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Yuan Yuan Tan, Ruben Martin Cintas, & San Francisco Ballet in Wheeldon’s ‘Number Nine’; Photo: Erik Tomasson

London balletomanes have significant reason to rejoice; San Francisco Ballet is bringing an enviable tour of riches that may make their Crown Jewels seem pale in comparison.

San Francisco Ballet in Wheeldon’s ‘Within the Golden Hour’; Photo: Erik Tomasson

In fact, the programming is enough to make a SFBalletomane want to fly to London in September, just for the chance to see Wheeldon’s gorgeous Within the Golden Hour again (the memory of the choreography and music still gives me chills and fortunately, since this post was originally published a few months ago, SFB has announced it will also again be presented in its 2013 home season), not to mention Possokhov’s thrilling Classical Symphony. (SFB: note that this journalist has given you permission to keep both of these ballets in constant current rep on your home stage.)

Frances Chung & Isaac Hernandez in Possokhov’s ‘Classical Symphony; Photo: Erik Tomasson

(Thank goodness SFB is encoring Possokhov’s RAkU before they go, or SFB fans might be a trifle jealous of their English speaking cousins ‘across the pond’!) 

Yuan Yuan Tan in Possokhov’s ‘RAkU’; Photo: Erik Tomasson

Of interest to us in San Francisco is the fact that Edwaard Liang’s world premiere ballet, Symphonic Dances, set to open here in 2 days, and Ashley Page’s world premiere, Guide to Strange Places, also opening here this week, are both included on the London Tour-Gadzooks! They haven’t even premiered here yet and SFB thinks they’re fabulous enough for the London tour? 

(I can’t wait!)

Here’s the Sadler’s Wells PR & Program from their site (updated on 6/3/12 to reflect changes in programming order reflected on their site):

Under the direction of Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer Helgi Tomasson, San Francisco Ballet is the oldest professional ballet company in America and has a worldwide reputation for its vast and rich repertory, performed by a virtuoso company. Sadler’s Wells is thrilled to welcome San Francisco Ballet to London, where they will present three eclectic programmes over two weeks, performing some of their most popular works of recent years.

Programme A features George Balanchine’s iconic large-scale work, Divertimento No. 15, set to Mozart’s chamber piece; choreographer Edwaard Liang’s abstract ballet Symphonic Dances, set to Rachmaninov’s intensely spiritual composition of the same name; and Christopher Wheeldon’s uplifting Number Nine, hailed as a “delectable paintbox of a dance” by The San Francisco Chronicle.

Programme B brings together Wheeldon’s atmospheric 2010 ballet Ghosts; Ashley Page’s highly physical Guide to Strange Places set to pulsating music by John Adams; and Trio, choreographed by Tomasson and set to Tchaikovsky’s glorious Souvenir de Florence. A visually stunning triptych of a ballet, Trio boasts set and costumes as lush as the choreography.

Programme C is comprised of four works: Mark Morris’ Beaux, a playful colourful work for nine men featuring costumes by Isaac Mizrahi; San Francisco Ballet Choreographer in Residence Yuri Possokhov’s interpretation of Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony; Possokhov’s multimedia dance theatre work RAkU, based on the story of the burning of Kyoto’s Golden Pavilion in 1950; and Christopher Wheeldon’s ethereal Within the Golden Hour, set to music by Italian composer Ezio Bosso and Vivaldi.

Programme A
Divertimento No. 15 (Mozart / Balanchine)
Symphonic Dances (Rachmaninov / Liang)
Number Nine (Torke / Wheeldon)

Programme B
Trio (Tchaikovsky / Tomasson)
Ghosts (Winger / Wheeldon)
Guide to Strange Places (Adams / Page)

Programme C
Beaux (Martinů / Morris)
Classical Symphony (Prokofiev / Possokhov)
RAkU (Eshima / Possokhov)
Within the Golden Hour (Bosso / Vivaldi / Wheeldon)

 For more details and to purchase tickets (yes, they’re already selling!), go to Sadler’s Wells’ web site here.