three visions of ballet
Dance Innovations offers a chance to see three different ideas of what ballet can express: the beautiful poignancy of Edwaard Liang’s The Infinite Ocean, the world premiere of Trey McIntyre’s The Big Hunger, and the thrilling display of classical movement that is Etudes. Visually stunning and emotionally stirring, The Infinite Ocean, set to a commissioned score by Oliver Davis, is a heartfelt, spiritual contemplation of the space between life and death. Choreographer Trey McIntyre returns with a brand-new work exploring the search for meaning in life in a society constantly focused on minutiae, set to Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No 2. Harald Lander’s Etudes follows the course of ballet class, beginning simply at the barre and culminating with a spectacular display of virtuosity and technique by 40 dancers.
THE INFINITE OCEAN
Composer: Oliver Davis
Choreographer: Edwaard Liang
•••
The Big Hunger WORLD PREMIERE
Composer: Sergei Prokofiev
Choreographer: Trey McIntyre
Pianist: Yekwon Sunwoo
•••
ETUDES
Composer: Knudåge Riisager, after Carl Czerny
Choreographer: Harald Lander
Staged by: Johnny Eliasen
Artistic Advisor: Lise Lander
Total run time: 2 hours and 37 minutes, including one 20 and one 15 minute intermission
Program 03 Casting
THE INFINITE OCEAN
Composer: Oliver Davis
Choreographer: Edwaard Liang
Conductor: Ming Luke
Violin: Cordula Merks
Sofiane Sylve, Tiit Helimets
Yuan Yuan Tan, Carlo Di Lanno
INTERMISSION
THE BIG HUNGER WORLD PREMIERE
Composer: Sergei Prokofiev
Choreographer: Trey McIntyre
Conductor: Martin West
Pianist: Yekwon Sunwoo
Dores André, Benjamin Freemantle
Jennifer Stahl, Luke Ingham
Esteban Hernandez, Wei Wang
INTERMISSION
ETUDES
Composer: Knudåge Riisager, after Carl Czerny
Choreographer: Harald Lander
Conductor: Ming Luke
Sasha De Sola
Angelo Greco, Joseph Walsh
Carlo Di Lanno
THE INFINITE OCEAN
Composer: Oliver Davis
Choreographer: Edwaard Liang
Conductor: Ming Luke
Violin: Cordula Merks
Sofiane Sylve, Tiit Helimets
Wona Park, Steven Morse
INTERMISSION
THE BIG HUNGER WORLD PREMIERE
Composer: Sergei Prokofiev
Choreographer: Trey McIntyre
Conductor: Martin West
Pianist: Yekwon Sunwoo
Dores André, Benjamin Freemantle
Jennifer Stahl, Luke Ingham
Cavan Conley, Lonnie Weeks
INTERMISSION
ETUDES
Composer: Knudåge Riisager, after Carl Czerny
Choreographer: Harald Lander
Conductor: Martin West
Misa Kuranaga
Benjamin Freemantle, Wei Wang
Cavan Conley
*Denotes role debut in current production
‡Denotes role debut at San Francisco Ballet
†Denotes debut in current production
off Stage
Delve deeper into the choreography, artists, and music that you'll see on stage and meet the artists who are creating ballet today.
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BEHIND THE SCENES
Discover the wide-ranging approaches to ballet: Edwaard Liang's emotional and dramatic The Infinite Ocean; Trey McEntyre's 2020 Season World Premiere; and Harald Lander's intensely classical Etudes.
THE INFINITE OCEAN
Scenic Design: Alexander V. Nichols
Costume Design: Mark Zappone
Lighting Design: James F. Ingalls
World Premiere: April 26, 2018—San Francisco Ballet, War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California
The 2018 world premiere of The Infinite Ocean was made possible by Unbound Festival Presenting Sponsor Diane B. Wilsey and Grand Benefactor Sponsor Denise Littlefield Sobel.
THE BIG HUNGER
Scenic and Costume Design: Thomas Mika
Lighting Design: Jim French
World Premiere: February 13, 2020—San Francisco Ballet, War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California
ETUDES
Lighting Design: Harald Lander, Craig J. Miller
World Premiere: January 15, 1948—Royal Danish Ballet, Royal Theater; Copenhagen, Denmark
San Francisco Ballet Premiere: February 3, 1998—War Memorial Opera House; San Francisco, California