, KENNETH M. RYAN, Master of Properties CAITLIN SIMS, Publications Editor THERESA SUN, TOM TAFFEL, RICHARD WAGNER, KEVIN KIRBY, Audio Engineer MONICA CHENG, Graphic Designer STEVE WEISS, JOANNE WESTFALL, ELAINE YEE, Ushers JOHN O’DONNELL, Flyman NANNETTE MICKLE, Group Sales Representative GEORGE ELVIN, Wardrobe Manager RENA NISHIJIMA, Communications Associate PATTI FITZPATRICK, Interim Head of Women’s Wardrobe EMILY MUNOZ, Marketing Associate RICHARD BATTLE, Head of Hair and Makeup THOMAS RICHARDS, Assistant Head of Hair and Makeup TICKET SERVICES SHERRI LEBLANC, Company Shoe Administrator BETSY LINDSEY, Associate Director, Ticket and Patron Services JENNIFER PETERIAN, Box Office Manager/Treasurer MUSIC MARK HOLLEMAN, Sales & Service Supervisor MARTIN WEST, Music Director & Principal Conductor ELENA RATTO, Patron Services Specialist MUNGUNCHIMEG BURIAD, JOLE MENDOZA, Ticketing Database Specialist NATAL’YA FEYGINA, NINA PINZARRONE, DAVID CLARK, Box Office Supervisor Company Pianists MICHELLE HUGHES, JERICHO LINDSEY, TRACY DAVIS, Orchestra Personnel Manager PATRICIA PEARSON, CHERRYL USI, & Music Administrator Ticket Services Associates MATTHEW NAUGHTIN, Music Librarian

FINANCE ADMINISTRATION KIM ONDRECK CARIM, Chief Financial Officer CECELIA BEAM, Human Resources Manager NATALIE QUAN, Controller LAURA SIMPSON, Board Relations Manager VALERIE RUBAN, Accounting Supervisor ROCIO SALAZAR, Human Resources Generalist ANNETTE ORTEGA, Payroll Manager KATHARINE CHAMBERS, Assistant to NICOLE MARKOVICH, Senior Accountant Senior Executive Staff MARIE MORROW-WRIGHT, Staff Accountant JULIA NOTTEBOHM, Special Events Consultant JACQUELYN LEE, Staff Accountant JENNIFER KOVACEVICH, Lean Ops Project Manager

86 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE Education and Training Administration EDUCATION AND TRAINING ANDREA YANNONE, Director of Education and Training CHRISTINA GRAY RUTTER, Assistant Administrative Director San Francisco Ballet School JASMINE YEP HUYNH, Manager of Youth Programs HELGI TOMASSON, Director and Teacher Support PATRICK ARMAND, Associate Director JENNIFER BAKANE, School Operations Manager ELIZABETH RODDY, School Programs Coordinator School Faculty TAI VOGEL, School Registrar and PATRICK ARMAND Summer Session Coordinator KRISTI DECAMINADA CECELIA BEAM, Adult Education Seminar Coordinator KAREN GABAY LAUREN CHERTUDI, Administrative Assistant, YUKO KATSUMI Education & Training TINA LEBLANC NICOLE SIKORA, Education Assistant JEFFREY LYONS MAPLE LAW, School Assistant RUBÉN MARTÍN CINTAS, Lee R. Crews NAIMA MCQUEEN, Residence Manager Endowed Faculty Member ELIZABETH IAN, WILL REESE, Resident Assistants ILONA MCHUGH LESLIE DONOHUE, CHRIS FITZSIMONS, PASCAL MOLAT School Physical Therapists WENDY VAN DYCK, Trainee Program Assistant JAIME DIAZ, Strengthening BRIAN FISHER, Contemporary Dance COMPANY PHYSICIANS DANA GENSHAFT, Contemporary Dance RICHARD GIBBS, M.D. & ROWAN PAUL, MD, and Conditioning Supervising Physicians HENRY BERG, Conditioning MICHAEL LESLIE, PT, Director, Dancer Wellness Center LEONID SHAGALOV, Character Dance KRISTIN WINGFIELD, M.D., Primary Care Sports Medicine JAMIE NARUSHCHEN, DANIEL SULLIVAN, Music FREDERIC BOST, M.D., On-site Orthopedist SOFIANE SYLVE, Principal Guest Faculty PETER CALLANDER, M.D., KEITH DONATTO, M.D., JON DICKINSON, M.D., Orthopedic Advisors to the Company School Pianists KARL SCHMETZ, Consulting Physical Therapist JAMIE NARUSHCHEN, School Pianist Supervisor, Lee R. Crews Endowed Pianist ACTIVE CARE, LISA GIANNONE, Director, Off-site Physical Therapy & Conditioning Classes ELLA BELILOVSKAYA, RITSUKO MICKY KUBO, DANIEL SULLIVAN, GALINA UMANSKAYA, LEONARD STEIN, D.C., Chiropractic Care BILLY WOLFE, School Pianists HENRY BERG, Rehabilitation Class Instructor KELSEY ANDERSON, Wellness Program Manager Dance in Schools and Communities Teaching Artists ALISA CLAYTON SAMMAY DIZON CYNTHIA PEPPER PHOENICIA PETTYJOHN JOTI SINGH GENOA SPERSKE MAURA WHELEHAN

