Whelan Returning to SFP with Live Music (Again)

Dancer Wendy Whelan made her most recent San Francisco Performances (SFP) appearance in November of 2017. She performed a one-hour duet with choreographer Brian Brooks entitled Some of a Thousand Words. The performance was distinguished by including the members of the Brooklyn Rider string quartet, violinists Johnny Gandelsman and Colin Jacobsen, violist Nicholas Cords, and cellist Michael Nicolas, to provide the music, selections by contemporary composers, playing at the very rear of the stage area.

Maya Beiser and Wendy Whelan performing THE DAY in its premiere presentation at Jacob’s Pillow (photograph by Hayim Heron, courtesy of the Jacob’s Pillow dance festival)

At the end of this month, Whelan will return to SFP. This time she will give a solo dance performance of another full-evening composition, THE DAY, choreographed by Lucinda Childs. Once again, the music will be performed in conjunction with the dance. This time it will be provided by solo cellist Maya Beiser, playing music that David Lang’s composed for Childs’ choreography. Lang had previously composed “World to Come” for Beiser in 2003, serving as a reflection on the tragic events of 9/11. Beiser commissioned THE DAY to serve as a “prequel” for “World to Come.” Whelan and Beiser first performed the new piece this past summer at the annual dance festival held at Jacob’s Pillow in Western Massachusetts; and they are now in the process of a cross-country tour of the new work.

THE DAY will be given two performances, both at 7:30 p.m., on Thursday, February 27, and Friday, February 28, respectively. The venue will be Herbst Theatre, whose entrance is the main entrance to the Veterans Building at 401 Van Ness Avenue, located on the southwest corner of McAllister Street. The venue is thus convenient for public transportation on both north-south and east-west Muni lines. Ticket prices are $45 for the Balcony and the side areas of the Dress Circle, $55 for the remainder of the Dress Circle except for the front rows, the rear of the Orchestra, and all of the Boxes, and $65 for the remainder of the Orchestra and the front of the Dress Circle. SFP has created separate event pages for the Thursday and Friday performances, each with an interface to the seating diagram that facilitates the ability of visitors to select and purchase tickets for their seats.