Mere Mortals

EUROPEAN PREMIERE

San Francisco Ballet presents a provocative myth for the AI age, in their futuristic retelling of Pandora’s Box.

Open Pandora’s Box and come face to face with the perils of our tech-obsessed age. San Francisco Ballet takes on eternal philosophical questions about the quest for knowledge through the contemporary lens of artificial intelligence.

Returning to the Festival for the first time in over 20 years, this forward-looking company brings its ‘unmatched creative ambition’ (The Washington Post) to the Edinburgh Playhouse stage. San Francisco Ballet’s bold approach is a perfect match for visionary choreographer Aszure Barton, whose works ‘offer an entire world’ (New York Times).

Composer and electronic musician Floating Points (Sam Shepherd) performs his original score live with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. With cutting-edge visuals, the full power of the orchestra in the pit and 40 of the world’s best dancers commanding the stage, this European premiere promises to be a breathtaking spectacle.

0 Stars

A stunning integration of movement, sound, and visuals

San Francisco Chronicle

0 Stars

A work that is spot‑on with the times, edginess, musical synthesis, AI and all.

Bachtrack

The Warm Up: Mere Mortals

Listen to The Warm Up, your bite-sized audio introduction to the performance.

San Francisco Ballet Artistic Director Tamara Rojo & choreographer Aszure Barton talk myths, AI and human resilience.

Supported by Dunard Fund

with additional support from

Programme

Principal Casting

Friday 28 August, 8pm
Pandora Jennifer Stahl
Prometheus Joseph Walsh
Epimetheus Harrison James
Hope Wei Wang

Saturday 29 August, 3pm
Pandora Nikisha Fogo
Prometheus Fernando Carratalá Coloma
Epimetheus Parker Garrison
Hope Luca Ferrò

Saturday 29 August, 8pm
Pandora Jennifer Stahl
Prometheus Joseph Walsh
Epimetheus Harrison James
Hope Wei Wang

Sunday 30 August, 8pm
Pandora Nikisha Fogo
Prometheus Fernando Carratalá Coloma
Epimetheus Parker Garrison
Hope Mingxuan Wang

Production Credits

PerformersCloseOpen
  • San Francisco Ballet
  • Floating Points
    Composer
  • Royal Scottish National Orchestra
  • Martin West
    Conductor
  • Cordula Merks
    Violin
  • Miriam Adefris
    Harp
  • Simón Gómez Gallego
    Timpani
Creative & Production TeamsCloseOpen
  • Aszure Barton
    Choreographer
  • Hamill Industries
    Production Design & Visuals
  • Michelle Jank
    Costume Designer
  • Jim French
    Lighting Designer
  • Carmen Kovacs
    Dramaturg
  • James Gregg
    Collaborative Assistant
CreditsCloseOpen
  • Mere Mortals was commissioned by San Francisco Ballet and had its world premiere on January 26, 2024, at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, California.

Dive Deeper

Listen to The Warm Up: your audio introduction to the performance.

Dates & Times