Dance in Schools and Communities Accompanists DAVID FRAZIER

OMAR LEDEZMA The artists employed by San Francisco Ballet are ZEKE NEALY members of the American Guild of Musical Artists, AFL-CIO, the Union of professional dancers, singers, WADE PETERSON and staging personnel in the United States. The San BONGO SIDIBE Francisco Ballet Association is a member of Dance/ USA; American Arts Alliance; the Greater San Francisco Chamber of Commerce; and the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau. Legal Services provided by Adler & Colvin; Fallon Bixby Cheng & Lee; Fettmann Ginsburg, PC; Epstein Becker & Green, PC; Littler Mendelson, PC; Miller Law Group; and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP. Audit services provided by Grant Thornton LLP. Insurance brokerage services provided by DeWitt Stern Group. The Centers for Sports and Dance Medicine at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital are the official health care providers for the San Francisco Ballet School. Special thanks to Dr. James G. Garrick, Dr. Susan Lewis, Dr. Jane Denton, Dr. Selina Shah, Dr. Rémy Aridizzone, Chris Corpus, Joseph Levinson, and the Physical Therapy Department for generously providing their service. The Centers for Sports and Dance Medicine at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital are the official health care providers for the San Francisco Ballet School. Special thanks to Dr. James G. Garrick, Dr. Susan Lewis, Dr. Jane Denton, Dr. Selina Shah, Dr. Rémy Aridizzone, Chris Corpus, Joseph Levinson, and the Physical Therapy Department for generously providing their services.

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 87 Corporate and Foundation Support

CORPORATE COUNCIL Forward-thinking organizations understand the need to create ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S COUNCIL CHAIRMAN’S COUNCIL a vibrant civic life in the places GIFTS OF $100,000–$249,999 GIFTS OF $15,000–$24,999 they do business. Leading corporations — local, national, Osterweis Capital Management Brunello Cucinelli and international — enhance their Dodge & Cox PRESENTER’S COUNCIL Pacific Union - Christie’s International Real Estate reputations by supporting SF Ballet GIFTS OF $50,000–$99,999 performances, touring, special events, Bank of America CHOREOGRAPHER’S COUNCIL and our community engagement GIFTS OF $10,000–$14,999 programs. And when they do, they Chevron are able to promote their brand to an First Republic Bank Almaden Press audience of opinion makers, entertain Innovation Global Capital Gap Foundation clients at performances, and receive JPMorgan Chase & Co. Integnology other special benefits as part of a KPMG Mechanics Bank Wealth Management customized benefits package. Giving Pacific Gas & Electric Company Saks Fifth Avenue from private, family, and community Tiffany & Co. Willis Towers Watson Wells Fargo Foundation foundations helps us commission DANCER’S COUNCIL new works; design and build sets and SPONSOR’S COUNCIL GIFTS OF $5,000–$9,999 costumes; take the Company on tour; GIFTS OF $25,000–$49,999 and engage our communities. B|O|S (Bingham, Osborn & Scarborough, LLC) Freed of London Delta Dental of California To learn more, contact Corporate Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP Denning and Company Giving Officer & Interim Institutional Kaiser Permanente SpotHero Giving Officer Amy Drew at La Perla [email protected] or 415 865 6616. Wells Fargo Private Bank

IN-KIND DONORS

GRAND BENEFACTOR’S COUNCIL CHAIRMAN’S COUNCIL GIFTS OF $250,000 AND ABOVE GIFTS OF $15,000–$24,999 Bay Area Rapid Transit Ernest Vineyards KGO-TV The Fairmont San Francisco San Francisco Chronicle Nob Hill Gazette Sutter Securities Incorporated ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S COUNCIL GIFTS OF $100,000 AND ABOVE CHOREOGRAPHER’S COUNCIL KCBS GIFTS OF $10,000–$14,999 KPIX Almaden Press KNTV DotheBay KQED TV Kryolan Professional Make-up San Francisco magazine Miette

PRESENTER’S COUNCIL DANCER’S COUNCIL GIFTS OF $50,000–$99,999 GIFTS OF $5,000–$9,999 Bay Area Reporter Ashley Morgan Designs J Riccardo Benavides Patina Catering McCalls Catering & Events UpOut Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP ASSOCIATE’S COUNCIL SPONSOR’S COUNCIL GIFTS OF $2,500–$4,999 GIFTS OF $25,000–$49,999 Epi Center MedSpa Avissi Prosecco Bouchaine Vineyards Folie à Deux United Airlines

88 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE FOUNDATION AND GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

GRAND BENEFACTOR CHOREOGRAPHER’S COUNCIL GIFTS OF $250,000 AND ABOVE GIFTS OF $10,000–$14,999 Bently Foundation Crankstart Foundation Grants for the Arts John and Marcia Goldman Foundation E. L. Wiegand Foundation Mimi and Peter Haas Fund Heising-Simons Foundation ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S COUNCIL Scutchfield and Daughter GIFTS OF $100,000–$249,999 The Wingate Foundation Gaia Fund K.A. Zankel Foundation The Hearst Foundations Zellerbach Family Foundation The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation George F. Jewett Foundation DANCER’S COUNCIL Koret Foundation GIFTS OF $5,000–$9,999 The Bernard Osher Foundation Nancy & Joachim Bechtle Foundation The Seiger Family Foundation Mervyn L. Brenner Foundation, Inc. The Swanson Foundation Chang Mooi Family Foundation Clumeck Foundation PRESENTER’S COUNCIL Fleishhacker Foundation GIFTS OF $50,000–$99,999 Edward And Marjorie Goldberger Foundation Edward Baker Foundation Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund Cox Family Foundation Walter S. Johnson Foundation Flora Family Foundation Reach-A-Star Foundation Stephen and Margaret Gill Family Foundation Jeanne and Sanford Robertson Fund Grossman Family Foundation Storm Castle Foundation The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation The Laney Thornton Foundation National Endowment for the Arts The Vasicek Foundation The Shubert Foundation, Inc. The Whitman Family Foundation Wallis Foundation ASSOCIATE’S COUNCIL SPONSOR’S COUNCIL GIFTS OF $2,500–$4,999 GIFTS OF $25,000–$49,999 The Amphion Foundation Arrillaga Foundation The Donald and Carole Chaiken Foundation The Frank H. and Eva B. Buck Foundation Dorrance Family Foundation Dan and Stacey Case Family Foundation Katz Family Foundation The Hellman Foundation Lakeside Foundation H. B. and Lucille Horn Foundation Laube Family Foundation The William G. Irwin Charity Foundation Post Family Foundation Lamond Family Foundation Springcreek Foundation The Charles Henry Leach, II Fund Urbanek Family Foundation MSB Cockayne Fund Wender Weis Foundation for Children The Walske Charitable Foundation

