The San Francisco Ballet's performance of Frankenstein may just appeal to a broader audience, thanks to its stunning costumes, dark yet profound story and moving musical score.
Debuting at the War Memorial Opera House this Friday, February 17th, "the Royal Ballet's Liam Scarlett brings his celebrated production of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to San Francisco for its American premiere in 2017! One of the most promising new choreographers of the new millennium, Scarlett's works have been lauded for its psychological complexities and expressive movement in dance. Now his first full-length ballet brings to life the troubled Dr. Frankenstein and his equally tragic Creature, exploring man's desire to create and moving away from its "horror" label."
Image courtesy of SF ballet
"Liam Scarlett, the youngest choreographer ever to have a full-length ballet commissioned by The Royal Ballet, helms this darkly beautiful and adult exploration of Mary Shelley’s Gothic classic. Lowell Liebermann, one of America’s most frequently recorded living composers, created the original score. Master designer John Macfarlane brings us sumptuous costumes that evoke the richness of early 18th-century Geneva, and a set that will astonish. More a love story than a monster story, Frankenstein is a meditation on what it means to be human. On its London debut in May 2016, the production was called “lavish” by The New York Times and “emotionally intense” by The Guardian (UK)."
"The original story of Frankenstein has mostly been forgotten with the advent of Hammer Horror movies, and now the Creature is a staple of pop culture, even laughable with his flat top haircut and neck bolts. However, Scarlett's rich and evocative production turns down the horror angle, and transforms it into a Gothic love story with a tragic end worthy of opera, with an emphasis on exploring what it means to be human."
The performance is best for ages 16 and above due to mature themes. With a run time of 2 hours and 50 minutes, the show will play at the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House through February 26th. The Opera House has been home to the San Francisco Opera since 1932 in addition to the San Francisco Ballet and San Francisco Symphony. The War Memorial Opera House was the birthplace of the United Nations in 1945 and it was here that President Truman and other heads of state and dignitaries signed the United Nations Charter on June 26, 1945.
Tickets are available online at both the War Memorial Box Office and the San Francisco Ballet websites. The San Francisco War Memorial Opera House is located at 301 Van Ness Avenue.
