Willam Christensen

Discovering the enchantment that propels a living historic landmark as America’s 1st Nutcracker™: two City Academy students review the 2025 edition of Ballet West production of this holiday classic

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Editor’s Note: In extending its tradition, The Utah Review, with  the assistance of Christal Jackson, an English teacher and ELL coordinator at City Academy, asked two students to review Ballet West’s production of Willam Christensen’s The Nutcracker. For a preview ahead of this year’s production, see this link to The Utah Review feature.  Before turning … Read more

For their first ballet experience, two young reviewers are mesmerized by the exhilarating Ballet West production of The Nutcracker: case example of why it is a Living Historic Landmark

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For many in Salt Lake City, the greatest source of pride has been Willam Christensen’s efforts to make the first American version of The Nutcracker, which he transported from its San Francisco premiere in 1944 to the University of Utah in the 1950s and eventually to its permanent spot in the Ballet West repertoire. One … Read more

A holiday evening of exuberant magic: Ballet West’s The Nutcracker becomes glorious world of fantasy

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It might surprise many readers that for critics, writing a review of The Nutcracker ballet is actually not as easy as it might appear. It is one of the most widely performed works in the end-of-the-year holiday season and audiences love it, whether it is in a lavish professional production or a small-town amateur community … Read more

Ballet West’s Diamond Anniversary of The Nutcracker

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Few activities bring the charm and wonder of the holiday season to life more than Ballet West’s annual run of the Nutcracker. Giant mechanical dolls and bears dancing, sugar plum fairies twirling, Clara saving the Nutcracker prince from harm by the Mouse King—all with the iconic Tchaikovsky score played live by the Ballet West Orchestra. … Read more