San Francisco Ballet Orchestra // © Erik Tomasson

The San Francisco Ballet Orchestra has been internationally recognized as one of the foremost ballet orchestras in the world.

Since its 1975 performance debut with the Ballet’s Nutcracker, under Music Director Denis de Coteau, the orchestra’s home has been the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House.  At that time, the ensemble was credited by the name the Performing Arts Orchestra of San Francisco.  Later, in 1983, the name was officially changed to the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra.

With a core group of 49 regular members, augmented up to 65 players for certain productions, the orchestra’s performance season includes an annual production of The Nutcracker and a winter/spring repertory season.  The orchestra’s repertoire varies from such classics as Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and Adam’s Giselle to the more abstract and contemporary of ballet and symphonic works. Over the years, the orchestra has also earned the distinction of having accompanied such prestigious ballet companies as American Ballet Theatre, the Paris Opéra Ballet, the National Ballet of Cuba, the Royal Ballet, the Royal Danish Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, the Bolshoi Ballet, and the Paul Taylor Dance Company.