David Finn News

Scottish Ballet has announced that the company will be joined by Senior Guest Artist Cira Robinson for the world premiere of Helen Pickett's The Crucible. The first major commission of Scottish Ballet's 50th anniversary year, the production will open the dance programme at the Edinburgh International Festival, 3-5 August 2019.

Triple-bill Program 06, Space Between, opens at San Francisco Ballet on March 29 with Tony Award-winner Justin Peck's Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes; the return of Arthur Pita's wild Bjork Ballet, created for the 2018 Unbound festival; and the world premiere of Die Toteninsel by Liam Scarlett, artist in residence at The Royal Ballet. Space Between's high-intensity programming is on display until April 9 at SF War Memorial Opera House.

As the centerpiece of its 2018-19 season, The Joffrey Ballet proudly announces the world premiere of Yuri Possokhov's historic reimagining of Leo Tolstoy's classic novel, Anna Karenina, considered the greatest literature ever written. This majestic full-length work is presented in a first-time collaboration between The Joffrey Ballet and the renowned Australian Ballet to be performed in Chicago at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, in ten performances only, February 13-24, 2019.

Beginning June 5 and continuing through the 29th, San Francisco Opera presents a trio of extraordinary lyric works Georges Bizet's Carmen, George Frideric Handel's Orlando and Anton n Dvo k's Rusalka featuring powerful leading women in the title roles. Spanning three centuries and sung in French, Italian and Czech, the 2019 Summer Season repertory will occasion the Company debuts of four conductors, including two women, in productions that are new to the War Memorial Opera House stage. Some casting updates for the repertory were announced today and additional casting of supporting roles will be released at a future date.

As the centerpiece of its 2018-19 season, The Joffrey Ballet proudly announces the world premiere of Yuri Possokhov's historic reimagining of Leo Tolstoy's classic novel, Anna Karenina, considered the greatest literature ever written. This majestic full-length work is presented in a first-time collaboration between The Joffrey Ballet and the renowned Australian Ballet to be performed in Chicago at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, in ten performances only, February 13-24, 2019.

'Sutra' is Alonzo Kings' newest full length work, presented at The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts; three years after their last appearance in Los Angeles. Originating in San Francisco in 1982, LINES Ballet is at the forefront of artistic innovation and is well-respected and famous for collaborating with musicians and visual artists all over the globe to create unique and forward-looking contemporary ballets.

San Francisco Opera presents Richard Strauss' Arabella in five performances at the War Memorial Opera House from October 16 through November 3. Last performed by the Company 20 years ago, Arabella returns in Tim Albery's acclaimed production with leading Strauss interpreter Marc Albrecht, making his United States opera debut on the podium. The cast features soprano Ellie Dehn performing the title role for the first time, baritone Brian Mulligan in his role debut as Mandryka, soprano Heidi Stober as Zdenka, tenor Daniel Johansson in his first San Francisco Opera engagement as Matteo and Hye Jung Lee as the Fiakermilli. Company Chorus Director Ian Robertson prepares the San Francisco Opera Chorus.

San Francisco Opera presents Richard Strauss' Arabella in five performances at the War Memorial Opera House from October 16 through November 3. Last performed by the Company 20 years ago, Arabella returns in Tim Albery's acclaimed production with leading Strauss interpreter Marc Albrecht, making his United States opera debut on the podium. The cast features soprano Ellie Dehn performing the title role for the first time, baritone Brian Mulligan in his role debut as Mandryka, soprano Heidi Stober as Zdenka, tenor Daniel Johansson in his first San Francisco Opera engagement as Matteo and Hye Jung Lee as the Fiakermilli. Company Chorus Director Ian Robertson prepares the San Francisco Opera Chorus.

