Val Caniparoli is an American

ballet dancer A ballet dancer ( it, ballerina fem.; ''ballerino'' masc.) is a person who practices the art of classical ballet. Both females and males can practice ballet; however, dancers have a strict hierarchy and strict gender roles. They rely on yea ...

and international

choreographer Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who cr ...

. His work includes more than 100 productions for ballet, opera, and theater for over 50 companies, and his career as a choreographer progressed globally even as he continued his professional dance career with the

San Francisco Ballet San Francisco Ballet is the oldest ballet company in the United States, founded in 1933 as the San Francisco Opera Ballet under the leadership of ballet master Adolph Bolm. The company is currently based in the War Memorial Opera House, San Fra ...

. He joined the San Francisco Ballet as a dancer in 1973. He was appointed to the position of principal character dancer with the San Francisco Ballet by Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson in 1987.

Early years

Caniparoli was born in Renton, Washington, to Francisco Caniparoli, a clothing manufacturer, and Leonora (Marconi) Caniparoli, who worked at

Boeing The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...

. He attended

Washington State University Washington State University (Washington State, WSU, or informally Wazzu) is a public land-grant research university with its flagship, and oldest, campus in Pullman, Washington. Founded in 1890, WSU is also one of the oldest land-grant unive ...

(WSU), where he studied music and theater. When the First Chamber Dance Company was touring Eastern Washington, they did performances at WSU, and offered workshops in ballet. Caniparoli attended one and was told he had talent, and should audition at the San Francisco Ballet School. Thereafter he decided to pursue a career in ballet, and left WSU. He received a scholarship from the

Ford Foundation The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a US$25,000 gift from Edsel Ford. By 1947, after the death ...

that enabled him to attend the

San Francisco Ballet School San Francisco Ballet School was founded in 1933 as part of the San Francisco Operatic and Ballet School when Gaetano Merola, the founder of the San Francisco Opera, perceived a need for an institution where dancers could be trained to perform in ...

. Caniparoli performed with San Francisco Opera Ballet, and in 1973, just a year and a half into his studies, he was offered a contract with San Francisco Ballet. In his debut season, he worked under Co-Artistic Directors

Lew Christensen Lewellyn Farr Christensen (May 6, 1909 – October 9, 1984) was a ballet dancer, choreographer and director for many companies. He was largely associated with George Balanchine and the San Francisco Ballet, which he directed from 1952–1984. ...

and

Michael Smuin Michael Smuin (October 13, 1938 – April 23, 2007) was an American ballet dancer, choreographer and theatre director. He was co-founder and director of his own dance company, the Smuin Ballet in San Francisco. Biography Born in Missoula, Montan ...

, and later, under Helgi Tomasson. Caniparoli became interested in choreography when he attended a choreography workshop offered by the Pacific Northwest Ballet. After that work, his choreography career expanded and he was appointed resident choreographer for the San Francisco Ballet in the mid-1980s. In 1984, Caniparoli co-founded a choreographic collective called OMO in San Francisco, and a documentary about OMO's founding was broadcast that year on

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...

. In 1994, he created his first full-length ballet entitled

Lady of the Camellias The word ''lady'' is a term for a girl or woman, with various connotations. Once used to describe only women of a high social class or status, the equivalent of lord, now it may refer to any adult woman, as gentleman can be used for men. Inform ...

, based on a story by

Alexandre Dumas Alexandre Dumas (, ; ; born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie (), 24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870), also known as Alexandre Dumas père (where '' '' is French for 'father', to distinguish him from his son Alexandre Dumas fils), was a French writer ...

, and with a score by

Frédéric Chopin Frédéric François Chopin (born Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin; 1 March 181017 October 1849) was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic period, who wrote primarily for solo piano. He has maintained worldwide renown as a leadin ...

. ''Lady of the Camellias'' became one of Caniparoli's most popular works, and a part of the repertoire of several ballet companies, including

Ballet West Ballet West is an American ballet company based in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was founded in 1963 as the Utah Civic Ballet by Willam F. Christensen, the company's first artistic director, and Glenn Walker Wallace, who served as its first president. ...

, Ballet Florida,

Boston Ballet The Boston Ballet is an American professional classical ballet company based in Boston, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1963 by E. Virginia Williams and Sydney Leonard, and was the first professional repertory ballet company in New England. I ...

Cincinnati Ballet The Cincinnati Ballet is a professional ballet company founded in 1958 in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States and had its first performance in 1964. The current artistic director is Victoria Morgan. Founding Organizing founders Nancy Bauer, Virgini ...

