You could have touched down in San Francisco just yesterday and you’d still be aware that the City’s esteemed ballet company has a celebration going on. A big one. Not even the recent glut of election coverage could hide the news.   

Ballet may be a classical art form steeped in tradition, but San Francisco’s well-regarded company is using every bit of modern technology available to spread the word that this year marks their 75^th anniversary. Websites, podcasts, online blogs, a coffee table book and DVD, as well as abundant local cover stories are heralding the news of galas, groundbreaking performances, festivals, and special reunions, reminding us that the ballet is alive and kicking these days, living up to its illustrious history.

No matter if you’re dispassionate about ballet or the performing arts in general; it’s still possible to find fascination in San Francisco Ballet’s story. They’ve grown from the little company that could to the one that did go on to worldwide renown, garnering the respect of practically every major player in the dance world over the last 75 years.

It might be fun to take a little quiz to see how well you’ve been paying attention these last few months.  If you don’t do very well, never fear.  There’s still plenty of time and opportunity to discover the wonders of this jewel in San Francisco’s fine arts crown. The SF Ballet’s anniversary celebration is also a chance to reflect on the company’s story – it’s a compelling piece of our city’s history.

The first one is easy:

1.         What’s the oldest professional ballet company in America and what year was the company founded?

            San Francisco Ballet, 1933.

2.         Who’s sharing the spotlight and this 75^th Anniversary, and how are they marking the occasion?

            SF Ballet School (Founded by Gaetano Merola, who also  founded the company).  They’re performing an American premiere of John Neumeir’s “Yondering,” once at January’s gala and again in May’s Student Showcase.

3.         What’s the San Francisco Ballet’s connection to the Opera?

            SF Ballet was originally founded as the San Francisco Opera Ballet in 1933.  The company’s initial purpose was to train dancers for Gaetano Merola’s extravagant opera productions.

4.         Five years after the company was founded, three brothers took over and created a family dynasty lasting over 30 years.  They’re credited with molding the company into the fine arts treasure it would become. Can you name the brothers and where they came from?

            Lew, Willam and Harold Christensen, from Brigham City, Utah.  The Christensens were beloved and between them danced, taught, choreographed, directed, and managed the company, guiding its artistic and financial success for over 30 years.

5.         What two exalted productions were both first introduced to America by the San Francisco Ballet?

Nutcracker and Swan Lake.  Assumed to be an occasional presentation when it premiered, Nutcracker is still performed to sell-out audiences every holiday season. In this anniversary year, Nutcracker was filmed for PBS’ “Great Performances” and will be televised next December.

Isn’t it a surprise to learn that two of ballet’s most famous and beloved productions premiered right here in San Francisco the first time they were staged in America? 

In this diamond year of programming, Helgi Tomasson, the company’s Icelandic Artistic Director since 1985, is honoring tradition and innovation.  In a fitting tribute at January’s opening gala, George Balanchine’s Diamonds was paired with the classic Giselle. The Chronicle reported the next day that the sparkling costumes and glittering flakes that fell from the ceiling enchanted Fine Arts Goddess Dede Wilsey so much she declared "Diamonds" her favorite of the evening. 

You may have missed January’s gala, but you still have a chance to break out your own diamonds and duds to celebrate the opening of the New Works Festival on Tuesday, April 22^nd. This special fundraising dinner begins with a cocktail reception in the War Memorial Opera House, then progresses to an elegant sit-down dinner in an adjacent tented pavilion. It will be elegant and fun, and will also benefit artistic, education and dancer training programs. 

The New Works Festival is exciting because it’s a rare occurrence of 10 world premieres by 10 renowned choreographers running from April 22 through May 6, 2008.

On February 5^th, New York Times dance reviewer Alastair Macaulay marveled at the undertaking. “The ... programs now being presented will reach a climax in the company’s New Works Festival in April and May, when an astonishing 10 world premieres — by choreographers no less than Paul Taylor, Mark Morris and Christopher Wheeldon, among others — will open on three consecutive nights (April 22 to 24), a quantity that has been matched or surpassed only by New York City Ballet and effectively bids to rival that company’s Diamond Projects of new choreography. (Most ballet companies are doing well if they can present four new ballets a year.)”

Seats are still available.  Check out www.sfballet.org/75thcelebrations for tickets and information.

April starts off with a global salute to SF Ballet as three international and highly regarded companies arrive for a stirring string of performances to acknowledge our company’s influence on the world of dance. The National Ballet of Canada, New York City Ballet and Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo will grace the stage.

The also have a strong presence at SFO this spring.  If you’ve left the country recently, chances are you got a quick lesson in ballet history at an exhibition in the airport’s international terminal. It commemorates the company’s artistic “firsts,” including the first American productions of Swan Lake (1940) and Nutcracker (1944).  Curated by San Francisco Airport Museum, the exhibit includes lavish costumes and historical photos. This month another exhibit will be installed in Domestic Terminal 3, featuring current company photographs by Erik Tomasson. Both exhibits run through May.

Local celebrities are also getting in on the celebration. Acclaimed actor, famous Merry Prankster, and SF resident Peter Coyote contributed to the ballet’s diamond birthday by lending his recognizable voice to the DVD that accompanies the commemorative coffee table book, San Francisco Ballet at Seventy-Five. Last October Chronicle Books published the gorgeous portrait of the company as it stands today. Author Janice Ross, a noted dance scholar and historian, explores the company’s ascent to its current status as an internationally acclaimed cultural institution.

Helgi Tomasson, who is credited with lifting the Company to unprecedented heights of artistic excellence by creating new works while keeping a commitment to the classics, is also committed to the modern.

“For the 75th anniversary of America’s oldest professional ballet company, we celebrate this important milestone by looking forward,” he commented. “As artistic director of the Company for 22 years, I have enormous pride in San Francisco Ballet. While we acknowledge the Company and its rich legacy, we are also excited to celebrate the future of dance.” 

Let the celebration continue!