DANCE: PICK OF THE WEEK: La Traviata Fri to 19 Feb Grand Theatre, Leeds

Veronica Paeper, established in South Africa as a choreographer and as director of Cape Town City Ballet, has so far been known in Britain only through her company's brief season at Sadler's Wells a few years back. That is to be put right by her production of La Traviata for Northern Ballet Theatre.

The plot, of course, is based on one of the world's greatest love stories, Dumas's novel The Lady of the Camelias, which has inspired countless playwrights, composers, film-makers and choreographers. The music is an adaptation of Verdi's opera, to be played without singers - the original arrangement by Allen Stephenson has been reworked for Northern Ballet's orchestra by John Longstaff. As designer, Paeper chose the gifted Peter Cazalet to evoke decadent 19th-century Paris high society.

Grand Theatre, New Briggate, Leeds (0113-222 6222) Fri, 12 & 14-19 Feb, 7.30pm, mats Thur 2pm & Sats 2.30pm, pounds 11-pounds 29.50. Then touring to Nottingham, Bath, Norwich, Sheffield, Canterbury, Cardiff