Tulsa Ballet Tulsa Ballet is a professional American ballet company located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The artistic mission of Tulsa Ballet is "To preserve the tradition of classical ballet, promote the appreciation of contemporary dance, create works of superior and ...

, and

Royal Winnipeg Ballet The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is Canada's oldest ballet company and the longest continuously operating ballet company in North America. History It was founded in 1939 as the "Winnipeg Ballet Club" by Gweneth Lloyd and Betty Farrally (who also fou ...

. Caniparoli was Resident Choreographer for Ballet West from 1993 to 1997, and for Tulsa Ballet from 2001 to 2006. He continues to create works for San Francisco Ballet. In 1995, Caniparoli choreographed a new work entitled ''Lambarena'', set to a musical blend of

J.S. Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the ''Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wor ...

with Traditional African music composed by Pierre Akendengue and

Hughes de Courson Hughes de Courson is a French musician and arranger. The Malicorne years Hughes de Courson is best known for being on all of the albums by Malicorne. He played electric guitar, bass, crumhorn, percussion, recorder, positive organ, piano, e ...

. Lambarena has become another of Caniparoli's most popular creations, a blend of classical ballet and African dance. This ballet has been performed more than 20 companies, including

Atlanta Ballet Atlanta Ballet is a ballet company, located in Atlanta, Georgia. It is the longest continuously performing ballet company in the United States and the State Ballet of Georgia. History Atlanta Ballet was founded in 1929 by Dorothy Alexander as ...

Singapore Dance Theatre The Singapore Ballet (formerly known as Singapore Dance Theatre) is Singapore's national dance company, founded in 1988 by Anthony Then and Goh Soo Khim. The Artistic Director of the company is Janek Schergen. History It made its debut in Jun ...

, and State Ballet of South Africa. In 2002, Caniparoli was invited to choreograph a pas de deux to be performed by

Evelyn Hart Evelyn Anne Hart (born April 4, 1956) is a Canadian ballerina and former principal dancer with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Life and career Born in Toronto, Ontario, Hart studied dance at the Dorothy Carter School of Dance in London, Ontario, Can ...

and

Rex Harrington Rex Howard Harrington, (born October 30, 1962 in Peterborough, Ontario) is a Canadian ballet dancer.Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...

to celebrate her

Golden Jubilee A golden jubilee marks a 50th anniversary. It variously is applied to people, events, and nations. Bangladesh In Bangladesh, golden jubilee refers the 50th anniversary year of the separation from Pakistan and is called in Bengali ''"সু ...

visit to

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. In May 2010, San Francisco's American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) premiered Tosca Cafe, a theater/dance work co-created and co-directed by Caniparoli and A.C.T.'s

Carey Perloff Carey Elizabeth Perloff (born February 9, 1959) is an American theater director, playwright, author, and educator. She was the artistic director of American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) in San Francisco from 1992 to June 2018. Biography Per ...

; Caniparoli also did the choreography. "'Tosca Cafe"', which started as ''The Tosca Project'', chronicles a wide cast of characters who inhabit Tosca, a bar in the North Beach section of San Francisco in the same location for decades. Caniparoli and Perloff saw this work as a unique opportunity for collaboration between dancers and actors. Since its 2010 premiere in San Francisco, Tosca Cafe has been performed internationally.

Influences

While growing up in Renton, Washington, Caniparoli studied music for 13 years. His study included private lessons on

alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B tenor ...

clarinet The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitches ...

, and

flute The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

. He credits his study of music with nurturing his eclectic interest in world music and composers, and varied genres. He has become well known for his use of widely diverse music as a principal foundation for his choreographic work. He was also influenced by the dancing of film stars Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. Caniparoli's work has been described as "rooted in classicism but influenced by all forms of movement: modern dance, ethnic dance, social dancing, even ice skating."

Personal

Caniparoli lives in

San Francisco, California San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...

