Tickets sale will start October 1, 2010. To order tickets by phone: 905-787-8811
To order tickets online: http://www.rhcentre.ca/box-office.php

A Victoria Ballet Company production
Music: Peter I. Tchaikovsky

Choreography: Marius Petipa and Vasily Vainonen
Staged by Victoria Mironova, Artistic Director

With the generous support of The W. Garfield Weston Foundation and Children First School Choice Trust.

Dates: December 16 (Thursday) at 2 pm, December 17 – 19 (Friday through Sunday), 2010, at 6:30 pm

Address:

Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, 10268 Yonge St., Richmond Hill

View map

Inquiries: 905-707-7580
Victoria Ballet Academy Canada, 7751 Yonge St., Thornhill, Canada
www.victoriaballet.com

Victoria Ballet Company of Canada exclusively presents the Nutcracker for Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, Ontario. Victoria Ballet Company was invited by the Centre in 2009 to showcase the newest Canadian ballet stars Anastasia Loskutov and Lisa Mironova, performing Masha in this ballet. After the 2009 success, Victoria Ballet Company is to continue presenting the Nutcracker featuring Anastasia Loskutov, Lisa Mironova, Timur Askerov (Ukraine National Opera and Ballet House, Kyiv ) and Gulsghasi Mirzaev (Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theatre, Baku), both guest dancers, as the Prince, other guest dancers and some of Victoria Ballet Academy’s graduating professional and elite students.

The timeless family Christmas tradition will grace the stage and incite imaginations once again.
An exceptional presentation of the Nutcracker will take the audience through Masha’s Christmas party and her magical journey into the world of imagination. The Nutcracker never ceases to bring joy, excitement, awe and curiosity for all ages.

The Nutcracker of the Victoria Ballet Company of Canada is staged according to the traditions of the Mariinski (Kirov) Theatre of St. Petersburg, Russia.

SYNOPSIS

ACT I

It is Christmas Eve at a 19-th century German provincial town. Happy neighbors and their children are visiting each other in preparation for celebrations. The family of Masha and her brother Frantz is meeting guests at their house. Children are happy in anticipation of the wonderful gifts. They play hide and seek. Tasty treats and presents are presented. The happy children dance around the Christmas tree. Masha’s godfather Drosselmeyer entertains children presenting them a puppet show of a princess rescued from the wicked King of Mice by a prince, then Harlequins, a Doll, an Arabian Boy doll dance for them. The surprise of the evening is the Nutcracker that is able to crack nuts. But it is so ugly that no one wants to play with it. Only the very kind Masha likes the toy. Her brother Frantz is jealous and struggles for the toy. Masha cries because she feels sad without the Nutcracker. The adults entertain themselves with the old dances of Allemande and Sarrabande. Unfortunately, the wonderful evening is over. The clock strikes the midnight. The guests say farewell and begin to disperse, and the children go to bed. The mother takes Maria to her bedroom. Maria asks the mother if she can keep the Nutcracker with her. The merry celebrations comes to end.

ACT 2 

The mother brings Masha to her bedroom and says goodnight.  As Masha falls asleep, her evening impressions come to life. Midnight strikes. The fairy tale comes true. Mice appear from dark corners and pull off Masha’s blanket. She is in panic as there is no one to protect her. The Nutcracker comes to help. The mice honor the terrifying King of Mice. The Nutcracker calls his army. He fearlessly fights the King of Mice. The mice carry off the Harlequin puppet. The soldiers regroup, now on horseback, led by the Nutcracker. Masha throws her slipper at the King of Mice, distracting his attention, and the Nutcracker defeats the King.

The Nutcracker, who is now transformed into a handsome Prince, bows to Masha, who becomes a beautiful Princess, and invites her to accompany him to his fairy palace. They dance adagio. It starts snowing. The snowflakes dance around the Prince and Princess willing them happiness. Little angels sing for them from the skies.

 

ACT 3

On the way, the Prince and Princess meet a lot of obstacles. They are surrounded by butterflies, and then attacked by moths. The brave Prince drives them away clearing the way. They reach the beautiful palace, where they are greeted by guests from all corners of the world, who dance the Spanish dance, the Eastern dance, the Chinese dance, the Russian dance, the French trio (watch a video of this dance on YouTube). Then everyone dances a romantic waltz waiting for the Prince and Princess. The Prince and Princess then dance a Pas de deux before the entire court joins in a final tribute to them. But suddenly the characters from the enchanted realities disperse, and Masha wakes to find the Nutcracker doll still where she left it. She knows that the dream will come true in the real life.

 

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GRAPHICS by Juliana Kolesova

See the photoalbum and videos of the Nutcracker 2009