Boston Ballet Rings In 2018 With Special NUTCRACKER Performance

Continuing a six-year tradition, Boston Ballet celebrates New Year's Eve with a special, one-night-only version of Mikko Nissinen's The Nutcracker.

A brass quintet from Boston Ballet Orchestra will kick off the night's festivities with popular holiday tunes and New Year's Eve favorites in a pre-show concert from 6:30 to 6:50 pm.

A supersized cast of Company all-stars will perform, along with favorite characters making special appearances throughout the show, and unique props and costume twists that will surprise and delight. The performance will culminate with confetti canons to toast the New Year.

Since 2010, Boston Ballet has presented a special version of The Nutcracker for audiences on New Year's Eve. It is also a celebration to mark closing night of the 44-performance run of this season's The Nutcracker.

Sunday, December 31, 2017
Doors open 6:15 pm
Pre-show concert 6:30-6:50 pm
Performance begins 7 pm
Boston Opera House (539 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111)

Since its world premiere in 2012, Mikko Nissinen and Robert Perdziola's re-envisioned production of The Nutcracker, set in the Regency period of the early 1800s, has transformed into a uniquely magical experience for audiences of all ages. With more than 350 handmade costumes and a series of elaborate sets featuring extensive amounts of moving scenery, the production welcomes tens of thousands of visitors every year.

The Nutcracker includes the full company of 56 dancers, 12 Boston Ballet II dancers, and 250 Boston Ballet School students. The 44-performance run features many never-before-seen casts, showcasing the vast talent within the Company, and providing many opportunities for dancers to shine in soloist and principal roles. Each performance is accompanied by Tchaikovsky's renowned score, performed by the Boston Ballet Orchestra.

Mikko Nissinen's The Nutcracker is based on the libretto by Alexandre Dumas père titled The Tale of the Nutcracker, which is adapted from E. T. A. Hoffmann's story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. The story follows the wondrous journey of young Clara, who receives a nutcracker as a gift at her family's Christmas Eve party. Later that night, her nutcracker magically transforms into a handsome prince, who leads her through an enchanted forest and on to the Nutcracker Prince's Kingdom.

Tickets start at $45. For more information, visit bostonballet.org or call 617-695-6955.

Since 1963, Boston Ballet's internationally acclaimed performances of classical, neo-classical, and contemporary ballets, combined with a dedication to world-class dance education and community initiative programs, have made the institution a leader in its field, with a 54-year history of promoting excellence and access to dance.

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen and Executive Director Meredith Max Hodges, the Company maintains a diverse repertoire, ranging from full-length ballets to new works by some of today's finest choreographers. Boston Ballet's Second Company, Boston Ballet II, is comprised of dancers who gain experience by performing with the Company and independently, presenting special programs to audiences throughout the Northeast.

Boston Ballet School, the official school of Boston Ballet, has a long-standing dedication to providing exceptional dance education and ballet training to students across three studios in Boston, Newton, and the North Shore. Led by Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen and Director Margaret Tracey, the School reaches more than 5,000 students (toddler to adult) each year through its four core programs: Children's Program, Classical Ballet Program, Adult Dance Program, and Pre-Professional Program.

Boston Ballet's Department of Education and Community Initiatives (ECI) provides programming, events, and activities that connect the community to dance. ECI reaches more than 4,000 individuals in Boston, North Shore, and the surrounding communities each year through Citydance, ECI on Location, Adaptive Dance, and other community programs.

For more information, please visit bostonballet.org.