San Francisco Ballet is the oldest

ballet company A ballet company is a type of dance troupe which performs classical ballet, neoclassical ballet, and/or contemporary ballet in the European tradition, plus managerial and support staff. Most major ballet companies employ dancers on a year-round ba ...

in the United States, founded in 1933 as the San Francisco Opera Ballet under the leadership of ballet master

Adolph Bolm Adolph Rudolphovich Bolm (russian: Адольф Рудольфович Больм; September 25, 1884 – April 16, 1951) was a Russian-born American ballet dancer and choreographer, of German descent. Biography Bolm graduated from the Rus ...

. The company is currently based in the

War Memorial Opera House The War Memorial Opera House is an opera house in San Francisco, California, located on the western side of Van Ness Avenue across from the west side/rear facade of the San Francisco City Hall. It is part of the San Francisco War Memorial and ...

, San Francisco, and effective December 2022 under the direction of Tamara Rojo. It is among the world's leading dance companies, presenting more than 100 performances annually, with a

repertoire A repertoire () is a list or set of dramas, operas, musical compositions or roles which a company or person is prepared to perform. Musicians often have a musical repertoire. The first known use of the word ''repertoire'' was in 1847. It is a ...

that spans both classical and

contemporary ballet Contemporary ballet is a genre of dance that incorporates elements of classical ballet and modern dance. It employs classical ballet technique and in many cases classical pointe technique as well, but allows greater range of movement of the u ...

. Along with American Ballet Theatre and the

New York City Ballet New York City Ballet (NYCB) is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company. Léon Barzin was the company' ...

, San Francisco Ballet has been described as part of the "triumvirate of great classical companies defining the American style on the world stage today".

History

Founding: Christensen brothers

Willam Christensen Willam Farr Christensen (August 27, 1902 – October 14, 2001)Was born Christian William Christensen, until his mother changed his name to William Farr Christensen, to include her maiden name. As a professional dancer in San Francisco, Christensen ...

Harold Christensen 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 Fran ...

, and

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. ...

made up the famed trio of brothers considered by many to have done more than anyone else to establish ballet in the United States. Born into an artistic and musical family, the three brothers studied folk dance and ballet from early ages and went on to tour the famous vaudeville Orpheum Circuit during the 1920s and 1930s, exposing many Americans to ballet for the first time with their act "The Christ Brothers". As vaudeville faded from American popular culture, Harold and Lew joined George Balanchine's new company,

American Ballet The American Ballet was the first professional ballet company George Balanchine created in the United States. The company was founded with the help of Lincoln Kirstein and Edward Warburg, managed by Alexander Merovitch and populated by students ...

, in 1935. In 1932, Willam formed a ballet school in Portland, Oregon; in 1937, he was engaged as principal male soloist by San Francisco Opera Ballet. He became the company's ballet master and choreographer in 1938. With his brother Harold, he purchased the company from the Opera in 1942, renaming it San Francisco Ballet.Craine, Debra; Mackrell, Judith (2010).
The Oxford Dictionary of Dance
'. Oxford University Press, USA. In 1951, Willam retired as director of SF Ballet and moved to Utah, where he started teaching ballet in the country's first university ballet department at the

University of Utah The University of Utah (U of U, UofU, or simply The U) is a public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the flagship institution of the Utah System of Higher Education. The university was established in 1850 as the University of De ...

. With a group of his students, he founded the Utah Civic Ballet (now known as

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. ...

) in 1963; the company remained under Christensen's directorship until 1978. Under Balanchine's tutelage at American Ballet, Lew Christensen became the first American-born ''

danseur noble A ''danseur noble'' traditionally was a male ballet dancer who projected great nobility of character. Over the last century the term has been used to define a male principal dancer who performs at the highest theatrical level combining grace wit ...

''. The

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

drafted Christensen to fight in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. After the war ended, he joined Balanchine's and Lincoln Kirstein's

Ballet Society Ballet Society is a non-profit educational institution founded in 1946 by Lincoln Kirstein and George Balanchine. At its founding, Balanchine was the Artistic Director and Kirstein served as the Secretary. The president of Ballet Society is Nanc ...

(soon to become

), eventually becoming ballet master; he served in the role from 1946 until 1950. In 1951, he joined his brother Willam as co-director of San Francisco Ballet. When Willam moved to Salt Lake City later that year, Lew took over as full director of SF Ballet; he held the position until 1976, when

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 ...

joined him as co-director. Lew Christensen remained SF Ballet co-director until 1984, the year of his death. After leaving the vaudeville circuit in 1935, Harold Christensen danced with American Ballet, San Francisco Opera Ballet, Kirstein's

Ballet Caravan Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...

, and San Francisco Ballet until his retirement from the stage in 1946. In 1940, his brother Willam invited him to become director of 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 ...