CHAIRMAN’S COUNCIL GIFTS OF $15,000–$24,999 Crescent Porter Hale Foundation Walter & Elise Haas Fund John Brockway Huntington Foundation Roberts Foundation

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 89 Your Legacy, Our Future

Beloved as a ballerina at San Francisco Ballet from the 1940s to the 1970s, Jocelyn Vollmar has also been a longtime mentor to students at SF Ballet School. She epitomizes the strength, grace, and artistry at the heart of SF Ballet. Jocelyn has played an important role in developing a cultural legacy in this world-class city—and so can you, by including our organization in your will or trust.

When you let us know that you’ve included SF Ballet in your estate plans, we’re pleased to invite you to join the Jocelyn Vollmar Legacy Circle. As a member, you’ll become a special part of the SF Ballet family For more information, and will be invited to exclusive events throughout the year. contact SF Ballet Planned Giving Manager Elizabeth Lani at 415 865 6623 or [email protected]. Jocelyn Vollmar in “Black Swan” costume outside the Palace of Fine Arts, costume outside the Palace in “Black Swan” Jocelyn Vollmar May 31, 1962 Golden Gate Park, Great Benefactors

American Airlines JPMorgan Chase & Co. Our most loyal donors are dedicated Estate of Helen Anderton Maurice Kanbar to supporting exquisite art and also AT&T Dr. and Mrs. Jerome Ormond Kirschbaum understand that a contribution to SF Bank of America Foundation Diana Dollar Knowles Ballet is an investment in the cultural life of the Bay Area. Our growth and Richard C. Barker Estate of Diana Dollar Knowles evolution as a company and school Bingham McCutchen LLP Koret Foundation is due in large part to the steadfast BRAVO Mary Jo and Dick Kovacevich and generous support of patrons in Fang and Gary Bridge The Charles Henry Leach, II Foundation, the Bay Area and beyond. In 2005, Jennifer Jordan McCall, Foundation Trustee we created the honor of Great Jennifer Caldwell and John H. N. Fisher Benefactor to recognize donors California Arts Council Catherine Lego whose cumulative giving to SF Ballet The State of California Paul Lego is $1 million or more. We are pleased Estate of Lewis and Emily Callaghan Marie and Barry Lipman to welcome O.J. and Gary Shansby as Mrs. Jeannik Méquet Littlefield our newest Great Benefactors. Mrs. Daniel H. Case III Chevron Corporation The Marver Family Deloitte Stephanie and James Marver Susan and John Diekman Alison and Michael Mauzé Suzy Kellems Dominik Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Rudolph W. Driscoll Nicola Miner and Robert Mailer Anderson Sonia H. Evers National Endowment for the Arts First Republic Bank The Bernard Osher Foundation Ford Foundation John Osterweis and Barbara Ravizza Diana Stark and J. Stuart Francis Pacific Gas and Electric Company Estate of Georg L. Frierson Yurie and Carl Pascarella Gaia Fund The Thomas J. and Gerd Perkins Foundation Stephen and Margaret Gill Family Foundation Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund Kenneth Rainin Grants for the Arts Mr. George R. Roberts Estate of Richard B. Gump Arthur and Toni Rembe Rock Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund Bob Ross Mimi Haas Gordon Russell Colleen and Robert D. Haas San Francisco Ballet Auxiliary Walter & Elise Haas Fund The San Francisco Foundation Estate of Katharine Hanrahan Kathleen Scutchfield Dr. and Mrs. Jeffrey P. Hays O.J. and Gary Shansby William Randolph Hearst Foundation Shubert Foundation, Inc. The Hellman Foundation The Smelick Family The Hellman Family Estate of Natalie H. Stotz The Herbert Family The Swanson Foundation William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Richard J. Thalheimer The Edward E. Hills Fund Ms. Susan A. Van Wagner Donald F. Houghton Visa Inc. Estate of Dora Donner Ide Wallis Foundation The James Irvine Foundation Phyllis C. Wattis The William G. Irwin Charity Foundation Wells Fargo G. William Jewell The E. L. Wiegand Foundation George F. Jewett Foundation Diane B. Wilsey George F. Jewett, Jr. 1965 Trust Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang Lucy and Fritz Jewett The Zellerbach Family Estate of Mildred Johnson

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 91 arclinea.com

SFB season guide fp template.indd 1 11/14/16 10:30 AM Artistic Director’s Council

GRAND BENEFACTORS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S COUNCIL San Francisco Ballet exists to share GIFTS OF $250,000 AND ABOVE GIFTS OF $100,000–$249,999 the joy of dance with the widest Mr. Richard C. Barker Anne T. and Robert M. Bass possible audience and to train the Bently Foundation Fang and Gary Bridge next generation of professional dancers. We believe in the power Grants for the Arts Ms. Laura Clifford of creative expression — in art that The Hellman Family Kate and Bill Duhamel inspires, that connects us, and Lucy Jewett Gaia Fund strengthens our communities. We share a responsibility for ensuring Mr. and Mrs. James D. Marver Shelby and Frederick Gans the vitality and the future of the Mr. and Mrs. John S. Osterweis The Hearst Foundations art form and for making dance E. L. Wiegand Foundation The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation accessible. Giving from members of the Artistic Director’s Council has George F. Jewett Foundation been instrumental to the success Koret Foundation of SF Ballet, SF Ballet School, and David and Kelsey Lamond SF Ballet’s Education Programs. In appreciation for their generous Marie and Barry Lipman annual support of $100,000 or Christa and Mark Lopez more, Council members receive Alison and Michael Mauzé customized benefits, including special access to performances, exclusive The Bernard Osher Foundation events, and rehearsals. For more Yurie and Carl Pascarella information, please contact Senior Arthur and Toni Rembe Rock Manager, Capital and Principal Gifts Fermin Nasol at [email protected] or The Seiger Family Foundation 415 865 6622. Denise Littlefield Sobel David H. Spencer The Swanson Foundation Judy C. Swanson Diane B. Wilsey Miles Archer Woodlief

