Houston Ballet's THE NUTCRACKER to Open 11/9

From November 29 - December 29, 2013, Houston Ballet celebrates the holidays with Ben Stevenson's breathtaking production of The Nutcracker, seen by over 1,000,000 people since its premiere 26 years ago. The beloved ballet tells the story of a little girl named Clara who is given a magical nutcracker doll on Christmas Eve. She encounters the frightful King Rat before embarking on a wondrous journey through the Land of Snow and the Kingdom of Sweets. Young and old alike will experience the many special effects, including the Christmas tree which "grows" to 40 feet, 200 pounds of "snow" falling during the snow scene, and the firing of cannon onstage. Houston Ballet will give 34 performances of The Nutcracker, to a live orchestra, in the Brown Theater at Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston. Tickets may be purchased by calling 713-227-2787 or logging on to www.houstonballet.org.

For over one hundred years, the story of the ballet has proven irresistible to both children and adults alike. Set in nineteenth-century Germany, the ballet opens at a Christmas party at which the mysterious Dr. Drosselmeyer gives his little niece Clara a magical toy that takes her on an unforgettable journey. From the battle scene between the Rat King and the Nutcracker in the first act to the cooks who fly magically through the air in the second act, The Nutcracker is sure to enchant audiences of all ages.

Tickets are available at a discount for select performances of The Nutcracker, including evening performances on opening night Friday, November 29; Saturday, November 30; Sunday, December 1; Sunday, December 8; Thursday, December 12; Sunday, December 15; Tuesday, December 17; Wednesday, December 18; Thursday, December 19; and Friday, December 27.

The Nutcracker has a special place in Houston Ballet's history as the first full-length work to enter Houston Ballet's repertoire in a staging by Frederic Franklin, featuring scenery and costumes by the English designer Peter Farmer. The company gave six performances of The Nutcracker in 1972 at Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, and has danced the work each December without fail for the following 38 years. In 1976, Houston Ballet presented the production with revised choreography by the company's new artistic director Ben Stevenson. In 1987, the current production with designs by Desmond Heeley, lighting by Duane Schuler, and choreography by Mr. Stevenson was unveiled to a glowing critical response.

Today, the company gives 34 performances of The Nutcracker at Wortham Theater Center, and the production plays a key role in Houston Ballet's financial picture, drawing 73,294 (as of December 2012) theatergoers to Houston's Theater District and bringing in over $4 million revenues in 2012.

Houston Ballet's performances of The Nutcracker are generously underwritten by United, Apache, Houston Methodist, Shell Oil Company, Baker Botts L.L.P, Macy's Foundation.

To post a comment, you must register and login.