San Francisco Ballet

San Francisco Ballet Review

For ballet-lovers, this company is reason alone to visit the Bay Area. It's the nation's oldest professional ballet company. Under artistic director Helgi Tomasson, the San Francisco Ballet's pieces—both classical and contemporary—have won critical raves. The primary season runs from February through May. The repertoire includes full-length ballets such as Don Quixote and Sleeping Beauty; the December presentation of The Nutcracker is truly spectacular. The company also performs bold new dances from star choreographers such as William Forsythe and Mark Morris, alongside modern classics by George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins. Tickets and information are available at the War Memorial Opera House.