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 93

2016–2017 Season Sponsors

2016 NUTCRACKER PROGRAM 03 PROGRAM 06 LEAD SPONSORS Frankenstein Swan Lake The Herbert Family LEAD SPONSORS LEAD SPONSOR The Swanson Foundation Bently Foundation Diane B. Wilsey The Hellman Family SPONSORS MAJOR SPONSORS Yurie and Carl Pascarella COSTUME SPONSOR Sonia H. Evers E. L. Wiegand Foundation Stephen and Margaret Gill Family Foundation Kathleen Scutchfield Marissa Mayer and Zachary Bogue SPONSORS The Smelick Family Ms. Laura Clifford SPONSORS OFFICIAL AIRLINE OF NUTCRACKER Stephanie and James Marver Katherine and Gregg Crawford Anonymous Joseph and Marianne Geagea United Airlines Richard Thalheimer Family with additional support from Elisabeth Pang Fullerton Marie and Barry Lipman Karl and Holly Peterson 2017 REPERTORY SEASON PROGRAM 07

LEAD SPONSORS Trio Stephanie and James Marver PROGRAM 04 MAJOR SPONSOR Mrs. Henry I. Prien SATURDAY NIGHT SUBSCRIPTION SERIES Stravinsky Violin Concerto Lucy and Fritz Jewett Saturday Night Series Myles Thatcher | World Premiere SPONSOR Ms. Jeri Lynn Johnson LEAD SPONSORS Fang and Gary Bridge Prodigal Son David and Kelsey Lamond PROGRAM 01 The Seiger Family Foundation MAJOR SPONSOR Haffner Symphony Sue and John Diekman SPONSOR Byron R. Meyer Choreographers Fund* LEAD SPONSOR Diamonds Donald F. Houghton Within the Golden Hour© SPONSORS MAJOR SPONSOR Michel and Mekhala Oltramare LEAD SPONSOR Kathleen Scutchfield Michael and Mary Schuh Marie and Barry Lipman SPONSOR BRAVO MAJOR SPONSORS Almaden Press Hannah and Kevin Comolli Catherine and Mark Slavonia Fragile Vessels | World Premiere PROGRAM 05 SPONSORS LEAD SPONSOR O.J. and Gary Shansby Gaia Fund PROGRAM SPONSOR ENCORE! SPONSOR The Bernard Osher Foundation Osher New Work Fund* Fusion In the Countenance of Kings MAJOR SPONSORS PROGRAM 08 Athena and Timothy Blackburn SPONSOR © San Francisco Ballet Allegro Circle Jennifer and Steven Walske Cinderella SPONSOR LEAD SPONSORS Kacie and Michael Renc Alison and Michael Mauzé San Francisco Ballet Auxiliary Salome | World Premiere PROGRAM 02 MAJOR SPONSORS Optimistic Tragedy | World Premiere LEAD SPONSOR Innovation Global Capital Denise Littlefield Sobel Nancy A. Kukacka LEAD SPONSORS Mr. Richard C. Barker SPONSOR SPONSORS Yurie and Carl Pascarella Osher New Work Fund* Ms. Laura McCabe-Edgar Barbara and Stephan Vermut Miles Archer Woodlief Fearful Symmetries SPONSOR MAJOR SPONSOR TeRoller Fund for New Productions* Charles and Kara Roell Pas/Parts 2016 SPONSORS Brenda and Alexander Leff SPONSOR *Endowed Fund of the San Francisco Ballet Phyllis C. Wattis Fund* Larissa Roesch and Jason Crethar Endowment Foundation

2017 OPENING NIGHT GALA

PRESENTING SPONSOR PATRON DINNER SPONSOR INVITATION SPONSOR Osterweis Capital Management JPMorgan Chase & Co. Pacific Union – Christie’s International Real Estate GRAND BENEFACTOR DINNER SPONSOR AFTER PARTY SPONSOR Tiffany & Co. La Perla BENEFACTOR DINNER SPONSOR COCKTAIL RECEPTION SPONSOR KPMG Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

*Endowed Fund of the San Francisco Ballet 2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 95 Endowment Foundation 2016–2017 Season Sponsors

TOURING

Festival Napa Valley, Napa, CA | July 2016 The Music Center, Los Angeles, CA | October 2016 The Kennedy Center, Washington, DC | October 2016

The following funds LEAD UNDERWRITERS Bob Ross Foundation Touring Fund of the San Francisco Osher Touring Fund Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang Touring Fund G. William Jewell Touring Fund Ballet Endowment UNDERWRITERS The Hellman Family Touring Fund Davidson Bidwell-Waite and Edwin A. Waite Touring Fund Foundation provide MAJOR UNDERWRITERS Glenn McCoy Touring Fund permanent support Frannie and Mort Fleishhacker Touring Fund Vinie and J. Sanford Miller Touring Fund for touring by San Stephen and Margaret Gill Family Foundation Touring Fund Phyllis W. Nelson Touring Fund Teri and Andy Goodman Touring Fund Anne and Michelle Shonk Touring Fund Francisco Ballet: Pamela J. Joyner and Alfred J. Giuffrida Touring Fund

GENERAL

San Francisco Ballet’s performances are made possible in part by grants from Grants for the Arts, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Kryolan Professional Make-up is the preferred make-up provider of San Francisco Ballet.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

THE HEARST FOUNDATIONS Principal Sponsor of San Francisco Ballet’s Education Programs

Lead Sponsors of San Francisco Ballet’s Education Programs Additional support is provided by Major Sponsor Kaiser Permanente and Sponsors Gap Foundation and the Zellerbach Family Foundation. The Dance in Schools and Communities program is supported by Major Sponsor The Charles Henry Leach, II Fund, an advised fund of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. The Student Matinee Series is supported by the Gaia Fund of the San Francisco Ballet Endowment Foundation.