, and in 1942 he and Willam purchased the SF Ballet. Harold continued to serve as the school's director until his retirement in 1975.

1938–1950

In 1938, the company's first major production was ''

Coppélia ''Coppélia'' (sometimes subtitled: ''La Fille aux Yeux d'Émail'' (The Girl with the Enamel Eyes)) is a comic ballet from 1870 originally choreographed by Arthur Saint-Léon to the music of Léo Delibes, with libretto by Charles-Louis-� ...

'', choreographed by Willam Christensen. In 1940, it staged '' Swan Lake'', the first time that the ballet was produced in its entirety by an American company. On Christmas Eve 1944, the company staged ''

Nutcracker A nutcracker is a tool designed to open nuts by cracking their shells. There are many designs, including levers, screws, and ratchets. The lever version is also used for cracking lobster and crab shells. A decorative version portrays a person w ...

''—the first complete production of

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 ...

's most popular piece ever danced in the United States. In 1942, San Francisco Opera Ballet split into two independent companies, ballet and opera. The ballet half was sold to Willam and Harold Christensen. Willam became artistic director, while Harold took on the job of director of the San Francisco Ballet School. The San Francisco Ballet Guild was also formed as a support organization for San Francisco Ballet.

1951–1972

The year 1951 marked a significant shift in administration of San Francisco Ballet. Lew Christensen—''

premier danseur A principal dancer (often shortened to principal) is a dancer at the highest rank within a professional dance company, particularly a ballet company. A principal may be male or female. The position is similar to that of '' soloist''; however, p ...

'' at the time—partnered with his brother Willam Christensen as co-directors. Then in 1952, Lew Christensen took over as sole director. Under his guidance, San Francisco Ballet began to travel and establish itself as a significant American ballet company. Until 1956, San Francisco Ballet had remained on the West Coast, but Christensen took the company to the

Jacob's Pillow Jacob's Pillow is a dance center, school and performance space located in Becket, Massachusetts, in the Berkshires. The organization is known for a Summer dance festival. The facility also includes a professional school and extensive archives a ...

Dance Festival in

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. In 1957, it was the first American ballet company to tour the Far East, performing in 11 Asian nations. On New Year's Day 1965, ABC-TV televised a one-hour abridgement of the Lew Christensen-choreographed production of ''Nutcracker'' featuring San Francisco Ballet. In 1972, San Francisco's War Memorial Opera House was named the official residence of San Francisco Ballet.

1973–1985

In 1973, Michael Smuin became co-artistic director of San Francisco Ballet with Lew Christensen; Smuin had danced with the Company from 1953 to 1961. Under his direction, the national and international profile of SF Ballet was raised significantly by the broad success of productions such as 1977's ''Romeo and Juliet'', which aired on the

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

series ''

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 p ...

: Dance in America'' in 1978. This televised performance marked the first time that a West Coast ballet company, and a full-length ballet, was shown on the PBS TV series.Upper, Nancy (2004).
Dancers in Career Transition
' McFarland and Co. PBS televised three more of Smuin's SF Ballet productions, and his productions of '' The Tempest'' and ''A Song for Dead Warriors'' went on to win Emmy Awards. Smuin led the company until 1985.

1985–present

San Francisco Ballet, San Francisco, California

Helgi Tomasson's 1985 arrival as artistic director marked the beginning of a new era for San Francisco Ballet. Under Tomasson's direction, San Francisco Ballet has been recognized as one of the most innovative ballet companies in the world due to its early and frequent commissioning of new works by aspiring choreographers around the globe, the breadth of its repertory—spanning

classical ballet Classical ballet is any of the traditional, formal styles of ballet that exclusively employ classical ballet technique. It is known for its aesthetics and rigorous technique (such as pointe work, turnout of the legs, and high extensions), it ...

neoclassical ballet Neoclassical ballet is the style of 20th-century classical ballet exemplified by the works of George Balanchine. The term "neoclassical ballet" appears in the 1920s with Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, in response to the excesses of romanticis ...

, and

—and the diversity of its company members. The ''

Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Ni ...

'' noted in 2012, "Tomasson ... helped shatter the distinction between the US top companies and so-called 'regional companies. Over a span of more than 25 years, Tomasson has staged acclaimed full-length productions of classics including '' Swan Lake'' (1988, 2009); '' The Sleeping Beauty'' (1990); '' Romeo and Juliet'' (1994); '' Giselle'' (1999); ''

Don Quixote is a Spanish epic novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts, in 1605 and 1615, its full title is ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'' or, in Spanish, (changing in Part 2 to ). A founding work of West ...

'', co-staged with former principal dancer and current choreographer in residence Yuri Possokhov (2003); and ''

'' (2004). Tomasson's ''Nutcracker'', set in San Francisco during the 1915

Panama Pacific International Exposition Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cost ...

