San Francisco Ballet - To The Pointe

To the Pointe: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM BEFORE YOU GO! Get a quick overview of George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream: hear about the ballet’s creation in 1960s New York, revisit the story to figure out which dancer is Hermia and which one is Helena, and find out what to look for in this magical and mystical ballet!   HEADER PHOTO: CAVAN CONLEY IN BALANCHINE’S A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM // CHOREOGRAPHY BY GEORGE BALANCHINE © THE BALANCHINE TRUST; PHOTO © ERIK TOMASSON

To The Pointe: Swan Lake

All You Need to Know About Swan Lake Before You Go! Swan Lake may be the most iconic ballet in history. But despite its success today, the creation of Swan Lake in 19th-century Russia was far from smooth sailing. For one, Tchaikovsky bristled at the idea of being labeled a “ballet specialist” like Ludwig Minkus, who would compose bars of music to spec: 8 bars of “happy” music for an entrance, or 16 bars of “dramatic” music for a finale, depending on the choreographer’s needs. Plus, the ballet’s premiere in Moscow was deemed a critical failure. Among all the challenges associated with its debut, how did this ballet find its wings and soar to success?   Like what you heard? Subscribe to our Meet the Artist podcast on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/san-francisco-ballet-meet-the-artist/id1277303652?mt=2] to access archived episodes and have new ones delivered straight to your devices! Header Photo: San Francisco Ballet backstage during a performance of Tomasson’s Swan Lake // © Erik Tomasson

To the Pointe: Cinderella

All You Need To Know About Program 6 Before You Go! Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella is part of SF Ballet’s 2023 Repertory Season. It will be performed in Program 6, from Mar 31–Apr 8, 2023. Join Jennie Scholick, PhD for a quick overview of Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella©. Hear about the ballet’s creation, both in Soviet Russia and in San Francisco, revisit the story, and find out what to look for in this delightfully charming ballet! THIS PRODUCTION WAS PART OF THE 2023 SEASON Header Image: Frances Chung and Joseph Walsh in Wheeldon’s Cinderella // © Erik Tomasson

To The Pointe: Romeo & Juliet

All You Need to Know About Romeo & Juliet Before You Go Ah, yes: star-crossed lovers, show-stopping swordsmanship, and a tragic ending for the ages. On the surface, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet seems like an easy fit for the balletic stage. But the conception of this now-classic ballet came with a host of challenges for its composer, Sergei Prokofiev. In this episode of To The Pointe, learn about the USSR’s influence on the original ballet and how it’s morphed over time, including in 1994, when Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson put his own spin on this iconic love story. THIS PRODUCTION WAS PART OF THE 2023 SEASON Like what you heard? Subscribe to our Meet the Artist podcast on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/san-francisco-ballet-meet-the-artist/id1277303652?mt=2] to access archived episodes and have new ones delivered straight to your devices! Header Photo: Misa Kuranaga and Angelo Greco in Tomasson’s Romeo & Juliet // © Erik Tomasson

To the Pointe: Nutcracker

All You Need to Know About Nutcracker Before You Go! Join Jennie Scholick, PhD for a deep dive into Nutcracker. Learn about this iconic ballet’s history, story, and what to look for. Like what you heard? Subscribe to our Meet the Artist podcast on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/san-francisco-ballet-meet-the-artist/id1277303652?mt=2] to access archived episodes and have new ones delivered straight to your devices! Header Image: San Francisco Ballet in Tomasson’s Nutcracker // © Erik Tomasson