Lead Sponsor of San Francisco Ballet School

MEDIA

Nutcracker Media Sponsors Repertory Season Media Sponsors

96 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE A RECIPE WITH A LEGACY A REPUTATION FORGED BY FIRE

SAN MATEO | SAN FRANCISCO ESPETUS.COM

Turn your retirement into a renaissance

Full service condominiums for those 60 plus. One Baldwin Avenue, San Mateo, California. 650-579-5500 • PeninsulaRegent.com

All luxury condo mirrors reflect. OURS REFLECT A HAPPIER YOU. CA RCFE #410508359 COA #148 BRE# 01066367

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 97 Job # / Name: PR-247 MAT LuxCondo-Mirrors Ballet Ad ME02 Date: 11/23/2016 Publication: SF Ballet Season Guide, Jan. 2017 Ad Size: 4.75 x 7.375 in. Bleed: n/a Trim: n/a Live: 8.5in x 5.425 in Sign Off: AD: RK Proofer: AE: IJ San Francisco Ballet Endowment Foundation

The San Francisco Ballet Endowment Foundation is a separate nonprofit public benefit corporation that holds and manages endowment funds, with the goal of supplying a reliable source of support while protecting its investments against inflation and wide swings in the capital markets. Each year, a transfer from the Endowment Foundation provides support for a variety of SF Ballet needs, including the creation of new works, touring, financial aid for SF Ballet School students, and community education and outreach programs. It is now the third largest source of revenue for SF Ballet after ticket sales and contributions.

Donors who make gifts of $25,000 or more to the endowment have a fund created in their name. Named funds can provide general support or support designated for specific uses at SF Ballet, SF Ballet School, and SF Ballet’s education programs. We are honored to list the following named funds that have been created as of November 30, 2016. Those highlighted with an asterisk (*) were fully or primarily funded through bequests and other planned gifts. For more information on endowed funds or the San Francisco Ballet Endowment Foundation, please contact Senior Manager, Capital and Principal Gifts Fermin Nasol at [email protected] or 415 865 6622.