, is notable for being the only uniquely San Francisco ''Nutcracker''. It features sets (including "a backdrop of San Francisco's Victorian houses known as 'painted ladies) and costumes created by, respectively, Michael Yeargan and Martin Pakledinaz, both repeat

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

-winning designers.Steinberg, Cobbett (1983). San Francisco Ballet: The First Fifty Years. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. . Upon its premiere, ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' called Tomasson's ''Nutcracker'' "striking, elegant and beautiful". Today, San Francisco Ballet presents approximately 100 performances each year. The company's diverse repertory includes works by

Sir Frederick Ashton Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton (17 September 190418 August 1988) was a British ballet dancer and choreographer. He also worked as a director and choreographer in opera, film and revue. Determined to be a dancer despite the oppositi ...

, George Balanchine,

David Bintley Sir David Julian Bintley (born 17 September 1957) is an English former ballet dancer, the artistic director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, and co-artistic director of the New National Theatre Tokyo ballet company. Early life Bintley was born ...

, August Bournonville,

Val Caniparoli Val Caniparoli is an American ballet dancer and international choreographer. 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 continu ...

Nacho Duato Juan Ignacio Duato Bárcia, also known as Nacho Duato (born 8 January 1957) is a Spanish modern ballet dancer and choreographer. Since 2014, Duato is artistic director of the Berlin State Ballet. Career Nacho Duato studied at the Rambert S ...

Jorma Elo Jorma Elo is a contemporary choreographer. Early life He was born 30 August 1961 in Helsinki, Finland. His father, Jaakko Elo, is a urological surgeon, mother Ruth Elo née Carlstedt, a dentist. Jorma Elo's partner since 1994 is Nancy Euverin ...

, William Forsythe, James Kudelka, Jirí Kylián,

Serge Lifar Serge Lifar ( ua, Сергій Михайлович Лифар, ''Serhіy Mуkhailovуch Lуfar'') ( 15 December 1986) was a Ukrainian ballet dancer and choreographer, famous as one of the greatest male ballet dancers of the 20th century. No ...

Lar Lubovitch Lar Lubovitch (born April 9, 1943) is an American choreographer. He founded his own dance company, the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company in 1968. Based in New York City, the company has performed in all 50 American states as well as in more than 30 cou ...

Wayne McGregor Wayne McGregor, CBE (born 12 March 1970) is a multi award-winning British choreographer and director. He is the Artistic Director of Studio Wayne McGregor and Resident Choreographer of The Royal Ballet. McGregor was appointed Commander of the ...

, Agnes de Mille, Sir Kenneth MacMillan,

Hans van Manen Hans Arthur Gerard van Manen (; born 11 July 1932) is a Dutch ballet dancer, choreographer and photographer. He studied under Sonia Gaskell and Françoise Adret. Van Manen wrote many ballets. He worked for the Dutch National Ballet from 1973 ...

Peter Martins Peter Martins (born 27 October 1946) is a Danish ballet dancer and choreographer. Martins was a principal dancer with the Royal Danish Ballet and with the New York City Ballet, where he joined George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, and John Taras as ...

, Mark Morris,

Rudolf Nureyev Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev ( ; Tatar/ Bashkir: Рудольф Хәмит улы Нуриев; rus, Рудо́льф Хаме́тович Нуре́ев, p=rʊˈdolʲf xɐˈmʲetəvʲɪtɕ nʊˈrʲejɪf; 17 March 19386 January 1993) was a Soviet ...

, Marius Petipa,

Roland Petit Roland Petit (13 January 192410 July 2011) was a French ballet company director, choreographer and dancer. He trained at the Paris Opera Ballet school, and became well known for his creative ballets. Life and work The son of shoe designer Ros ...

, Yuri Possokhov,

Alexei Ratmansky Alexei Osipovich Ratmansky (russian: Алексей Осипович Ратманский, born August 27, 1968) is a Russian-American choreographer and former ballet dancer. From 2004 to 2008 he was the director of the Bolshoi Ballet. He left Rus ...

Jerome Robbins Jerome Robbins (born Jerome Wilson Rabinowitz; October 11, 1918 – July 29, 1998) was an American dancer, choreographer, film director, theatre director and producer who worked in classical ballet, on stage, film, and television. Among his nu ...

Liam Scarlett Liam Scarlett (8 April 198616 April 2021) was a British choreographer who was an artist in residence with The Royal Ballet and artistic associate with Queensland Ballet. He also choreographed new works for Ballet Black, Miami City Ballet, No ...

, Paul Taylor, Helgi Tomasson,

Antony Tudor Antony Tudor (born William Cook; 4 April 1908 – 19 April 1987) was an English ballet choreographer, teacher and dancer. He founded the London Ballet, and later the Philadelphia Ballet Guild in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., in the mid-195 ...

