The San Francisco Ballet's opening night of the "Nutcracker"

San Francisco Ballet 's opening night of Helgi Tomassen's Nutcracker. 

San Francisco Ballet pulled out all the stops for the opening night of Helgi Tomassen's,  "Nutcracker" ballet.  Giant, lit-up versions of toy Nutcrackers could be seen adorning the War Memorial Opera house from four blocks away, while faux snow fell, making it the perfect setting for the first "Nutcracker" performance of the season.

 "Nutcracker" opened Tuesday night to a packed house of moms, dads and many tiny little sugar plums dressed in their Christmas best.  SF Ballet's  "Nutcracker" is a clever, and traditional, yet, slightly original adaptation of the popular Christmas ballet - featuring scenic design by Michael Yeargan, costume design by Tony Award winner Martin Pakledinaz, lighting design by James F. Ingalls, and projection design by Wendall K. Harrington.

The scenery is right out of the storybook -- taking place in one of San Francisco's famed, "Painted Ladies", and a in a Palace that resembles, The Conservatory of Flowers.  These are just some of the grandest adaptations of our city into the story to compliment  more traditional elements of the "Nutcracker".  A traditional element, the growing Christmas Tree, which I feared was not going to grow, takes your breath away when it finally reaches it's peak after the magical "Uncle Drosselmeyer", played authentically by Damien Smith shrinks Clara.  

 The Mouse King and his fight scene was over way too quickly.  The battle between the  Toy Soldiers and the mice is one of the weaker battles I have seen in any "Nutcracker" adaptation, but also the most age appropriate for small children.  Companies like Chicago's Joffrey  tend to dance the fight scene very darkly --  portraying it to be a terrifying moment in which Clara shows great courage by killing "The Mouse King".  It becomes overlooked in this version, but the lack of a fight scene is quickly made up by the talented dancers who encompass the Corps de Ballet, dancing as "Snowflakes".

Led by their "King and Queen of the Snow", French born, Pierre Francois Vilanoba and MA native, Sarah Van Patten, the Snowflakes ARE the moment where this ballet picks up and the audience suddenly remembers why "Nutcracker" is such a beautiful ballet.   It should be greatly noted that Sarah Van Patten, amongst many of San Francisco Ballet's, Principal Dancers, danced the role so gracefully, that at times you almost wondered if the intricate choreography was too easy for her to dance.

Same could be said about "Russian" dancers, Pascal Molat with Daniel Deivison and Benjamin Stewart, as they sailed high into the air in clean leaps and boundless turns, flying perfectly together in every moment, showing their grand range and technique.

Tomassen's version of "Nutcracker"  definitely has some spots that are a bit off the map.  For one, Tomassen's takes many of the Sugar Plum Fairy's traditional moments away, including the Grand Pas de Deux , often danced by The Sugar Plum Fairy herself, but in Tomasson's version, a grown up Clara, who makes a transformation thanks to The Sugar Plum Fairy so she can dance with her prince.  Gratefully, The Grand Pas de Deux - danced by San Francisco Ballet Principal Dancers, Yuan Yuan Tan and Ruben Martin, was the best version of the Pas de Deux I have ever seen danced during any "Nutcracker" performance I have ever seen personally, including Ruth Page, The Joffrey and the American Ballet Theater.

 "Waltz of the Flowers," one of the best known songs from the ballet falls a little short.  The beautifully costumed dancers are ballerina  versions of  Can-Can Girls, but the scene lacked something that you can't quite pinpoint, the featured soloist danced while I wondered where the costume department found the pink garters.

Those small shortcomings aside, "Nutcracker" does have moments of pure originality and enjoyment, featuring a  perfect "Fritz" and little "Clara" played by Roscoe Bernard and Elise Gillum, a Chinese dragon, an amazing cast of disciplined little dancers that own the show at times, and the scene-stealing performance of the high-flying "Russian Trepak Bear", who comes out of Madame Du Cirque's dress and features the original choreography by Anatole Vilzak, one of the best Russian ballet dancers of the 20th century and  San Francisco Ballet Artistic Director during the late 60's.  Anatole Vilzak gave the choreography as a present to the ballet company in 1986 and it has been performed annually ever since.

 Leaving the theater through a slew of red velvet dresses with little legs in tights practicing  arabesques and whimsically dreaming of  Nutcracker Princes and fairy costumes; it is clear that San Francisco Ballet's "Nutcracker" is a holiday tradition that will hopefully be with us for years to come.