New Off-site Exhibition - Celebrating Helgi Tomasson: Innovating the Classical

Wendy Van Dyck, Evelyn Cisneros, Simon Dow, and Jim Sohm in Tomasson’s “Menuetto”, 1986 // © Marty Sohl

The Museum of Performance + Design (MP+D) joins San Francisco Ballet to celebrate the storied career of SF Ballet Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer Helgi Tomasson, the company’s longest-serving sole artistic director with a new off-site exhibit, Celebrating Helgi Tomasson: Innovating the Classical, a rotating installation at the War Memorial Opera House.

Since his appointment as artistic director in 1985, Tomasson has been heralded for balancing an embrace of classical ballet with a drive for innovation and artistic creativity. During his tenure, he has choreographed over 50 ballets for the Company, mounted and commissioned new works, and conceptualized several acclaimed festivals, including the 1995 UNited We Dance festival, the 2008 New Works Festival, and the 2018 Unbound: A Festival of New Works. Tomasson has connected SF Ballet to the world through co-commissions with American Ballet Theatre, The Royal Ballet, and Dutch National Ballet; and major tours to Paris, London, New York City, China, and his native Iceland. 

The installation will be on display on the Grand Tier (North) level in the War Memorial Opera House from February 2 through May 8, 2022 on performance days (Ticket required. Click here for more information). Visitors are encouraged to come back regularly as the ballets featured in this exhibit will change throughout the Season to highlight the iconic works choreographed by Tomasson that are featured as part of this Season alongside selected works from his extensive portfolio, showcasing SF Ballet's diverse array of past and present dancers over the past 37 years.

This exhibit is sponsored in part by a grant from the Grants for the Arts.