UNCSA alum Felipe Tristán to conduct 60th production of 'The Nutcracker'

A beloved holiday tradition returns to the Piedmont Triad this December as UNCSA presents its 60th anniversary production of “The Nutcracker,” presented by Flow Automotive. The cherished ballet, directed and choreographed by School of Dance faculty member Ilya Kozadayev, will once again take the stage at the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts in Greensboro for five performances, Dec. 5-7. Acclaimed Mexican conductor and School of Music alumnus Felipe Tristán (P.A.C. ’11) will lead the UNCSA Symphony Orchestra in live performances of Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, one of the world’s most famous holiday soundtracks.

Performances are Friday, Dec. 5, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 6, at noon and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 7, at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets for “The Nutcracker” begin at $39 (taxes and fees not included) and can be purchased at TangerCenter.com/nutcracker. Optional upgrades include on-site VIP parking, Lee & Wrangler Lounge access and the Tanger Center’s pre-event Prelude Dining experience for select performances. More information about “The Nutcracker” can be found at uncsa.edu/nutcracker.

A bespectacled man stands with a stick held out in front, suggesting he is preparing for conducting.

Alumnus Felipe Tristán will serve as guest conductor / Photo: Jeremy Kyle Gruner

After conducting for orchestras and ballet companies around the world, Felipe Tristán returns to UNCSA for this year’s production and says the opportunity is especially meaningful given the foundation the school provided him.

“My years at UNCSA were truly exceptional and foundational,” Tristán said. “The training I received there taught me not only musical discipline and artistic integrity, but also the spirit of collaboration and creativity that still guides my work today. Conducting ‘The Nutcracker’ feels like returning home.

“I’m especially looking forward to making music with the talented student orchestra and dancers, whose energy and dedication are inspiring,” he added. “Audiences can expect a ‘Nutcracker’ that’s full of heart, joyful and rich in the imagination that defines and makes UNCSA the extraordinary place that it is.”

Executive Producer and Dean of the School of Dance Endalyn T. Outlaw said, “Every member of our School of Dance ballet program participates, alongside students from the Contemporary Dance and Preparatory Dance programs, the School of Music and the School of Design and Production. Together, they bring to life a beautifully polished spectacle. Their passion and commitment, guided by Choreographer Ilya Kozadayev, ground this treasured work in both artistry and lived experience.”

The Nutcracker, featuring dancers in festive costumes on a beautifully decorated stage.

UNCSA's production of "The Nutcracker" 2024 / Photo: Luke Jamroz Photography

Presented for the first time on Dec. 10, 1966, in Reynolds Auditorium in Winston-Salem, the UNCSA “Nutcracker” production has since been reimagined, recreated and refreshed numerous times. Temporarily staging “The Nutcracker” at the nearby Tanger Center offers students the unique opportunity to tour, set up and perform in a state-of-the-art, 3,000-seat venue just a short distance from UNCSA.

Flow Automotive is the presenting sponsor of “The Nutcracker.”

Photos for download available here.

Guest Conductor Felipe Tristán

Tristán is one of the most distinguished Mexican conductors of his generation, known for his artistry and leadership across the Americas, Europe and Asia. He serves as artistic director of the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra, associate conductor of the San Antonio Philharmonic, principal conductor of Ballet de Monterrey and conductor at the Manhattan School of Music.

Tristán became the first Mexican conductor to receive Poland’s Muzyczne Orły Award for best recording in 2024, recognizing his album “Flute Concertos – Penderecki & Reinecke” with the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra. That year, he also completed a residency with the San Francisco Ballet, returned to conduct at the Met Gala and appeared in the Disney+ documentary “In Vogue: The ’90s.”

Having appeared at Carnegie Hall and collaborated on multiple projects with Carnegie Hall Citywide, Tristán has led orchestras worldwide and worked with Grammy-winning institutions including Belongó Afro Latin Jazz, Lincoln Center, and the New York Philharmonic. He also serves as principal conductor of the Texas New Music Festival, where he mentors emerging composers and conductors.

His upcoming 2025–26 season includes La Traviata, The Nutcracker in North Carolina, Giselle with Ballet de Monterrey, Holiday Magic: Tales by the Fireplace with the San Antonio Philharmonic, New Year’s Eve Gala, and a European tour with the Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra, alongside debuts with the Sofia Philharmonic, the North Czech Philharmonic, and his upcoming Tonhalle Zürich debut with the Thüringen Philharmonie in 2026.

About The Tanger Center

A $94 million, state-of-the-art facility that has transformed downtown Greensboro, North Carolina, the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts is home to touring Broadway productions, concerts, Greensboro Symphony Orchestra performances, comedy shows and all types of family entertainment. Since its grand opening in 2021, the Tanger Center has hosted over 1.4 million guests. Presented with partners Nederlander and Professional Facilities Management (PFM), the First Bank Broadway Series is one of the nation’s top-selling one-week Broadway series. The 3,000-seat venue is managed by the staff of the Greensboro Complex. Visit TangerCenter.com for more information.

About Flow Automotive

Flow Automotive is a leading automotive group with more than 50 dealership locations across North Carolina and Virginia, representing more than 25 vehicle manufacturers. Founded in 1957, the company has grown from a single pre-owned center in Winston-Salem to a regional leader known for customer-focused innovation, including tools such as the FlowGarage mobile app. In addition to providing automotive solutions, Flow Automotive is committed to giving back through event sponsorships, community partnerships and local initiatives.

About UNCSA

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) is celebrating 60 years as a top-ranked arts conservatory and America’s first state-supported arts school. The nation’s only public university of five arts disciplines on one campus, UNCSA prepares emerging artists for careers in dance, design and production, drama, filmmaking, and music at the undergraduate through post-graduate levels, as well as through a specialized high school with free tuition for in-state residents. UNCSA provides industry-leading instruction in an inclusive environment where students are encouraged to leverage the arts as a mechanism for change. Interdisciplinary opportunities arising from the unique arts ecosystem on campus at UNCSA prepare artists to enter an evolving global arts and entertainment industry. Established by the N.C. General Assembly in 1963, the School of the Arts opened in Winston-Salem (“The City of Arts and Innovation”) in 1965 and became part of the University of North Carolina System when it was formed in 1972. For more information, visit uncsa.edu.

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November 20, 2025