San Francisco Ballet
Nutcracker
December 7th, 2024
War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco
Bountiful merriment poured into the War Memorial Opera House on Saturday afternoon for the first matinee performance of San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker. It was hard to imagine that just days earlier, 2024’s Nutcracker run was uncertain. Contract negotiations were ongoing, and it wasn’t until mid-week that the fate of the beloved Bay Area tradition was clear. Luckily, an agreement was reached! And so, the Stahlbaum’s house was awash with revelry, the mice and the soldiers battled, the snowstorm raged on and the Sugar Plum Fairy welcomed Clara and her magical Nutcracker Prince to another realm. The twentieth anniversary of the company’s current Nutcracker, choreographed by former Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson, is up and running until December 29th!
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| San Francisco Ballet in Tomasson's Nutcracker © San Francisco Ballet Photo Lindsey Rallo |
Much of the narrative action unfolds in the ballet’s first half - Clara receives her treasured Nutcracker from Drosselmeyer; the Nutcracker (and the entire scene) transforms and grows; characters battle; and then the pair journey by carriage through a wintry forest. The clash between the soldiers and the mice tends to drag in many productions, but here Tomasson has injected such forward momentum and humor that the segment goes by at a brisk pace. Standout performances from Act I certainly include Carmela Mayo’s dancing doll. The doll may be life size, but it is still a doll, and so mechanized motions and off-balance leanings should be aplenty. Often, the doll solo doesn’t quite capture that spirit, but Mayo was superb, especially in recruiting her epaulement. Former longtime soloist Hansuke Yamamoto made a dazzling debut as Drosselmeyer! Equally impressive were Esteban Hernández as the Nutcracker Prince, Frances Chung as the Queen of the Snow and Cavan Conley as her King. The dance architecture for the snowflake sequence was unwavering; super clean as the corps de ballet shifted from one tableau to another. Turns in low attitude and low coupé were particularly delicate and soft, just like falling snow.
Jennifer Stahl’s Sugar Plum Fairy reigns over Act II with its series of variations and enchaînements. And again, with an eye towards the dance architecture and choreographic construction, it’s of note that most of the featured dances in this Nutcracker are for an odd number of performers. Spanish is a pas de cinq; Arabian, French and Russian are trios and Chinese is a solo, accompanied by students from SFB’s school. So many more interesting formations and choreographic possibilities occur because of these unique groupings. Hernández was joined by Katherine Barkman for the grand pas de deux, and the pairing was positively sublime. Together, every movement and transition was so precise yet flowing and elegant at the same time. Their energy was fervent. Hernández’ deep plié and soaring ballon were the epitome of strength and grace, which Barkman matched with her exquisite balances and fouettés.
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| San Francisco Ballet in Tomasson's Nutcracker © San Francisco Ballet Photo Lindsey Rallo |
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