, and Christopher Wheeldon. In 2010, the Ballet's opening-night gala, ''Silver Celebration'', honored Tomasson's 25 years as artistic director.America's Oldest Professional Ballet Company Honors Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson's 25th Anniversary with a Special Gala
/ref> The Gala Opening of San Francisco Ballet's 80th Season included ''Tarantella'' pas de deux, ''L'Arlesienne'' solo, ''Flower Festival at Genzano'' pas de deux, ''In the Passerine's Clutch'', ''Raymonda''’s Act II solo, ''Trio'' second movement, ''Don Quixote'' grand pas de deux, ''Onegin'' Act 1 pas de deux, ''Stars and Stripes'' pas de deux, ''After the Rain'' pas de deux, and excerpts from ''Suite en Blanc''. San Francisco Ballet's 2013 season included ''Trio'', ''Ghost'' and ''Borderlands'' as well as ''Suite en blanc'', ''In the night'', ''Nijinsky'', ''The Rite of Spring'', ''Onegin'', ''Raymonda Act III'' and ''Cinderella''. The 2014 season included ''Giselle'', ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'', ''Tears'', ''Borderlands'', ''From Foreign Lands'', ''Firebird'', ''Ghosts'', ''The Kingdom of the Shades from La Bayadère'', ''Cinderella'', ''Shostakovich Trilogy'', ''Caprice'', ''Maelstrom'', ''The Rite of Spring'', ''Hummingbird'', ''The Fifth Season'', ''Suite en Blanc'', ''Agon'', ''Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet'', and ''Glass Pieces''. The 2015 season included ''Serenade, RAkU, Lambarena, Giselle,

The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude ''The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude'' is a ballet choreographed by William Forsythe (choreographer), William Forsythe to the finale of Schubert's Symphony No. 9 (Schubert), Symphony No. 9. The ballet was choreographed for 's programme ''Six Co ...

, Variations for Two Couples, Manifesto, The Kingdom of the Shades from La Bayadère, Act II, Dances at a Gathering, Hummingbird, Don Quixote, Shostakovich Trilogy, Caprice, Swimmer,'' and ''Romeo & Juliet''. The 2017 season included "Haffner Symphony," "Fragile Vessels," " In the Countenance of Kings," "Seven Sonatas," "Optimistic Tragedy," "Pas/Parts 2016," "Frankenstein," "Stravinsky Violin Concerto," "Prodigal Son," "Diamonds," "Fusion," "Salome," "Fearful Symmetries," "Swan Lake," "Trio," "Ghost in the Machine," "Within the Golden Hour," and "Cinderella." In January 2021, Tomasson announced that he will retire from the company at the end of 2022. In January 2022, it was announced that Tamara Rojo will succeed Tomasson.

Programming

San Francisco Ballet performs repertory from January through May at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco. In addition, the company performs in July at the

Stern Grove Festival The Stern Grove Festival is an admission-free series of performing arts events held during the summer months in San Francisco. Established in 1938, the festival is held at Sigmund Stern Grove, a eucalyptus-wooded natural amphitheater on a site ...

in San Francisco, tours nationally in the summer and fall, and presents ''Nutcracker'' in December at the War Memorial Opera House.

Festivals and touring

In 1991, San Francisco Ballet performed in New York City for the first time in 26 years, returning in 1993, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2008, and 2013. Following the initial tour, ''The New York Times'' proclaimed, "Mr. Tomasson has accomplished the unprecedented: He has pulled a so-called regional company into the national ranks, and he has done so by honing the dancers into a classical style of astonishing verve and purity. San Francisco Ballet under Helgi Tomasson's leadership is one of the spectacular success stories of the arts in America." In May 1995, San Francisco Ballet hosted 12 ballet companies from around the world for UNited We Dance: An International Festival. The festival commemorated the 50th anniversary of the signing of the

United Nations Charter The Charter of the United Nations (UN) is the foundational treaty of the UN, an intergovernmental organization. It establishes the purposes, governing structure, and overall framework of the UN system, including its six principal organs: the ...

, which took place at the San Francisco War Memorial and

Performing Arts Center Performing arts center/centre (see spelling differences), often abbreviated as PAC, is used to refer to: * A multi-use performance space that is intended for use by various types of the performing arts, including dance, music and theatre. :The ...

. In fall 2008, as part of the company's 75th anniversary celebration, San Francisco Ballet embarked on a critically acclaimed four-city American tour with engagements at Chicago's Harris Theater for Music and Dance,

New York City Center New York City Center (previously known as the Mecca Temple, City Center of Music and Drama,. The name "City Center for Music and Drama Inc." is the organizational parent of the New York City Ballet and, until 2011, the New York City Opera. and t ...