Michael C. Abramson Fund Mr. and Mrs. Elliott Felson Fund Christine and Josephine Herron Fund for Dance Education Lois and David Anderson Fund The Fifth Age of Man Foundation Scholarship Fund The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation New Works Fund Mr. and Mrs. Walter M. Baird Fund* Jason M. Fish and Courtney Benoist Fund Richard S. Hirsch Fund* Rosemary and Edward D. Baker III Foundation Fund Ann and Robert Fisher Fund Hank J. Holland Fund Richard C. Barker Fund Doris and Donald Fisher Fund Brian and Rene Hollins Fund William Bason Fund* Elizabeth and Robert Fisher Fund Mr. James C. Hormel and Mr. Michael P. Nguyen Fund Ernest A. Bates New Works Fund Kirby Ward Fitzpatrick Fund* Thomas E. Horn Fund Nancy and Joachim Bechtle Fund Frannie and Mort Fleishhacker Touring Fund William S. Howe, Jr. Fund* Philip P. Berelson Scholarship Fund* Thomas W. Flynn Music Fund Dr. Samuel C. Hughes Fund* The Bertelsen Family Fund Ford Foundation New Works Fund John E. and Jeanne Hulse New Works Fund Davidson Bidwell-Waite and Edwin A. Waite Touring Fund Diana Stark and J. Stuart Francis Fund Hurlbut-Johnson Charitable Trusts Introduction to Ballet Scholarship Fund Wendy and W. Richard Bingham Fund Diana Stark and J. Stuart Francis New Works Fund Dora Donner Ide Fund* Blum Family Foundation Fund Gaia Fund Joan J. Jacobs Fund* Christopher Boatwright Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund Frances and Theodore Geballe Fund The James Family Endowed Scholarship Fund Deborah and Richard A. Bocci Fund Stephen and Margaret Gill New Works Fund George B. James New Works Fund Ron and Susan Briggs Fund Stephen and Margaret Gill Family Foundation Touring Fund Dorothy and Bradford Jeffries Scholarship Fund Eva Benson Buck Charitable Trusts Fund Teri and Andy Goodman Touring Fund G. William Jewell Dance in Schools Endowed Scholarship Fund* Edith Bundy Fund* Margaret Stuart Graupner Fund* G. William Jewell Fund* Burnett Family New Works Fund Eugene H. and Stephanie Gray Fund* G. William Jewell Touring Fund* S. E. Bush, Jr. School Fund* James Gries Fund Lucy and Fritz Jewett Fund Peter Byram Fund* Richard B. Gump Fund* Lucy and Fritz Jewett New Works Fund Jennifer Caldwell and John H. N. Fisher Fund Rita A. Gustafson Scholarship Fund* Chris and Cheryl Johns Fund Lewis and Emily Callaghan Fund* Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund Grace Eleanor Johnson Fund* Dr. and Mrs. John N. Callander Dancer Wellness Fund Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. New Works Fund Mildred Maureen Johnson Fund* Christina E. Carroll Fund Mimi Haas Fund Ruby Rae Pinochi-Johnson Fund* Margaret Carver Fund Mimi Haas New Works Fund Pamela J. Joyner and Alfred J. Giuffrida Dancer Wellness Fund Dan and Stacey Case Fund Mimi & Peter Haas Fund Pamela J. Joyner and Alfred J. Giuffrida Touring Fund Dan and Stacey Case New Works Fund Mimi & Peter Haas New Works Fund Katzman Family Fund Dr. and Mrs. George Cassady Student Scholarship Fund Walter & Elise Haas Fund Heinrich J. Killian Fund* Harold and Ruby Christensen Scholarship Fund Walter & Elise Haas Education Fund Dr. and Mrs. Jerome Ormond Kirschbaum Trainee Robert Clegg New Works Fund Walter & Elise Haas New Works Fund Fellowship Fund Angelina and Christopher Cohan Fund Kathryn A. Hall and Thomas C. Knutsen Fund The Diana Dollar Knowles Fund* Columbia Foundation Music Fund Sally and William Hambrecht Fund Mr. and Mrs. Gorham B. Knowles Fund* Columbia Foundation New Works Fund Sally and William Hambrecht New Works Fund Mary Jo and Dick Kovacevich Family Foundation Fund Ruth A. Copley Endowed Scholarship Fund* Philip and Alicia Hammarskjold Fund KPMG Fund David and Vicki Cox Fund Edith Hammerslough Fund* Richard LeBlond Fund* Mary B. Cranston New Works Fund Katharine Hanrahan Fund* Catherine P. Lego New Works Fund Lee R. Crews School Fund* The Lloyd Harper Patron Fund Paul G. Lego New Works Fund Barbara A. Daily Endowed Scholarship Fund* Dr. and Mrs. Jeffrey P. Hays Fund Mark and Debra Leslie Education and Outreach Fund Timothy Dattels and Kristine Johnson Fund The William Randolph Hearst Foundation Building Fund Susan B. Levine and James W. Lauer Fund Sue and John Diekman Fund The William Randolph Hearst Foundation Scholarship Fund The Debra Leylegian Adagio Fund Suzy Kellems Dominik New Works Fund Libby and Craig Heimark Fund Irv H. Lichtenwald and Stephen R. Ripple New Works Fund Suzy Kellems Dominik School and Education Fund Eric Hellman Scholarship Fund The Marie O’Gara Lipman Endowment for Dance Education Phyllis and Bill Draper Fund The Hellman Family Fund in the Public Schools Rudolph W. Driscoll Fund The Hellman Family New Works Fund George W. Lord Fund* Kate and Bill Duhamel Fund The Hellman Family Touring Fund Carol Lovell Fund, in memory of Kenneth Hynes* Joseph B. Durra Fund Chris and Warren Hellman Endowed Scholarship Fund James J. Ludwig Fund Jacqueline and Christian P. Erdman Fund Rosalie G. Hellman Fund Daniel E. Malkin Fund* Sonia H. Evers Fund Rosalie G. Hellman Memorial Scholarship Fund The Marver Family Fund Sonia H. Evers New Works Fund Mrs. Louis E. Hendricks Fund* The Marver Family New Works Fund Sonia H. Evers School Fund Cecilia and James Herbert Fund Alison and Michael Mauzé Fund Concepción S. and Irwin Federman Fund Cecilia and James Herbert New Works Fund Russell J. Mays Fund*

98 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE Glenn McCoy Touring Fund Martinez / Sloan Family Fund Alexander Mehran Fund The Smelick Family New Works Fund Julia O. Merriman Fund* Gail and Robert M. Smelick Fund Byron R. Meyer Choreographers Fund Gail and Robert M. Smelick New Works Fund Vinie and J. Sanford Miller Touring Fund Cherida Collins Smith Fund Natalie Lauterstein Miller Memorial Fund K. Hart Smith Fund* James E. Milligan Fund Michael Smuin Memorial Fund Tamra and Kurt Mobley Fund Mr. Scott C. Sollers Fund C. Kenneth and Maureen M. More Fund* Donald G. Speakman Fund* Milton J. Mosk and Thomas Foutch Fund Jeanette Sperry Fund* Berit and Robert A. Muh New Works Fund David Stanton and Shanna McBurney Fund Elizabeth H. and Bradford G. Murphey Fund* Natalie H. Stotz Fund* National Endowment for the Arts New Works Fund Maureen and Craig Sullivan Family Fund Phyllis W. Nelson Fund The Swanson Foundation Fund Phyllis W. Nelson Scholarship Fund* Joyce Taylor Education Fund Phyllis W. Nelson Touring Fund* Gretchen and L. Jay Tenenbaum Fund Melvin Novikoff Trust Fund* TeRoller Fund for New Productions* Osher Touring Fund Richard J. Thalheimer Fund Osher New Work Fund Richard J. Thalheimer New Works Fund John Osterweis and Barbara Ravizza Fund Olivia Thebus Fund* John Osterweis Fund Carmen S. Thornton Fund* Barbara Ravizza and John Osterweis New Works Fund Helgi Tomasson Innovation Fund Shirley Black Palmer Scholarship Fund Helgi Tomasson School Fund for New Work Yurie and Carl Pascarella Fund Charlotte and Harry A. Turner DISC Family Fund Yurie and Carl Pascarella Fund John and Anna Logan Upton Fund Greta R. Pofcher Fund Marion Ury Fund* Marie-Louise and David L. Pratt Fund Susan A. Van Wagner Fund Melinda and Paul Pressler Fund Mrs. S. W. Veitch Fund Virginia and Walter Price Fund Helen Von Ammon New Works Fund Jessica M. Putney Fund* Harry J. Wagner Fund* Janet L. Pynch Fund* The Lonna Wais Endowment Fund Kenneth Rainin Fund Gene Walker Fund* Kenneth Rainin New Works Fund* Elizabeth F. Wallace Fund* George R. Roberts Fund The Walske Foundation Fund Mr. and Mrs. Claude N. Rosenberg, Jr. Fund Mr. and Mrs. Paul L. Wattis III Fund Bob Ross New Works Fund Phyllis C. Wattis Fund* Bob Ross Scholarship Fund Karen and David Wegmann New Works Fund Bob Ross Foundation Touring Fund Keith White Scholarship Fund Kate and George W. Rowe Fund Diane B. Wilsey Tutu Fund Kate and George W. Rowe New Works Fund Timothy C. Wu Fund W. David Rozkuszka Fund* Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang New Works Fund Leontine Sassell Fund* Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang Touring Fund Marjorie K. Sawyer Fund* Kam Har Yung Fund Franca Schilt Fund* Janice and Jonathan Zakin Fund Delores M. Schweizer Fund* CiCi and Stephen Zellerbach Fund Kathleen Scutchfield Fund William Zoller Fund* Randee and Joseph Seiger Education and Outreach Fund Anonymous (7) The Seiger Family Foundation Fund O.J. and J. Gary Shansby Fund Anne and Michelle Shonk Touring Fund Dr. Lawrence Loy Shrader and Hisako B. Shrader Fund* The Honorable and Mrs. George P. Shultz Fund

