There’s no doubting the skill on-stage. The most unexpected moment goes to Francesco Frola's leaps.
If the San Francisco Ballet wanted to get people talking with “Don Quixote,” playing at the War Memorial Opera House through Mar. 29, they got their wish on opening night. A near-sold-out crowd braved the unseasonably-warm weather to see this lauded company put on their unique production of Marius Petipa’s 1869 ballet.
If the San Francisco Ballet wanted to get people talking with “Don Quixote,” playing at the War Memorial Opera House through Mar. 29, they got their wish on opening night.. A near-sold-out crowd braved the unseasonably-warm weather to see this lauded company put on their unique production of Marius Petipa’s 1869 ballet. Based on the Miguel de Cervantes novel of the same name, those unfamiliar with Petipa’s adaptation may be surprised to see so little of its title character. Cervantes’ epic two-part tome of medieval Spain had its deluded hero taking part in many adventures, many of them imaginary. The novel was already two centuries old by the time Petipa whittled some 3,000-plus pages into a relatively truncated dance piece. That’s why this version finds the eponymous faux-knight mostly on the periphery. After a brief prologue introducing Quixote and clumsy sidekick Sancho Panza , the two arrive in the Barcelona town square just as handsome barber Basilio is courting the lovely Kitri . The young lady’s inn-keeper father Lorenzo would much rather see her betrothed to effete aristocrat Gamanche , yet she also catches the eye of Quixote himself. Thus begins a cat-and-mouse adventure in which the two young lovers escape to the Spanish countryside to evade the unwanted attention of several old men. Toss in a matador, a Romani clan, and a fever dream about Driads, and you still end up with a pretty lean excerpt from the door-stop novel. And yes, the Don does face off with that pesky windmill.The piece was last performed in February 2022, one of the final shows under Tomasson before Tamara Rojo took over that December. It’s tempting to think she picked the show as a distraction from the company’s controversies – the latest beingto pull out of performing at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. – but SF Ballet seasons are programmed months in advance. It’s more likely that the Spanish-born dancer wanted to produce a show that lovingly showcased her homeland. It’s also possible she wanted to highlight how different the company has become in such a short time. Several notable dancers have retired from the company since 2022, including powerhouse Sarah van Patten, who played the matador-loving Mercedes in the previous “Quixote.” The show may not have changed, but everything that went into it has shifted in four short years. That doesn’t mean the 2026 production is bereft of its own great talent. Quite the contrary, there’s no doubting the skill on-stage. Tomasson’s take on the choreography stands out by its integration of non-ballet disciplines. Like with his “Nutcracker,” he lovingly embraces ethnic dance to give the mise en scene more character and legitimacy. It makes numbers like Isabella DeVivo’s Reina Gitana solo as memorable as when current SFB star Sasha de Sola pulls off the “ Yet, the most unexpected moment goes to Francesco Frola. His Basilio leaps like an Olympic athlete, making for a grand spectacle. Unfortunately, Frola’s dedication led to a gasp-inducing on-stage injury, when an imperfect landing saw him limp off-stage in the final act. He didn’t appear to be seriously hurt, but he did miss the final bow. It’s a shame, because the cast were given a well-earned standing ovation. by SF’s own Theatre Flamenco. Upon finally exiting, there were many loving comments about the ballet, more snarky words about Timothée Chalamet, and lots of hope that the talented Frola won’t be out for long. This lavish production may not erase SF Ballet’s recent scandals, but it shows why people can’t stop talking about the company.” runs through Mar. 29, 2026 at the War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 301 Van Ness Ave. Tickets are $35 to $565. Jihyun Choi and Seojeong Yun in Tomasson/Possokhov’s Don Quixote // © San Francisco Ballet, photo by Lindsey Rallo Isabella DeVivo in Tomasson/Possokhov’s Don Quixote // © San Francisco Ballet, photo by Lindsey Rallo Sasha De Sola and Francesco Gabriele Frola in Tomasson/Possokhov’s Don Quixote // © San Francisco Ballet, photo by Lindsey Rallo Pascal Molat and Nathaniel Remez in Tomasson/Possokho’s Don Quixote // © San Francisco Ballet, photo by Lindsey RalloBecause of you, Mission Local reached and surpassed our $300,000 year-end fundraising goal.Thank you for choosing to invest in a local newsroom rooted in San Francisco’s communities — one that listens first and reports deeply. Your contribution today helps sustain the reporting our city relies on all year long. Please keep your comments short and civil. Do not leave multiple comments under multiple names on one article. We will zap comments that fail to adhere to these short and easy-to-follow rules.Sign up for Mission Local's daily newsletter: The latest San Francisco news in your inbox, no more than once a day, for free.
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