Ballet choreography

*''Jekyll & Hyde'', 2020 (Composers: Krzysztof Penderecki, Frédéric Chopin, Henryk Górecki, Wojciech Kilar, Henryk Wieniawski) Finnish National Ballet *''Foreshadow'', 2018 (Composer: Ludovico Einaudi) San Francisco Ballet *''The Nutcracker'', 2018 (Composer: Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky) Royal New Zealand Ballet *''If I Were A Sushi Roll'', 2018 (Composer: Nico Muhly) Smuin Ballet *''Dances for Lou'', 2017 (Composer: Lou Harrison) Ballet West *''4 in the Morning'', 2016 (Composer: William Walton) Amy Seiwert's Imagery *''Twisted 2'', 2016 (Composer: André Previn, Jacques Offenbach, Arnold Schoenberg) BalletMet *''Repeat After Me'', 2016 (Composer: Johann Paul Von Westhoff) Menlo Ballet *''Without Borders'', 2016 (Composer: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble) Texas Ballet Theater *''Beautiful Dreamer'', 2016 (Composer: Stephen Collins Foster) Oakland Ballet *''Stolen Moments'', 2015 (Composer: Jean-Phillippe Rameau) Richmond Ballet *''Das Ballett'', 2015 (Composer: Leopold Mozart) Oakland Ballet *''The Nutcracker'' 2014 (Composer: Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky) Grand Rapids Ballet *''Twisted'', 2014 (Composer: Benjamin Britten, Gioachino Rossini, Giacomo Puccini) BalletMet *''Tutto Eccetto Il Lavandino (Everything But The Kitchen Sink)'' 2014 (Composer: Antonio Vivaldi) Smuin Ballet *''Spaghetti Western'' 2014 (Composer: Ennio Morricone) Louisville Ballet *''Tears'', 2014 (Composer: Steve Reich) San Francisco Ballet *''In Pieces'', 2013 (Composer: Poul Ruders) Colorado Ballet * ''Triptych'', 2013 (Composer: John Tavener & Alexander Balanescu), Amy Siewert's Imagery * ''Caprice'', 2013 Premiere: Cincinnati Ballet * ''The Lottery'', 2012 (Composer: Robert Moran) Premiere: Ballet West * ''Chant'', 2012 (Composer: Lou Harrison) Premiere: Singapore Dance Theatre * ''Incantations'', 2012 (Composer: Alexandre Rabinovitch-Barakovsky) Premiere: Joffrey Ballet * ''Swipe'', 2012 (Composer:

Gabriel Prokofiev Gabriel Prokofiev (born 6 January 1975) is a Russian-British composer, producer, DJ, and Artistic Director of the Nonclassical record label and nightclub. Early life Gabriel Prokofiev was born on 6 January 1975 to an English mother and a Russ ...

) Premiere: Richmond Ballet * ''Tears From Above'', 2011 (Composer: Elena Kats-Chermin) Premiere: Diablo Ballet * ''Double Stop'', 2011 (Composer:

Philip Glass Philip Glass (born January 31, 1937) is an American composer and pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century. Glass's work has been associated with minimal music, minimalism, being built up fr ...

) San francisco Ballet * ''Blades of Grass'', 2010 (Composer: Tan Dun) Premiere: Milwaukee Ballet * ''Still Life'', 2010 (Composer: Elena Kats-Chermin) Premiere: Scottish Ballet * ''Amor Con Fortuna'', 2009 (Composer: Jordi Savali, Various) Premiere: Tulsa Ballet * ''The Seasons'', 2009 (Composer: Alexander Glazunov) Premiere: Pacific Northwest Ballet * ''The Nutcracker'', 2009 (Composer:

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most popu ...

) Premiere: Louisville Ballet * ''Ebony Concerto'', 2009 (Composer: Igor Stravinsky) Premiere: San Francisco Ballet *''Ibsen's House'', 2008 (Composer: Antonín Dvořák) Premiere: San Francisco Ballet * ''Suite'', 2007 (Composer: George Frederic Handel) Premiere: American Repertory Ballet * ''Violin'', 2006 (Composer: Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber) Premiere: Richmond Ballet * ''Songs'', 2005 (Composer: Chick Corea) Premiere: Central West Ballet * ''Ikon of Eros'', 2005 (Composer: John Tavenor) Premiere: Washington Ballet * ''Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion'', 2004 (Composer: Béla Bartók) Premiere: Boston Ballet * ''Val Caniparoli's A Cinderella Story'', 2004 (Composer: Richard Rodgers) Premiere: Royal Winnipeg Ballet * ''Gustav's Rooster'', 2003 (Composer: Hoven Droven) Premiere: Tulsa Ballet * ''Vivace'', 2003 (Composer: Franz Schubert) Premiere: Tulsa Ballet * ''Untitled'', 2003 (Composer:: Dmitri Shostakovich) Premiere: Royal Winnipeg Ballet * ''No Other'', 2002 (Composer: Richard Rodgers) Premiere: San Francisco Ballet * ''Unspoken'', 2002 (Composer: Camille Saint-Saëns) Premiere: Royal Winnipeg Ballet * ''Misa Criolla'', 2002 (Composer: Ariel Ramirez) Premiere: Tulsa Ballet * ''Devil's Sonata'', 2002 (Composer: Guiseppi Tartini) Premiere:

Sacramento Ballet The Sacramento Ballet was founded in 1954 by Barbara Crockett and Deane Crockett. During Ms. Crockett’s tenure as Company Director, The Sacramento Ballet gained national recognition as one of the finest regional ballet companies. Through communi ...

