The Nutcracker, December 15, 2006, War Memorial Opera House

This production by the San Francisco Ballet was gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. The show, choreographed by Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson, was new back in 2004, and the sets and costumes still sparkle. Of course the dancing was lovely, but I left my cast list at the theater, so I can't tell you who I saw, with the exception of Frances Chung as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Muriel Maffre (I think) as the grown-up Clara. (In a change from other productions, the Sugar Plum Fairy served as Dewdrop in Waltz of the Flowers, while grown-up Clara dances with the Nutcracker Prince in the Grand Pas. You can read the story here.)

What I loved so much about the production was the way it drew on the art and culture of San Francisco. The story itself was set there some time in the 1910's, with the Stahlbaums living in one of those typical San Francisco row houses. The costumes and sets of the second act reminded me of the Palace of Fine Arts, which was built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition. Watercolor pastels abounded, and the act opened with the Sugar Plum Fairy entering her garden full of flowers, butterflies, and the most adorable ladybugs.

The variations were the usual Spanish, Arabian, etc., except for Mother Ginger, who wore a Big Top tent hiding a trained bear. The Chinese variation included a stunning dragon in the style of Chinese parades, although I was disappointed to see a white guy as the main character, given that the company has so many Asian dancers. (Sorry, white guy, it's not personal.) The three Mirlitons (one blonde, one redhead, and one brunette - I'm not sure if they had on wigs or not) were dressed as dance hall girls from the Gold Rush era and had the coquetry down pat.