, Southern California's

Segerstrom Center for the Arts Segerstrom may refer to *Segerström (surname) *C.J. Segerstrom & Sons, a real estate company in Orange County, California, U.S. *Segerstrom Center for the Arts, a performing arts complex in Costa Mesa, California, U.S. *Segerstrom High School in S ...

, and the

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (formally known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, and commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center) is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the Potom ...

in Washington, D.C. The year culminated in a New Works Festival of world premieres by 10 of the dance world's most acclaimed choreographers—Julia Adam, Val Caniparoli, Jorma Elo, Margaret Jenkins, James Kudelka, Mark Morris, Yuri Possokhov, Paul Taylor,

Stanton Welch Stanton De Burgh Welch (born 1969) is an Australian dancer and choreographer. He currently serves as the Artistic Director of the Houston Ballet. Early life Welch was born in Melbourne to Marilyn Jones and Garth Welch, two prominent Australia ...

, and Christopher Wheeldon. Other anniversary initiatives included a commemorative book, ''San Francisco Ballet at Seventy-Five'', and the broadcast of Tomasson's ''Nutcracker'' in December 2008 on the ''Great Performances: Dance in America'' series on PBS, produced in partnership with KQED Public Television in San Francisco. San Francisco Ballet also performed in frequent overseas tours, including engagements at prestigious venues such as the famed Opéra de Paris-Palais Garnier in Paris (1994, 2001); London's Sadler's Wells Theatre (1999, 2004, 2012) and

Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Ope ...

in Covent Garden (2002); Athens' Megaron Theatre (2002) and Herod Atticus Amphitheatre (2004); Copenhagen's

Tivoli Gardens Tivoli Gardens, also known simply as Tivoli, is an amusement park and pleasure garden in Copenhagen, Denmark. The park opened on 15 August 1843 and is the third-oldest operating amusement park in the world, after Dyrehavsbakken in nearby Klam ...

(1998, 2010); and the

Edinburgh International Festival The Edinburgh International Festival is an annual arts festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, spread over the final three weeks in August. Notable figures from the international world of music (especially european classical music, classical music) and ...

at the

Edinburgh Playhouse Edinburgh Playhouse is a theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland. With 3,059 seats it is the second largest theatre in the United Kingdom after the Hammersmith Apollo. The theatre is owned by Ambassador Theatre Group. Building history The theatre opened ...

(1997, 2003). In fall 2009, San Francisco Ballet made its first trip to the People's Republic of China, with performances in Shanghai and Beijing. In 2012, San Francisco Ballet embarked on the longest tour in the company's history, with engagements in London and Washington, DC, as well as first-time visits to Hamburg, Germany; Moscow; and Sun Valley, Idaho.

Broadcast and media projects

In 1978, San Francisco Ballet's Michael Smuin-directed production of ''Romeo and Juliet'' became the first production by a West Coast ballet company, and the first full-length ballet, to be aired by the PBS ''Great Performances: Dance in America'' television series. Under the direction of Smuin, the ballet's 1981 production of ''The Tempest'' became the first ballet to be broadcast live (on PBS) from the War Memorial Opera House. Three years later, the 1984 PBS broadcast of the Ballet's performance of ''A Song for Dead Warriors'' earned Smuin an Emmy. The fruitful relationship between PBS and SF Ballet continues to this day, with regular broadcasts of the Ballet's 2007 production of ''Nutcracker'', choreographed by Helgi Tomasson. I Also in 2007, the Company had its first theatrical release with ''Nutcracker'', shown in limited theaters in Canada, Australia, and the U.S. In 2011, theatrical distributor IndieNetFilms arranged for additional screenings throughout the U.S. and Canada. In December 2011, the U.S. premiere of

John Neumeier John Neumeier (born February 24, 1939) is an American ballet dancer, choreographer, and director. He has been the director and chief choreographer of Hamburg Ballet since 1973. Five years later he founded the Hamburg Ballet School, which also in ...

's ''The Little Mermaid'', performed by San Francisco Ballet, was broadcast nationally on PBS's ''Great Performances: Dance in America'', and also internationally. DVDs of the ''Nutcracker'' and ''The Little Mermaid'' performances were released in 2008 and 2011, respectively. CD recordings of the complete score of ''Nutcracker'' and Shinji Eshima's ''RAkU'' were released in 2010 and 2012, respectively.

Accolades and awards

The company has garnered numerous accolades and awards. In 2005, San Francisco Ballet won its first Laurence Olivier Award, in the category of Outstanding Achievement in Dance, for its 2004 fall season at Sadler's Wells Theatre. Of the engagement, London's ''

The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, w ...

