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Tamara Rojo, Joseph Caley, and Fernando Carratalá Coloma in English National Ballet in Song of the Earth by Kenneth MacMillan // © Laurent Liotardo

BRITISH ICONS

BRITISH ICONS

FEB 9–FEB 15

BRITISH ICONS

SONG OF THE EARTH // SF BALLET PREMIERE

“A man and a woman; death takes the man;
they both return to her and at the end of the ballet, we find that in death there is the promise of renewal.” Sir Kenneth MacMillan weaves a story of love, loss, and bittersweet death through poetic choreography set to Mahler.

MARGUERITE AND ARMAND // SF BALLET PREMIERE

Created in 1963 for two of ballet’s superstars, Nureyev and Fonteyn, this passionate tale draws inspiration from history’s most famous tragic love stories. Of all the ballets that Frederick Ashton created, Marguerite and Armand stands out as his most passionate as it whisks us through their tragic love affair. The lush designs tell a
tale of their own, imbuing the ballet in an unforgettable period drama.

 


 

SONG OF THE EARTH // SF BALLET PREMIERE
CHOREOGRAPHER: SIR KENNETH MACMILLAN
COMPOSER: GUSTAV MAHLER

MARGUERITE AND ARMAND // SF BALLET PREMIERE
CHOREOGRAPHER: SIR FREDERICK ASHTON
COMPOSER: FRANZ LISZT

Photo Credits: Tamara Rojo, Joseph Caley, and Fernando Carratalá Coloma in English National Ballet production of Song of the Earth by Kenneth MacMillan // © Laurent Liotardo.
Song of the Earth (SF Ballet Premiere)
Choreographer: Sir Kenneth MacMillan
Composer: Gustav Mahler
Staged by: Grant Coyle and Edward Watson
Scenic and Costume Design: Nicholas Georgiadis
Lighting Design: John B. Read
World Premiere: November 7, 1965—Stuttgart Ballett, Staatstheater Stuttgart; Stuttgart, Germany
San Francisco Ballet Premiere: February 9, 2024—War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California
Marguerite and Armand (SF Ballet Premiere)
Choreographer: Sir Frederick Ashton
Composer: Franz Liszt
Staged by: Grant Coyle
Scenic and Costume Design: Cecil Beaton
Lighting Design: John B. Read
World Premiere: March 12, 1963—The Royal Ballet, Royal Opera House; London, England
San Francisco Ballet Premiere: February 9, 2024—War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California