* ''boink!'' 2002 (Composer: Juan Garcia Esquivel) Premiere: Lawrence Pech Dance Company * ''The Nutcracker'', 2001 (Composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky) Premiere: Cincinnati Ballet * ''Torque'', 2001 (Composer: Michael Torke) Premiere:

Pacific Northwest Ballet Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) is a ballet company based in Seattle, Washington, in the United States. It is said to have the highest per capita attendance in the United States, with 11,000 subscribers in 2004. The company consists of 49 dan ...

* ''Jaybird Lounge'', 2001 (Composer Uri Caine) Premiere: Pennsylvania Ballet * ''Death of a Moth'', 2001 (Composer: Carlos Surinach) Premiere: San Francisco Ballet * ''Bird's Nest'', 2000 (Composer:

Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz saxophonist, band leader and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of bebop, a form ...

) Premiere:

Washington Ballet The Washington Ballet (TWB) is an ensemble of professional ballet dancers based in Washington DC. It was founded in 1976 by Mary Day, and has been under the artistic directorship of Julie Kent since 2016. Septime Webre was artistic director for ...

* ''Already Dusk'', 2000 (Composer:

Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid- Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped wit ...

) Premiere: Lawrence Pech Dance Company * ''Fade to Black'', 2000 (Composer:

Nina Simone Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone (), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blues, ...

) Premiere: L. Feijoo and Y. Possokhov * ''Going for Baroque'' 1999 (Composer:

Antonio Vivaldi Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lifetime was widespread a ...

) Premiere: Tulsa Ballet * ''Attention Please'', 1999 (Composer: J.S. Bach) Premiere: Richmond Ballet * ''Aquilarco'', 1999 (Composer: Giovanni Sollima) Premiere: San Francisco Ballet * ''Separations'', 1999 (Composer:

Dmitri Shostakovich Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich, , group=n (9 August 1975) was a Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist who became internationally known after the premiere of his Symphony No. 1 (Shostakovich), First Symphony in 1926 and was regarded throug ...

) Premiere: Ballet Florida * ''Open Veins'', 1998 (Composer: Robert Moran) Premiere: Atlanta Ballet * ''Aria'', 1998 (Composer:

George Frederic Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concertos. Handel received his training i ...

) Premiere: San Francisco Ballet * ''Book of Alleged Dances'', 1998 (Composer: John Adams) Premiere: Ballet West * ''Slow'', 1998 (Composer: Graham Fitkin) Premiere: San Francisco Ballet * ''The Bridge'', 1998 (Composer: Dmitri Shostakovich) Premiere: Pacific Northwest Ballet * ''Djangology'', 1997 (Composer: Django Reinhardt) Premiere: Richmond Ballet * ''Ciao, Marcello,'' 1997 (Composer: Nino Rota) Premiere: San Francisco Ballet * ''Prawn-watching'', 1996 (Composer: Michael Nyman) Premiere: Ballet West * ''Bow Out'', 1995 (Composers: David Bedford and Roy Powell) Premiere: Richmond Ballet * ''Lambarena'', 1995 (Composer: J.S. Bach and Traditional African) Premiere: San Francisco Ballet * ''La Folia'', 1994 (Composer: Gregorio Paniagua) Premiere: Marin Ballet * ''Tangazzo'', 1994 (Composer: Amadeo Roldan) Premiere: Marin Ballet * ''Lady of the Camellias'', 1994 (Composer: Frédéric Chopin) Premiere: Ballet West * ''Seeing Stars'', 1993 (Composer: Erno Dohnanyi) Premiere: San Francisco Ballet * ''Concerto Grosso'', 1992 (Composer:

Arcangelo Corelli Arcangelo Corelli (, also , , ; 17 February 1653 – 8 January 1713) was an Italian composer and violinist of the Baroque era. His music was key in the development of the modern genres of sonata and concerto, in establishing the preeminence of ...

