SALT LAKE CITY — Ballet West’s “The Nutcracker” is celebrating its 80th anniversary by being officially designated as a Living Historic Landmark.
“The Nutcracker” is one of the most well-known and well-loved ballets and is an iconic Christmas tradition for many. Ballet West was claimed as “America’s First Nutcracker” when it debuted in 1944 with choreography from Ballet West founder Willam Christensen.
The show is now officially known as a Living Historic Landmark by the state of Utah, the studio announced Monday. This designation is the first of its kind and was made possible by Utah Sen. Luz Escamilla’s bill in the recent legislative session.
A Living Historic Landmark is defined by the bill as a cultural event significant to the state’s history, culture, economy or character, unique to the state, the first in the nation and has occurred annually for as least 65 years.
The company created a website for “America’s First Nutcracker” detailing the history of the renowned ballet and how it has evolved over the years.
In December, Ballet West will be celebrating 80 years of the storied Christmastime performance, which “sparked a cultural and artistic phenomenon that is largely responsible for the ballet landscape in America as we know it today,” a statement from Ballet West said.
Christensen created his version of “The Nutcracker” for the San Francisco Ballet in 1944 in an attempt to provide family entertainment during the difficult times of World War II.
Ballet West artistic director Adam Sklute said the production proved to be ideal because it used so many children in its cast at a time when many of the able-bodied dancers were enlisted in the military.
“What it then became was a wonderful phenomenon around the globe, first in America, and later on the world. When ‘The Nutcracker’ premiered in Europe in 1892, many critics did not like that so many roles were danced by children, that the ballet was so short, and that the story was light and gentle. It fell into obscurity for decades,” Sklute said. “But those very things that were not popular from the original production were the very things that made the work a success when Mr. C produced it.”
Christensen brought “The Nutcracker” to Utah, where it has been performed annually since 1955 — first, at Kingsbury Hall with the University of Utah, and then at the Capitol Theatre once Ballet West was founded in 1963.
“We are the only company that presents this version in the United States, and it literally started this ‘Nutcracker’ mania that every ballet company in America presents during the holidays,” Ballet West executive director Michael Scolamiero said.
Renowned American choreographer George Balanchine produced his own version of “The Nutcracker” a decade after Christensen for New York City Ballet. Some would argue Balanchine’s is the most well-known version of “The Nutcracker.”
Company after company started adopting the tradition of the show, giving children the opportunity to perform alongside professionals.
“‘The Nutcracker’ has become synonymous with the holiday tradition, and that’s all because of Christensen, who created this success that has become a major revenue stream for ballet companies around the world,” Sklute said.
Ballet West’s production has gone through four versions of sets and costumes over the eight decades, with the most recent upgrade in 2017. Tickets for “The Nutcracker” sell out quickly every year and go on sale Sept. 4.