Ashley Wheater, Artistic Director of The Joffrey Ballet, proudly announces an impressive 2018-19 season featuring the world premiere of Yuri Possokhov's historic reimagining of Leo Tolstoy's classic novel, Anna Karenina, presented as part of a first-time collaboration between The Joffrey Ballet and the renowned Australian Ballet, along with a world premiere by rising urban dance star Andrea Walker, the Chicago Premiere of Wayne McGregor's Kairos and the return of two popular works by Tony Award-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon.

The trials and tribulations of the Met's new take on Puccini's TOSCA have been well documented--with all three principals replaced along with two conductors--and it would be nice to be able to say that everything came out happily-ever-after. Alas. There's nothing wrong with the company's surprise-free new take on one of Italian opera's most famous works that a stronger director couldn't come in and cure.

The Canadian Opera Company opens its 2017/2018 season with the lush orchestration and soaring vocal lines of Richard Strauss' lyrical comedy about love, money and sex, Arabella.

The Canadian Opera Company opens its 2017/2018 season with the lush orchestration and soaring vocal lines of Richard Strauss' lyrical comedy about love, money and sex, Arabella.

The Australian Ballet has just announced that it has partnered with Chicago's Joffrey Ballet to create a new joint production of Tolstoy's timeless masterpiece, Anna Karenina. In an all-Russian partnership, prolific and award-winning Russian choreographer, Yuri Possokhov will collaborate with award-winning Russian composer, Ilya Demutsky who has been commissioned to create a new score for this production.

In it's 20th year, the GRIFFIN AWARD continues Griffin Theatre Company's commitment to producing Australian plays and supporting the creation of new Australian work as it seeks to recognise "an outstanding play or performance text that displays an authentic, inventive and contemporary Australian voice".

San Francisco Ballet, long recognized for pushing boundaries in dance, has announced its 2017-18 Season program and schedule. This summer, SF Ballet will return to Festival Napa Valley for one performance only on Friday, July 21, 2017, accompanied by members of the SF Ballet Orchestra. In addition, this October, the Company will once again participate in World Ballet Day LIVE, a day-long streaming event (details to be announced).

BrightSide Theatre, Naperville's only professional theatre performing in the historic downtown district, is pleased to announce its fifth production of the BrightSide Theatre Youth Project with the musical -Thoroughly Modern Millie Jr.  Directed by BrightSide Artistic Director Jeffrey Cass and playing March 11-19, 2017 at the Theatre at Meiley-Swallow Hall at North Central College, 31 S. Ellsworth Street in Naperville, tickets are on sale now atwww.BrightSideTheatre.com or by calling 630-447-TIXS (8497). 

The Metropolitan Opera's 2017-18 season will feature 220 performances of 26 works, including two Met premieres, one co-commissioned by the company and one an older masterpiece having its first Met performances; a variety of repertory favorites, three in new productions; and performances of Verdi's towering concert work for soloists, orchestra, and chorus, the Requiem. Of note, Broadway star Kelli O'Hara is set to return to the Met in Così fan tutte this season.

BrightSide Theatre, Naperville's only professional theatre performing in the historic downtown district, is pleased to announce its fifth production of the BrightSide Theatre Youth Project with the musical -Thoroughly Modern Millie Jr.  Directed by BrightSide Artistic Director Jeffrey Cass and playing March 11-19, 2017 at the Theatre at Meiley-Swallow Hall at North Central College, 31 S. Ellsworth Street in Naperville, tickets are on sale now atwww.BrightSideTheatre.com or by calling 630-447-TIXS (8497). 

The Canadian Opera Company presents a 2017/2018 season that defies conventions on what opera can be and cements the art form's enduring relevance as a reflection of timeless human relations and universal themes.

The Canadian Opera Company enters the twilight of the gods with the revival of its acclaimed production of Wagner's Gotterdammerung directed by Toronto-area resident Tim Albery. COC Music Director Johannes Debus conducts his first Gotterdammerung, at the helm of the internationally acclaimed COC Orchestra and Chorus with a cast of generation-defining voices led by powerhouse American soprano Christine Goerke in her debut as Gotterdammerung's Brunnhilde.