The Nutcracker | San Francisco Travel Blog
The 71st Annual Nutcracker Performance by the San Francisco Ballet
On Christmas Eve, 1944, the audience at San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House experienced the very first American performance of The Nutcracker, staged by artistic director, William Christensen, and starring Gisella Caccialanza as the Sugar Plum Fairy. After the enormous success of this production, San Francisco Ballet has presented The Nutcracker every Christmas Eve and throughout the winter season ever since.