As the first U.S. city to perform The Nutcracker in 1944, San Francisco holds a unique connection to the ballet.
Actually, I believe San Francisco was the first city where a complete Nutcracker was performed outside of Europe. And that was done on Christmas Eve, 1944.
The Bold Italic
Dec 12, 2024
The Nutcracker Ballet has been a holiday tradition I’ve enjoyed my entire life. As a child, I danced in Petaluma School of Ballet’s annual production every December, even portraying the coveted role of Clara. As an adult, I look forward to seeing San Francisco Ballet’s version of the Christmas classic each winter.
So imagine my surprise when I opened Instagram two days before Thanksgiving and discovered this post from @dancersofsfballet. Among many demands, ballerinas and stage managers wanted better wages, more health and safety precautions, and less use of unpaid students. Luckily, an agreement was reached last Thursday, and the curtain went up on the spectacular show on Friday night!
There was a buzz in the air — it felt like a mixture of excitement for the debut of the beloved story ballet and relief that the performance was happening. If you need a jolt of holiday cheer, see this excellent presentation.
The Nutcracker has a special relationship with San Francisco: It was first performed in the United States here in 1944. Over the past 80 years, the show has had five versions. The current variation is celebrating its 20th year in production. Former Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson staged it in 2004, and it has since become a Bay Area classic known for being set in San Francisco in 1915. The scenery and costumes, designed by Michael Yeargan and Martin Pakledinaz, respectively, reflect this period.
Victorian-era toys, architectural elements, and chic gowns are seen throughout Act 1. The little girl who played Clara, Mitsuki Kobayashi Denman, was demure and well-acted, but her brother Fritz, portrayed by Mateo Wexler, stole the show. He was superb — mischievous and boyish, a star in the making. Joshua Jack Price, as the Jack-in-the-Box, was agile and quick, fluid and flexible — he could have been a toy. As the Ballerina Doll, Julia Rowe was equally adept, pretty, and precious, with stiff movements reminiscent of a mechanical robot. With its live cannon and menacing Mouse King, the fight scene was a flurry of activity and intensity.
My favorite part of The Nutcracker is the snow scene, and SF Ballet’s involves 200 pounds of paper snow. As it falls, the snowflakes twirl and jump, and my heart races, worried that a dancer might fall on the thickening layer of paper on the stage. Last season’s newly appointed star principal, Snow Queen Jasmine Jimison, was luminous and elegant. Her King, Fernando Carratalá Coloma, performing the role for the first time, was commanding and powerful. He and Jimison make a regal pairing, exuding effortless grace while commanding the stage.
In the second act, Sasha de Sola was flawless as the Sugar Plum Fairy. Her technical prowess is unmatched — no one can spin as fast as she twirls around the stage. Other standout dancers include Sasha Mukhamedov as the seductive genie who emerges from a golden teapot during Arabian, Pemberley Ann Olson as a French cancan girl with a pink ribbon, and Russian’s Alexis Francisco Valdes, whose consecutive toe touches had the audience cheering.
One visual effect that worked exceptionally well was when Clara transforms into an adult princess and dances with her Nutcracker prince during the grand pas de deux. Principal Wona Park looked like a grown-up version of Kobayashi Denman, and it was a believable trompe l’oeil. Park’s performance alongside cavalier Wei Wang was majestic and magical.
As a whole, the entire show was a triumph. There was not even a misplaced finger and no significant errors. The Nutcracker was a joyous celebration of dance, proving that the SF Ballet team isn’t going anywhere but where they should be: performing in front of an adoring audience. Here’s to an exciting season to come.
SF Ballet’s Nutcracker is a dazzling tradition that’s thankfully not going away
Greg