'' proclaimed, "Helgi Tomasson's outstanding artistic direction ... has transformed a regional American troupe into one of the world's top ballet companies." In 2006, in a readers' poll conducted by ''Dance Europe'' magazine, San Francisco Ballet was the first non-European company to be voted "Company of the Year". In 2008, San Francisco Ballet received the Jerome Robbins Award for excellence in dance. In 2012, Helgi Tomasson was named recipient of the Dance/USA Honor, acknowledging individuals' contributions to dance in America and the role they play in the national dance community. Most recently, San Francisco Ballet was nominated in the category of Outstanding Company by the 2014 National Dance Awards, based in the U.K.

Company

The company of the San Francisco Ballet, as of September 2017.

Artistic Director

* Helgi Tomasson

Ballet Masters & Assistants to the Artistic Director

* Ricardo Bustamante * Felipe Diaz

Ballet Masters

* Tina LeBlanc * Anita Paciotti * Katita Waldo

Choreographer In Residence

Yuri Possokhov

Company teachers

* Helgi Tomasson *Patrick Armand *Ricardo Bustamante *Felipe Diaz

Principal dancers

Principal character dancers

*Ricardo Bustamante *

*Anita Paciotti

Soloists

*Cavan Conley *Diego Cruz *Daniel Deivison-Oliveira *Isabella DeVivo *Lucas Erni *Ellen Rose Hummel *Jasmine Jimison *Madison Keesler *Norika Matsuyama *Steven Morse *Sasha Mukhamedov *Elizabeth Powell *Julia Rowe *Henry Sidford *Myles Thatcher *Lonnie Weeks *Hansuke Yamamoto

Corps de ballet

*Kamryn Baldwin *Sean Bennett *Ludmila Bizalion *Samantha Bristow *Olivia Brothers *Thamires Chuvas *Rubén Citores *Estéban Cuadrado *Megan Amanda Ehrlich *Luca Ferrò *Gabriela González *Lleyton Ho *Anatalia Hordov *Blake Johnston *Sunmin Lee *Elizabeth Mateer *Carmela Mayo *Swane Messaoudi *Davide Occhipinti *Lauren Parrott *Joshua Jack Price *Leili Rackow *Nathaniel Remez *Alexander Reneff-Olson *Jacob Seltzer *Natasha Sheehan *John-Paul Simoens *Tyla Steinbach *Mingxuan Wang *Joseph Warton *Maggie Weirich *Adrian Zeisel

Apprentices

* Alexis Aiudi * Juliana Bellissimo * Andris Kundzins * Nicole Moyer * Pemberley Ann Olson * Jamie Adele Stephens * Jonathan Teague * Alexis Valdes

Official school

, San Francisco Ballet's official school, is America's oldest ballet school. The program includes classes in technique, pointe work, pas de deux, men's technique, contemporary dance, floor

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/conditioning, and character dance. Male and female students are placed in divisions according to age, experience, and ability. More than 50 percent of current San Francisco Ballet dancers received some training at San Francisco Ballet School.

History and directors

The school was founded in 1933 as part of the San Francisco Operatic and Ballet School when

Gaetano Merola Gaetano Merola (4 January 1881 – 30 August 1953) was an Italian conductor, pianist and founder of the San Francisco Opera. Biography Merola was born in Naples, the son of a Neapolitan court violinist and studied piano and conductor at the ...

, the founder of the

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 ...

, perceived a need for an institution where dancers could be trained to perform in opera productions. The school was under the direction of ballet director Adolph Bolm from 1933 to 1938. Willam Christensen became director from 1938 to 1940, followed by his brother Harold Christensen from 1942 until 1975. Richard L. Cammack directed the school from 1975 to 1985; he oversaw the move to its current state-of-the-art facilities on Franklin Street in 1983. In 1985, new SF Ballet artistic director Helgi Tomasson appointed Nancy Johnson as school head. Lola de Avila joined as associate director from 1993 to 1999, followed by Gloria Govrin beginning in 1999. In 2006, de Avila returned to serve as associate director until 2012, when Patrick Armand stepped into the role.

School programs

Admission into the school is by audition only. Students may apply for financial aid and merit-based scholarships. Advanced students may be invited to join the SFBS Trainee Program, a one- to two-year pre-professional program established in 2004. Up to 150 students are chosen by audition to dance in the yearly SF Ballet production of ''Nutcracker''. The most advanced students may also dance with SF Ballet in the repertory season. The school also runs a pre-ballet program for children ages 4–7; after completing the program, students of age who wish to continue study must audition in order to continue at the school.

