Nutcracker: The Immersive Experience allows audiences to take part in the quintessential holiday tradition from anywhere through an immersive collaboration between YB, SF Ballet, Google, and XREAL.
In a unique collaboration between YB, San Francisco Ballet (SF Ballet), Google, and XREAL, audiences can experience the magic of Nutcracker in a new way, from the heart of the performance. Launching on December 4 on Google’s Android XR platform and the XREAL AURA, a new glasses-style spatial computing device from XREAL, Nutcracker: The Immersive Experience combines cinematic, immersive visuals with recorded music from the Grammy Award-winning SF Ballet Orchestra and the San Francisco Girls Chorus, inviting viewers to step onto the stage and experience the beloved holiday tradition as part of the story.
Through YB’s CultVRe app, available on XREAL AURA, audiences will experience Act I of choreographer and former SF Ballet Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson’s Nutcracker, set in a 1915 San Francisco bustling with innovation and excitement, mirroring the energy of San Francisco today. Performed by SF Ballet every year at the War Memorial Opera House, the production celebrated its 20th anniversary season in 2024.
“San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker is a beloved holiday tradition for many, and inspires wonder across generations,” said Hector Prieto, CEO, YB. “This experience places you inside the magic of the show itself. Working with SF Ballet, Google, and XREAL has allowed us to push the boundaries of how technology and the arts can work together, bringing audiences nearer to the artistry and emotion of world-class performance on next-generation XR glasses.”
This collaboration reflects the growing capabilities of immersive technology to extend the reach of performing arts beyond the theatre. Through XREAL AURA, audiences can experience the dazzling sets and costumes, sweeping score, and unparalleled artistry of SF Ballet’s Nutcracker without leaving home.
“This experience of our Nutcracker will bring audiences closer to the story than ever before,” said Dr. Tamara Rojo, CBE, SF Ballet Artistic Director. “By working with leaders in the immersive technology space, we’re able to bring this holiday tradition to new audiences that may not have the opportunity to experience it otherwise—either right here in our backyard, across the country, or across the globe. It’s through innovative partnerships such as this that we can introduce ballet to audiences who may never have seen dance on stage before, or those who are too far away to experience this annual San Francisco tradition.”
Featuring exclusive interviews with Rojo, the project trailer captures behind-the-scenes moments and sneak peeks of the upcoming experience. Additional details, including final availability and viewing instructions, will be announced closer to launch.
