From the first strains of Tchaikovsky’s score, performed live by the Company’s orchestra under the baton of John Nettles, the evening unfolds with a kind of deliberate warmth and craft that feels rare in an era dominated by instant entertainment and fleeting digital amusements. Here, in the deft choreography of Elizabeth Wistrich, audiences are reminded why The Nutcracker has endured beyond mere tradition: it is a work that, even in its most familiar moments, still invites us into a world where imagination is the centerpiece.
The production’s greatest strength lies in its attention to nuance and depth. While many seasonal ballets can feel routine — replayed year after year on autopilot — City Ballet’s interpretation feels lovingly curated. The rise and fall of the ensemble numbers, the careful pacing of Clara’s journey, and the crisp clarity of the corps de ballet reflect a company that knows both its dancers and its audience. The clarity of execution, especially among the soloists, underscores a devotion not just to precision but to storytelling.
Costumes and sets, too, are more than mere adornment; they provide texture and a sense of place that transform the stage into a shimmering Victorian holiday tableau. Every sparkle of tulle and sheen of satin reminds us that ballet can be spectacle and substance. This production doesn’t rely on gimmickry — a noteworthy contrast when compared to some contemporaneous takes elsewhere — but instead trusts that the combination of human artistry and music of the highest order will be enough.
Indeed, in a city where multiple versions of The Nutcracker are offered each December — some leaning toward theatrical novelty, others toward community participation — City Ballet’s rendition distinguishes itself by insisting on what ballet does best: discipline, grace, and emotional nuance. That may sound traditional, and in many ways it is, but tradition here is not stagnation. It is a foundation upon which innovation and heartfelt performance can build.
For those who find in the holidays a moment of reflection, wonder, or even a return to childhood enchantment, this Nutcracker delivers. It doesn’t just retell the familiar tale of Clara’s adventures or crown a Sugar Plum Fairy with dazzling steps — it invites us to remember why we return to the theater at all: for shared joy, for beauty rendered live, and for the sense that art can both reflect and uplift the human spirit.
City Ballet of San Diego’s Nutcracker isn’t merely a seasonal diversion. It’s a heartfelt reminder that, in the midst of December’s rush, there is still room for quiet magic on stage.
Photography by Gilda Adler
