Earlier in the week it was a rumour, but it has now been confirmed that SFB are coming back to London in the first week of November, 2003. This will see a return to Sadler's Wells theatre, about 70% of the size of the Royal Opera House and with superior sightlines.<P>No casting details as yet.

I can see this being a long relationship... You know, SFB only gets better and better every year. I have never seen such exciting and sustained growth in a company before, with broad appeal across demographics.

You're right Azlan. They do seem even stronger than 2 years ago, with a number of dancers developing apace.

This is great news. My only wish is that Elizabeth Loscavio were still with the company (although she's very happy in Hamburg.) London deserves to see her extraordinary talent. <P>D

Do you think SFB will come again in Paris in 2003. I hope so. I want to discover all the piece you see. I'm very "sad" to not have see Fanfare of Robbins, to not discover Morris'garden or Possokhov Magrittomania. I would see "Sea Pictures" and all their programms. I'm so glad to have see the third programm you saw too and Othello.<BR>And the troup is so rich and so talentuous.

SFB should also think of touring the East!!<BR>Did anyone know that Tokyo has one of the biggest ballet markets in the world for foreign companies?! There's more ballet here than in NY often times. I hope Helgi Tomasson will realize how much SFB could be a hit in Asia.

Do you think that the typically american repertory of SFB please to japanese audience ?. When I look on the review I saw more classical performance as Swan Lake, Giselle, Don Quixote and not really very typically american repertory. <BR>

Cathy, <P>In the past years, contemporary dance has been on the biggest rise in Japan. Japanese audiences are getting bored with foreign dancers who bring their own troup of dancers and show 32 fouettes. In most cases, it is the Russian troupes who are inclined to do many classical pieces. You should see the decreasing number of audiences in these type of so-called gala-performances. Another thing to consider is that SFB has many Asian dancers including Tan Yuan Yuan, Leslie Young, Mayo Sugano, Hansuke Yamamoto, and more. One famous dance critic wrote that a foreign company he would like to see the most at the moment is the SFB. News travels very fast to the Japanese balletomanes; there is an unbelievable number of Japanese dance websites as well.

I don't speak at all about japanese dancer or asiatic dancer. I know they love dance and go in every troup where they are really good. It's just programmation I saw in magazine which make me ask question.<BR>Russian troups are inclined to dance classical everywhere in the world. Look at the Kirov, the more modern work is Neumeier. They have always the same 10 ballets and dance it everywhere too in their theater or in their tour. I don't know what they will present next year in Paris, but it will be very surprising if they made Neumeier show, or just to make me lie .

Cathy, the Kirov has more than 10 ballets in their repertory! And if you are so keen to see the Neumeier programme, you should suggest to the impresario in charge of the Kirov's Paris season next year.<P>I hope that SF Ballet will tour Asia too, including Hong Kong and China.

You have any sense of humour, it's evident that "your" "beloved" Kirov as you said , have more than 10 ballets but they dance always the same ballets as Bayadere, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Nutcracker, Corsaire, Balanchine Jewels, Symphony in C, Serenade, Sylphide, Manon now and Russian classics as Sheherazade in St Petrsbourgh Kirov or in their tour. They dance it all the year, every month, during years and years. <P>I don't want to see absolutely Neumeier programm, it's not the "true" repertory of Kirov, when they came in Paris. I hope to see characteristic repertory of Kirov, with their Petipa, Sleeping Beauty even if I don't love new set and costums, why not their Bayadere, why not also their Corsaire I want to see their natural classical repertory, it's what we want to see from Kirov. I don't want to see their Balanchine, POB dance it better than them but naturly it's my taste.<P>SFB has intelligence to present his characteristic american repertory and not the repertory that the troup in the town where they are invited already has. <p>[This message has been edited by Cathy (edited August 19, 2001).]

Different companies have different relative strengths. I think that the points about the Kirov and SFB reps have been made now and we should move on, please.