) Premiere: Marin Ballet * ''Pulcinella'', 1991 (Composer:

Igor Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (6 April 1971) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor, later of French (from 1934) and American (from 1945) citizenship. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential composers of the ...

) Premiere: San Francisco Ballet * ''Tryst'', 1991 (Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) Premiere: Pacific Northwest Ballet * ''Gran Partita'', 1990 (Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) Premiere: Pacific Northwest Ballet * ''In Perpetuum'', 1990 (Composer:

Arvo Pärt Arvo Pärt (; born 11 September 1935) is an Estonian composer of contemporary classical music. Since the late 1970s, Pärt has worked in a minimalist style that employs tintinnabuli, a compositional technique he invented. Pärt's music is in pa ...

) Premiere: San Francisco Ballet * ''Ritual'', 1990 (Composer: Alfred Schnittke) Premiere: Johann Renvall and Stars of American Ballet * ''A Door Is Ajar'', 1990 (Composer:

Kronos Quartet The Kronos Quartet is an American string quartet based in San Francisco. It has been in existence with a rotating membership of musicians for almost 50 years. The quartet covers a very broad range of musical genres, including contemporary classic ...

) Premiere: Ririe Woodbury * ''Between Ourselves'', 1989 (Composer:

Béla Bartók Béla Viktor János Bartók (; ; 25 March 1881 – 26 September 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist, and ethnomusicologist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century; he and Franz Liszt are regarded as H ...

) Premiere: Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre * ''Kinetic Impressions'', 1989 (Composer: Francis Poulenc) Premiere: Ballet West * ''Connotations,'' 1989 (Composer: Benjamin Britten) Premiere: San Francisco Ballet * ''White Mourning'', 1989 (Composers: Franz Schubert, Gustav Mahler) Premiere: Ballet West * ''Ophelia'', 1988 (Composer: Bohuslav Martinu) Premiere: Ballet West * ''Narcisse'', 1987 (Composer: Claude Debussy) Premiere: San Francisco Ballet * ''Hamlet and Ophelia Pas de Deux'', 1985 (Composer: Bohuslav Martinu) Premiere: San Francisco Ballet * ''Aubade'', 1985 (Composer:

Francis Poulenc Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (; 7 January 189930 January 1963) was a French composer and pianist. His compositions include songs, solo piano works, chamber music, choral pieces, operas, ballets, and orchestral concert music. Among the best-kno ...

) Premiere: Israel Ballet * ''Accidental or Abnormal Chromosomal Events'', 1984 (Composer: Al Aguis-Sinerco) Premiere: Bay Area Playwrights Festival * ''Tar Marmalade'', 1984 (Composer: Douglas Adams) Premiere: Oakland Ballet * ''Chansons de Scheherazade'', 1983 (Composer:

Maurice Ravel Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composers rejected the term. In ...

) Premiere: San Francisco Ballet * ''Windows'', 1983 (Composer:

Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...

) Premiere: San Francisco Ballet * ''Loves-Lies-Bleeding'', 1982 (Composer: Igor Stravinsky) Premiere: San Francisco Ballet * ''Deranged Dances'', 1982 (Composer:

Charles Ives Charles Edward Ives (; October 20, 1874May 19, 1954) was an American modernist composer, one of the first American composers of international renown. His music was largely ignored during his early career, and many of his works went unperformed f ...

) Premiere: Marin Ballet * ''Six-for-Eight'', 1981 (Composer:

) Premiere: Palo Alto Dance Theatre * ''Street Songs,'' 1980 (Composer: Carl Orff) Premiere: Pacific Northwest Ballet * ''Concertino'', 1979 (Composer: Carlo Ricciotti) Premiere: Contemporary Dance Theatre of Tucson

Theater choreography and direction

* ''A Little Night Music (Music and Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim) American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.), San Francisco * ''Arcadia'' (2013) American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.), San Francisco * ''Tosca Café'' (2011)

Theatre Calgary Theatre Calgary, is a theatre company in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, established as a professional company in 1968. It was preceded by Workshop 14, a theatre study group founded in 1944 by Betty Mitchell. Calgary's ''Betty Mitchell'' awards are ...

