The Nutcracker @ the San Francisco Ballet
In Act 1, you are drawn into the Stahlbaum family’s house with a festive tree and then are greeted by Claire, Fritz and their friends before Dr Stahlbaum invites guests to dance, including his daughter Claire. After Drosselmeyer—Known as “Uncle Drosselmeyer” among the Stahlbaums—give her nutcracker doll to Clara, Fritz breaks it. Alas, Drosselmeyer has to fix it and another wonderful dance breaks out.
Ballet de San Francisco in The Nutcracker by Tomasson // © Erik Tomasson *** Local Caption *** Clara: Abby Cannon
San Francisco Ballet in The Nutcracker by Tomasson // © Erik Tomasson *** Local Caption *** Clara: Abby Cannon, Fritz: Kai Hannigan
In this holiday season Mystically, Clara falls asleep on the sofa where she dreams of Uncle Drosselmeyer, the nutcracker doll and the guests. Then the dream expands with huge mice that have a king and an army of tin soldiers, but luckily her nutcracker doll comes to life to protect her. You don’t have to be a child to be on the edge of your seat for this performance.
San Francisco Ballet in Tomasson’s Nutcracker // © Erik Tomasson *** Local Caption *** Soldiers: Aria Gerking, Lizzy Steward, Sofia Garcia, Zoie Liang Mao, Alexis Altshuler, Ruby Rosenquist, Piper O’Leary Herreras, Eve Kaufman, Danica Suverkrubbe
The Mouse King challenges the Nutcracker to a duel which, after having defeated the king, collapses. Uncle Drosselmeyer comes to the rescue, because he is full of magic. What happens? He transforms the Nutcracker into a dashing prince and together they set off on a journey through the “Land of snow”.
Yuan Yuan Tan and Henry Sidford in Tomasson’s Nutcracker // © Erik Tomasson
In Act II there is even more drama and color with the garden of a Crystal Palace, ladybugs, dragonflies and butterflies and guess what? They can all dance. the Prune fairy welcomes Clara and the Prince and follows a more dancing festival, starting with Spanish flair, an Arab genius (who has not dreamed of child geniuses?), Chinese performers and French dancers with beautiful decadent ribbons. Let’s not forget the russian dancers, Madame du Cirque and a dancing bear.
Sa Francisco Ballet in The Nutcracker by Tomasson // © Erik Tomasson
Does it still look like heaven to a child? The truth is that the Nutcracker Not only that and more for children, but it magically transports anyone looking back in time to dreams of their own childhood and they happen to be the most rewarding, filled with magic, wonder, mystery and fantasy.
And of course, it just keeps getting better.
the Prune fairy waltz with its flower court after which the Prune fairy and Uncle Drosselmeyer grant Clara a Christmas wish by turning her into a beautiful ballerina so she can dance with the Prince.