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 99 Thank You to Our Volunteers

The San Francisco Ballet “family” extends beyond the stage to include a large community of dedicated and generous volunteers who are personally involved in the Company’s success. The tireless efforts of these volunteers contribute greatly to SF Ballet’s accomplishments.

AUXILIARY Vibrant, energetic, and passionately committed to the success of each new ballet season, Ballet Auxiliary members comprise an exclusive group of women who leverage their talents in fundraising events that each year raise more than $2 million for SF Ballet.

Ms. Alexander Leff, President

ACTIVE MEMBERS Ms. Claire Stewart Kostic SUSTAINING MEMBERS Mrs. William N. Keller Ms. Betsy A. Linder Mrs. Robert D. Kroll Ms. Blanca Aguirre Jola Anderson Mrs. Carol Louie Mrs. William D. Lamm Mrs. Judy Anderson Mrs. James P. Anthony Mrs. Rhonda Mahendroo Ms. Jean Larette Ms. Donna Bachle Mrs. Thomas G. Austin Mrs. Heather Cassady Martin Miss Elizabeth Leep Mrs. Bartley B. Baer Ms. Rosemary B. Baker Ms. Laura V. Miller Ms. Debra A. Leylegian Ms. Deborah Taylor Barrera Ms. Katherine Banks Dr. Shokooh Miry Mrs. Barry R. Lipman Ms. Alletta Bayer Ms. Harriet L. Barbanell Mrs. Elizabeth Robinson Mitchell Ms. Sheila M. Lippman Miss Carol Benz Mrs. Patrick V. Barber Ms. Margaret Mitchell Mrs. John C. Lund Mrs. Steven Bergman Mrs. Kent T. Baum Mrs. Monika Moscoso-Riddle Mrs. Robert W. Maier Ms. Catherine Bergstrom Mrs. Peter Berliner Mrs. Sarah Newmarker Ms. Susan A. Malecki Mrs. Ashley Berman Mrs. John W. Bitoff Mrs. Michael O’Sullivan Ms. Sandra Mandel Ms. Linda Bettencourt Mrs. Athena Blackburn Mrs. Jack Preston Mrs. Michael L. Mauzé Ms. Beverley Siri Borelli Mrs. Richard A. Bocci Ms. Virginia Leung Price Mrs. Mark A. Medearis Ms. Giselle Bosc Mrs. Caroline Krawiec Brownstone Ms. Maria K. Ralph Mrs. James J. Messemer Mrs. William S. Brandenburg Mrs. Donald W. Carlson Ms. Megan Ray Ms. Alison Morr Mrs. Kent F. Brooks Mrs. Walter Carpeneti Ms. Kacie Renc Mrs. Jane S. Mudge Mrs. G. Steven Burrill Mrs. Charles E. Clemens Mrs. Patricia Dale Roberts Ms. Vickie Nelson Mrs. David Byers Miss Robin Collins Ms. René Rodman Mrs. Robert L. Newman Mrs. Kathleen Coffino Ms. Christine Leong Connors Ms. Stephanie B. Russell Mrs. Peggy L. Newton Ms. Rebecca Cooper Mrs. Daniel P. Cronan Ms. Meg Ruxton Ms. Carole A. Obley Mrs. Angelos J. Dassios Ms. Gail De Martini Mrs. James D. Seltsam, Jr. Mrs. Edward Plant Ms. Carole A. Demsky Mrs. Theodore S. Dobos Ms. V’Anne Singleton Mrs. Nick Podell Ms. Christine DeSanze Mrs. David Dossetter Ms. Grace Nicolson Sorg Dame Tanya Marietta Powell Mrs. Samara Diapoulos Mrs. Happy Dumas Ms. Holli Their Mrs. Todd G. Regenold Ms. Patricia Ferrin Dr. DiAnn Ellis Mrs. Andrea Valo-Espina Ms. Lorrae Rominger Mrs. John E. Fetzer Mrs. Douglas J. Engmann Mrs. Patrick Walravens Ms. Dara C. Rosenfeld Ms. Jane Gazzola Mrs. Christian P. Erdman Ms. Amy Wender-Hoch Mrs. Jay Ryder Mrs. Vincent Golde Ms. Lorre Erlick Mrs. Aimee West Ms. Isabel M. Sam-Vargas Mrs. James M. Goodman Ms. Dixie D. Furlong Ms. Freddi Wilkinson Ms. Ellen Sandler Ms. Shelley Gordon Mrs. Stephen Ghiselli Mrs. Eric Wold Mrs. Thomas Schiff Mrs. David Grove Mrs. William E. Grayson Mrs. Robert W. Wood Mrs. Elaine Wong Shen Ms. Lori Harmon Ms. Nonie H. Greene Ms. Patricia Wyrod Ms. Merrill Randol Sherwin Mrs. Joseph Harris, Jr. Mrs. John P. Grotts Miss Carla Wytmar Ms. Karen L. Skidmore Mrs. Ronald R. Heckmann Ms. Catherine D. Hargrave Mrs. Ronald Zaragoza Mrs. Susan Solinsky Mrs. Christopher Hemphill Mrs. Michael R. Haswell Mrs. Mathew Spolin Mrs. Holly Hollenbeck Mrs. Terrence M. Hazlewood Mrs. Helgi Tomasson Mrs. Jerome J. Suich II Ms. Kathryn A. Huber Ms. Terry Hynes Helm Honorary Member Mrs. Judy Swanson Ms. Marie Louise Hurabiell Ms. Mindy Henderson Ms. Jody K. Thelander Mrs. Richard Jasen Ms. Kelli Hill Mrs. Charles V. Thornton Mrs. Jonathan Kaufman Mrs. Kurt Hoefer Ms. Elizabeth W. Vobach Mrs. James C. Kelly Mrs. Michael F. Jackson Mrs. Gregg von Thaden Mrs. Trecia Knapp Ms. Daru H. Kawalkowski Ms. Barbara Waldman Mrs. Carolyn Koenig Ms. Lisa A. Keith Mrs. Wallace Wertsch