Faculty

The faculty of the San Francisco Ballet School has long been known for its excellence and diversity of background. As of January 2017, it is led by the Artistic Director Helgi Tómasson and Director Patrick Armand. The illustrious faculty includes Patrick Armand, Cecelia Beam, Sandrine Cassini, Kristi DeCaminada, Karen Gabay, Jeffrey Lyons, Rubén Martín Cintas, Ilona McHugh, Pascal Molat (Trainee Program Assistant), Anne-Sophie Rodriguez, Jaime Diaz (Strengthening), Dexandro "D" Montalvo (Contemporary), Brian Fisher (Contemporary), Dana Genshaft (Contemporary dance and conditioning), Henry Berg (Conditioning), Leonid Shagalov (Character), Jamie Narushchen (Music), and Daniel Sullivan (Music). The guest faculty for 2017 includes Sofiane Sylve (Principal Guest).

San Francisco Ballet Orchestra

Founded in 1975 to serve as San Francisco Ballet's official permanent orchestra, San Francisco Ballet Orchestra (SFBO) holds the rare position of being one of three major orchestras in a single city. The orchestra debuted at the end of 1975 with ''Nutcracker'' and has met with both audience and critical acclaim ever since, becoming known by the 1990s as one of the world's finest ballet orchestras. SFBO toured with the SF Ballet's touring company from 1978 until 1984. It has accompanied many prestigious international ballet companies that have toured to the San Francisco Bay Area, including

The Royal Ballet The Royal Ballet is a British internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England. The largest of the five major ballet companies in Great Britain, the Royal Ballet was founded in ...

, the

Royal Danish Ballet The Royal Danish Ballet is an internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Danish Theatre in Kongens Nytorv, Copenhagen, Denmark. It is one of the oldest ballet companies in the world and originates from 1748, when the R ...

, Stuttgart Ballet,

Hamburg Ballet The Hamburg Ballet is a ballet company based in Hamburg, Germany. Since 1973, it has been directed by the American dancer and choreographer John Neumeier. In addition there is a ballet school, , established in 1978. The performances of the Hamb ...

,the Bolshoi Ballet,

Paul Taylor Dance Company Paul Taylor Dance Company, is a modern dance company, formed by dancer and choreographer Paul Taylor (1930—2018). The modern dance company is based in New York, New York and was founded in 1954. Taylor originally performed in the companies of ...

, American Ballet Theatre, and the

Paris Opéra Ballet The Paris Opera Ballet () is a French ballet company that is an integral part of the Paris Opera. It is the oldest national ballet company, and many European and international ballet companies can trace their origins to it. It is still regarded ...

. In 1995, the orchestra took on the remarkable task of accompanying 13 international dance companies over the space of a single week in the UNited We Dance Festival. The 49-member orchestra accompanies SF Ballet throughout its winter and spring repertory seasons. It also performs apart from the Company; it debuted solely as an orchestra in 1979 at the

Herbst Theatre The Herbst Theatre is an auditorium in the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center in the Civic Center, San Francisco. The 928-seat hall hosts programs as diverse as '' City Arts & Lectures'', SF Jazz, and San Francisco Performances. Architect ...

in San Francisco's War Memorial Veterans Building, playing a program that included works by

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Ives Ives is both a surname and a given name. Notable people with the name include: Surname: * Alice Emma Ives (1876–1930), American dramatist, journalist * Burl Ives (1909–1995), American singer, author and actor * Charles Ives (1874–1954), Amer ...

, and

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 widesprea ...

Orchestra staff and musicians

The SFBO is composed of 49 members and headed by Martin West, music director and conductor. Founding Concertmaster and solo violinist Roy Malan retired in December, 2014, after serving for 40 years. After a rigorous search, Cordula Merks was appointed Concertmaster in 2016. As of October 2013, the musicians and staff included:

San Francisco Ballet Orchestra music directors

The orchestra was led by Denis de Coteau from 1975 until 1998, when de Coteau's battle with terminal cancer forced him to step down from the position.

Emil de Cou Emil de Cou is an American conductor who became associate conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra (John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts) in September 2003. He has led the orchestra on residency tours in five states, in subscription ...

, who had been serving as conductor since 1995, then assumed the role of music director, leading the Orchestra until 2001, when he left to join Washington D.C.'s National Symphony Orchestra. He was replaced by first associate conductor Jean-Louis LeRoux, who then left the interim position in 2003 and was succeeded by Andrew Mogrelia. In 2005, Mogrelia left in order to focus on his duties as music director at

San Francisco Conservatory of Music The San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM) is a private music conservatory in San Francisco, California. As of 2021, it had 480 students. History The San Francisco Conservatory of Music was founded in 1917 by Ada Clement and Lillian Hodg ...

. That same year, Martin West, frequent guest conductor for the Orchestra, stepped into the position of music director. In 2018 frequent guest conductor Ming Luke was appointed Principal Guest Conductor.

