Hanukkah is December 8-16, 2012. Christmas is December 25. Kwanzaa is December 26. Whatever your celebration of choice, The Nutcracker can be a dazzling part of it!
A lifelong love of dance begins right here, with this timeless fantasy of enchantment. For many people, seeing The Nutcracker is one of their earliest -- and happiest -- memories. Getting dressed up, seeing family and friends, and enjoying the incomparable thrill of a live performance, with full orchestra in the pit, dozens of exotic characters onstage –including lots of lucky children! –stunning choreography, colourful costumes, and beautiful sets. The Nutcracker is a much beloved holiday tradition and it has been since its premiere in St. Petersburg, Russia, on 18 December 1892. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King", and Tchaikovsky's astounding score is wonderfully familiar, a classic, with lots of hummable melodies; it is also one of his most popular works and appears constantly in popular culture, especially during the holiday season.
Ottawa audiences are fortunate to see so many different versions of The Nutcracker, and the National Arts Centre’s offering this year, sponsored by Tim Hortons, presents the return engagement –after an enormous sold-out success in 2010– of the new production by Alberta Ballet. Putting every penny of its multi-million dollar budget on display, this Nutcracker combines Edmund Stripe’s breathtaking choreography, Tchaikovsky’s perfect score, and the brilliance of Emmy-winning designer Zack Brown to create an amazing, opulent world you –and your children and grandchildren– will absolutely love. Even after more than a hundred years, this epic battle of mice, toy soldiers, a Russian princess, and the Sugar Plum Fairy still draws unanimous rave reviews from audiences around the world.
Don’t forget the exciting Sugar Plum Parties in the NAC foyer an hour before every show -- a special holiday treat your children will never forget!
The Nutcracker runs from Wednesday December 5 to Sunday December 9. There are Saturday and Sunday matinees at 1:30 p.m., and evening performances begin at the family-friendly curtain time of 7 p.m. The Nutcracker sells out every year, so be sure to get your tickets as soon as possible!
