SAN FRANCISCO—The San Francisco Ballet held a “Nutcracker” performance outside in the Hayes Valley neighborhood on Saturday, December 5, ABC 7 San Francisco first reported. According to the San Francisco Ballet, due to COVID-19 restrictions, their performance will be streamed onto their website for the public to view.
“[The] Nutcracker is a tradition that I look forward to each year,” said the ballet’s Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer Helgi Tomasson in an announcement. “Even though we will not be able to experience ‘Nutcracker’ in person this year due to the health crisis, I know San Francisco Ballet will be a part of the Bay Area’s holiday tradition, maybe digitally or through other creative avenues. Perhaps all of this will make our reunion next year all the more special,” Tomasson added.
Executive Director Kelly Tweeddale said it was a difficult decision to go digital but “wanted to ensure the health and safety of our audience and artists while reimagining what creativity and reinvention of ballet looks like in a digital world.”
The decision to go digital thus far has proven to be successful because Tweeddale stated the “San Francisco Ballet experienced a record number of people—over one and a half million—streaming and accessing content as part of the SF Ballet @ Home platform.”
The ballet indicated they have performed “The Nutcracker” for the past 76 years and it can take their volunteer groups about 4,200 hours to work on “The Nutcracker” sets to get everything perfect for viewers. But going digital will not disrupt the quality of the performances, “We are exploring options and working with our artists and our digital archives to see what might be possible. Being able to continue the Nutcracker tradition, especially in a digital environment, would be an apt reflection of our community,” said Tweeddale.
To watch the San Francisco Ballet’s “Nutcracker” online, it costs $49 per ticket and will provide the view 48-hour access to watch. If interested, purchase tickets at https://donate2.app/kbqBT1.