San Francisco Ballet Orchestra recordings

The orchestra's repertoire includes hundreds of works spanning four centuries of musical history, many of which have been recorded and released to great critical acclaim, including works by

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 classic ...

Bizet Georges Bizet (; 25 October 18383 June 1875) was a French composer of the Romantic era. Best known for his operas in a career cut short by his early death, Bizet achieved few successes before his final work, '' Carmen'', which has become o ...

, and Delibes. Four of the orchestra's recordings have been televised on PBS's ''Great Performances: Dance in America''. Recordings include: *''Othello''—Suite from the Ballet by Eliot Goldenthal (Varese Records) *''Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker'' (O'Brien Enterprises), 1988 *''Schoenberg, Spohr, Elgar, Handel: Works for String Quartet & Orchestra'' (Arabesque Records) *''Claude Debussy: Rediscovered, Premiere Orchestral Recordings'' (Arabesque Records) *''RAkU'' (San Francisco Ballet Records) *''The Tempest''—complete ballet by Paul Chihara: SF Ballet Orchestra recorded this under the name "Performing Arts Orchestra" in 1981 (Reference Recordings) *''Nutcracker Op. 71'' (Koch Int'l Classics) *''Russian Masterpieces for Cello and Orchestra'' (Shostakovich Cello Concert, Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations, etc., Zuill Bailey, Cello) (Telarc) *''Delibes— Coppélia/Sylvia Extended Suites from the Ballets'' (Reference Recordings) *''Weber—Clarinet Concerti No. 1 & 2'' (Alexander Fiterstein, Clarinet), (Bridge Records) *''Beethoven—Triple Concerto in C Major, Opus 56, Piano Trio in E-flat Major, Op. 1 No. 1'' (Claremont Piano Trio), (Bridge Records) *''Bizet—Symphony in C major; Jeux D'Enfants; Variations chromatique'' (Reference Records) *Yeston—''Tom Sawyer—A Ballet in Three Acts'' (PS Classics) *Karpman - ''Ask Your Mama'' - musical setting of Langston Hughes' ''Ask Your Mama: Twelve Moods for Jazz (Avie Records) *Winger - ''Conversations With Nijinsky, Ghosts, A Parting Grace'' (VBI Classic Recording)

Volunteer groups

San Francisco Ballet has a large network of volunteers who assist with the ongoing success of the Company and the San Francisco Ballet School. More than 200 Ballet Resource and Volunteer Organization (BRAVO) volunteers donate over 10,000 volunteer hours every year, assisting with office duties, retail work, and the ballet's Center for Dance Education, as well as helping SF Ballet staff with receptions, fundraisers, the Spring Student Showcase, and other special events. The San Francisco Ballet Auxiliary is a group of 100 dedicated women who volunteer to raise over $1 million in net contributions annually. In addition to individual fundraising, the group produces three annual productions: the Opening Night Gala, Fashion Show, and Student Showcase, with proceeds benefiting the Ballet and the San Francisco Ballet School. San Francisco Ballet's Allegro Circle is a group of professional men and women who share a passion for dance and contribute their own personal, professional, and philanthropic resources toward developing a new and diverse generation of subscribers and patrons. San Francisco Ballet's ENCORE! group offers local young professionals access to a range of social and educational events with a behind-the-scenes perspective. Staffing these events presents its 200+ members with a wide range of volunteer opportunities.

Repertory

References

Articles

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External links

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Official San Francisco Ballet School websiteSan Francisco Ballet YouTube ChannelSan Francisco Ballet Facebook PageSan Francisco Ballet on TwitterStories about San Francisco Ballet in San Francisco's 7x7 magazineArchival footage of San Francisco Ballet performing Balanchine's ''Concerto Barocco'' in 1956 at Jacob's PillowArchival footage of San Francisco Ballet performing Balanchine's ''Apollon musagète (Apollo)'' in 1956 at Jacob's Pillow
{{Authority control Ballet companies in the United States Culture of San Francisco Dance in California History of ballet Music venues in San Francisco Non-profit organizations based in San Francisco Arts organizations based in the San Francisco Bay Area Arts organizations established in 1933 Performing groups established in 1933 1933 establishments in California

History

Founding: Christensen brothers

1938–1950

1951–1972

1973–1985

1985–present

Programming

Festivals and touring

Broadcast and media projects

Accolades and awards

Company

Artistic Director

Ballet Masters & Assistants to the Artistic Director

Ballet Masters

Choreographer In Residence

Company teachers

Principal dancers

Principal character dancers

Soloists

Corps de ballet

Apprentices

Official school

History and directors

School programs

Faculty

San Francisco Ballet Orchestra

Orchestra staff and musicians

San Francisco Ballet Orchestra music directors

San Francisco Ballet Orchestra recordings

Volunteer groups

Repertory

See also

References

Further reading

Articles

External links