, Vancouver Playhouse * ''The Tosca Project'' (2010) American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.), San Francisco * ''Tis Pity She's a Whore'' (2008) A.C.T., San Francisco * ''A Christmas Carol'', (2005) A.C.T., San Francisco * ''A Doll's House'', (2003) A.C.T., San Francisco

Opera choreography

* ''Two Women'' (2015) (Music by Marco Tutino) (Adapted on the novel La Ciociara by Alberta Moravia)

San Francisco Opera San Francisco Opera (SFO) is an American opera company founded in 1923 by Gaetano Merola (1881–1953) based in San Francisco, California. History Gaetano Merola (1923–1953) Merola's road to prominence in the Bay Area began in 1906 when h ...

* ''Andrea Chenier'' (1995)

Lyric Opera of Chicago Lyric Opera of Chicago is one of the leading opera companies in the United States. It was founded in Chicago in 1954, under the name 'Lyric Theatre of Chicago' by Carol Fox, Nicola Rescigno and Lawrence Kelly, with a season that included Maria ...

* ''Capriccio'' (1990) San Francisco Opera, Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago * ''Manon'' (1986)

Concert choreography

* ''Mlada'' (2003) San Francisco Symphony * ''Psycho, The Ballet'' (1996) San Francisco Pops * ''Embraceable You'' (1995) San Francisco Pops

Film choreography

* ''The Metropolitan Opera HD Live'' (TV series) (1 episode) : – R. Strauss: ''Capriccio'' (2011) *''Great Dancers of our Time In der Hauptrolle'' Vladimir Malakhov, Lucia Lacarra und Kiyoko Kimura (DVD – 2005) :-- Choreography for ''Lady of the Camellias''

Television

In 2015, co-choreographed with Helgi Tomasson, a commercial for the 50th Anniversary

Super Bowl The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...

with dancers from

. Choreography from ''"Lambarena"'' featured on

Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000) a ...

with dancers Lorena Feijoo and

Lorna Feijoo Lorna is a feminine given name. The name is said to have been first coined by R. D. Blackmore for the heroine of his novel ''Lorna Doone'', which appeared in 1869. Blackmore appears to have derived this name from the Scottish placename ''Lorn''/' ...

. Caniparoli appeared on

in ''"The San Francisco Ballet in Cinderella"'' ''Dance in America'' (the

Great Performances ''Great Performances'' is a television anthology series dedicated to the performing arts; the banner has been used to televise theatrical performances such as plays, musicals, opera, ballet, concerts, as well as occasional documentaries. It is pr ...

Series) in the role of Cinderella's father. In addition, he appeared in three television specials: # ''The Creation of OMO'' (1987) in which he discussed the experimental dance company he co-founded #''A Song for Dead Warriors'' (1984) #''Romeo and Juliet'', Michael Smuin's ballet production, which aired on PBS in 1976

Honors and awards

*Recipient, 10 grants for choreography,

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...

*Recipient, (2001)

Isadora Duncan Dance Award The Isadora Duncan Dance Awards or Izzies honor San Francisco Bay Area dance artists for outstanding achievements in a range of categories including: choreography, sustained achievement, individual performance, company performance, costume design, ...

for Choreography, ''Death of a Moth'', San Francisco Ballet *Nominated, (1997) Lambarena nominated for the

Prix Benois de la Danse The Benois de la Danse is a ballet competition held annually in Moscow. Founded by the International Dance Association in 1991, it takes place each year on or around April 29 and it's judged by a jury. The members of this jury change every year and ...

for Best Choreography. *Recipient, (1997 & 1994) awards from the ''Choo-San Goh & H. Robert Magee Foundation'' : 1997: ''Open Veins'', Atlanta Ballet : 1994: ''Lambarena'', San Francisco Ballet *Recipient, (1997)

Isadora Duncan Angela Isadora Duncan (May 26, 1877 or May 27, 1878 – September 14, 1927) was an American dancer and choreographer, who was a pioneer of modern contemporary dance, who performed to great acclaim throughout Europe and the US. Born and raised in ...

Award for Sustained Achievement *Recipient, (1991–1992) Choreographers Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts *Recipient, (1991) Artist Fellowship, California Arts Council *Recipient, (1991) Artist Fellowship, California Arts Council *Recipient, (1987) Isadora Duncan Award for ''Aubade'', Bay Area Dance Coalition *Recipient, (1981–1988), Choreographers' Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts *Recipient, (1972)

Scholarship

References

External links

Val Caniparoli's website: http://www.valcaniparoli.com San Francisco Ballet website: http://www.sfballet.org {{DEFAULTSORT:Caniparoli, Val American male ballet dancers 1951 births Living people American choreographers San Francisco Ballet dancers Boston Ballet Joffrey Ballet Royal Winnipeg Ballet The Nutcracker