Christopher Wheeldon's CINDERELLA to Return to San Francisco Ballet This Month

San Francisco Ballet's 90th Anniversary Season continues with Christopher Wheeldon's Cinderella, set to Sergei Prokofiev's score, opening at the War Memorial Opera House on Friday, March 31 and running through April 8. A breathtaking take on the iconic fairytale, Wheeldon's Cinderella offers no fairy godmother or clock striking midnight. Instead, Cinderella's heroine is in control of her destiny, emerging from the death of her mother empowered by love. Inspired by the darker Brothers Grimm version of the tale, Cinderella includes set and costume designs by Tony Award-winning designer Julian Crouch and San Francisco-native puppeteer Basil Twist, who creates the tree that grows from Cinderella's tears and directs the dazzling end of Act I. The production includes a staggering 197 roles and 370 costumes, including Cinderella's gold gown detailed with computer-printed feathers.

A co-production with Dutch National Ballet, Cinderella premiered in the U.S. with SF Ballet in 2013 and has been performed across the globe, including in Amsterdam, Munich, London, and New York City. The production marks Wheeldon's first and only full-length ballet for SF Ballet and is one of 15 ballets by the choreographer in the Company's repertory. Casting for Cinderella includes role debuts by Soloist Isabella Devivo as Cinderella, and Principal Dancer Max Cauthorn as Prince Guillaume. Principal Dancer Isaac Hernández also performs as Prince Guillaume for the first time at SF Ballet, having performed the role at English National Ballet in 2019. Cinderella was last seen at SF Ballet in 2020.

SF Ballet's Educators' Appreciation Day returns on Friday, April 7 during the evening performance of Cinderella, welcoming teachers, paraprofessionals, school staff, administrators, and teaching artists from schools across the Bay Area into the War Memorial Opera House. Three Cinderella Family Dance-Along workshops, including one Sensory Friendly Dance-Along workshop, will be held on Sunday, April 2. The Cinderella Student Matinee, currently sold out, will be held on Thursday, April 6 at 11am, welcoming hundreds of schoolchildren into the Opera House for Act I of Cinderella.

Tickets start at $29 and may be purchased online at sfballet.org or by calling 415-865-2000, Monday through Friday from 10 am to 4 pm Pacific. SF Ballet's 90th anniversary season continues with Helgi Tomasson's Romeo & Juliet (April 21 ̶ 30).