At The Ballet

SFMike from Civic Center's had a very cultural week! From the symphony on Friday to the SF Ballet opening gala last night -- and for the standing-room ticket price of $20!

The evening started out at a gala Spanish-themed reception at City Hall and the Chron breathlessly reports that "[t]his was the most dressed-up Ballet gala in history. If the ladies pulled out all the stops for the 74th anniversary [this year], it will be tough to top themselves at the 75th."

The guests then tied up traffic on Van Ness (we know, because we got caught in it on our way to dinner) as they spilled out of City Hall and across the street to the Opera House, which had three searchlights spinning around at full beam.

Inside the Opera House, SFMike reports that the $20 standing-room ticket (reduced from $25 due to a typo in the Examiner) entitled you to some "pretty decent" free champagne, and that the dancing was exquisite. SFMike also calls out dancer Damian Smith for praise, reporting on an audience member describing Smith's "perfect human body." We're looking up Damien Smith on the Internet right now!!!

Picture by SFMike, from his Civic Center blog.