ALLEGRO CIRCLE ENCORE! Allegro Circle is one of our newest organizations — a small If you’re a young professional who loves dance and a great party, dust off the and mighty group of donors who also volunteer their networks tux, get out that gown, and join our 300 plus ENCORE! members as they go and their professional expertise to SF Ballet. There’s a start-up behind the scenes and share their love of ballet with other young people at mentality to the way they work, lending their support and their a wide variety of social, educational, and networking events. For more, visit entrepreneurial spirit to ensure SF Ballet’s success. For more, sfballet.org/encore. visit sfballet.org/allegrocircle.

STEERING COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP Stewart McDowell Brady Christopher Correa Alex Christie Co-Chair President Lena Gikkas Vanessa Jn-Baptiste Patrice Lovato Susan Lin Kelcie Lee Co-Chair Vice President Elizabeth Sgarrella Paula Elmore Angela Zhang Jamie Taylor Amanda Garry Secretary Maggie Winterfeldt Clark Susan Marsch Daniel Cassell Gregg Mattner Treasurer Patricia Wyrod Emily Hu Immediate Past President

100 SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 2017 SEASON GUIDE BRAVO BRAVO is a group of more than 300 dance enthusiasts whose services and support are vital to the ongoing success of SF Ballet. Each year BRAVO members contribute a collective total of more than 10,000 hours of volunteer assistance, striving behind the scenes to bring the wonder of ballet to life. In the process they get a personal close encounter with the inner workings of the world of SF Ballet. For more information and to apply for membership, visit sfballet.org/bravo.

Patricia D. Knight, President

VOLUNTEER HOURS DURING THE 2015–2016 SEASON

250+ Hours Sue Plasai Anne Snowball Corine Assouline Twyla Powers Tracy Stoehr Paulette Cauthorn Pauline Roothman Sherrie Szalay Joan Green Lacy Steffens Leslie Tsirkas Julie Hawkins Steve Wong Karen Wiel Giovanna Jackson Daphne Wray Michael Williams Patricia Knight Jill Zerkle May Yasui Suzanne Knott Pirkko Lucchesi 55–99 Hours 40–54 Hours Dosia Matthews Jon Borset Edie Bazjanac Steve Merlo Mary Davi Monique Bouskos Kathryn Roberts Doris Duncan Emmy Diep Roslyn Eng Inna Edwards 100–249 Hours Keiko Golden Tariq El-Amin Margaret Anderson Piers Greenhill Bettina Graf Jenny Au-Yeung Michael Hart Susan Kalian Carolyn Balsley Suzanne Johnson Kiyoshi Kimura Marilyn Breen Kathy Judd Robin Kinoshita Thomas Brown Laura Kerepesi Cyndy Lee Martha Debs Carrie Kost Melissa Lee-Gardner Philip Fukuda David Lau Tani Nagaoka Roger Green Aldona Lidji Marthe Nyborg James Gries Steve Loving Jazmine Paniagua Elmira Lagundi Margaret McCormack Wilcox Cynthia Sides John Mazurski Linda Miyagawa Joshua Theaker Betsy McGuigan Keiko Moore Gina Thoma-Peterson Roberta McMullan Gale Niess Desmond Torkornoo Patricia Nelson Deborrah Ortego Steve Trenam Deric Patrick Johanna Payne Audrey Tse Treanor Howard Perkins Sara Pope Stas Yurkevich

Four floors of fabulous fabrics since 1952.

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 101 THE SCENE IS THE CITY THE EXPERIENCE IS ALAIN PINEL

APR.COM Over 30 Offices Serving The San Francisco Bay Area 866.468.0111

SFB season guide fp template.indd 1 11/18/16 4:25 PM Ticket Information

2017 SEASON GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET 103

SFB season guide spread template.indd 1 11/16/16 1:56 PM 2017 Season Infinite Worlds

Season Guide

HERMÈS BY NATURE

01_241,3X317,5_SanFranciscoBalletSeasonalGuide.indd 1 09/11/2016 09:36 SFB season guide fp template.indd 1 11/11/16 9:52 AM