Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet makes its Debut at PlayhouseSquare 12/10-13

Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet will perform Nutcracker, from December 10-13 in PlayhouseSquare's Allen Theatre. Nutcracker is presented by National City, now a part of PNC.

Nutcracker has become a beloved family tradition during the holiday season as it shepherds in the Christmas spirit with family and friends and conjures up memories of Christmas past and present. Set in 1913, young Clara dreams of a magical world that enchants and delights with dancing snowflakes, battling mice and a mischievous bear, it speaks to the child in everyone. Nutcracker is a celebration of culture, family, music and above all, dance.

Performed under the artistic direction of André Lewis, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet's Nutcracker is co-choreographed by Galina Yordanova and Nina Menon. Original scenic design is by Brian Perchaluk. Original costume designs are by Paul Daigle. Lighting Design is by Michael J. Whitfield. Casting for this production will be announced at a later date.

The History
Nutcracker began with Nussknacker and Mausekonig (Nutcracker and the King of Mice), a story by E.T.A. Hoffmann. With music by composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, the original ballet version called Casse-Noisette was choreographed in 1882 initially by Marius Petipa and taken over by Lev Ivanov after Petipa fell ill. The first production was performed at the Maryinsky Theatre. The first full-length production performed in North America premiered in 1944 by the San Francisco Ballet, choreographed by Willam Christensen. Sir Frederick Ashton choreographed a two-act version that contributed to the Nutcracker's success on this side of the Atlantic. In 1954, George Balanchine unveiled his version with the New York City Ballet and a Christmas tradition began.

In 1999, Galina Yordanova and Nina Menon choreographed the RWB's current version of Nutcracker (previously, the Company had been performing John Neumeier's version since 1972). This December marks the tenth year that the RWB has performed the Yordanova/Menon version (performed every year other than in 2006 when the show took a hiatus for Peter Pan).

The Choreographers
Galina Yordanova worked with the RWB School and Company as a teacher and rehearsal mistress until June 2007. She has been particularly involved in the RWB's productions of Swan Lake, La Bayadere, Act II, and The Sleeping Beauty.

Nina Menon was the RWB's Resident Choreographer from 1998 to 2000. A former RWB dancer, Ms Menon left the Company in 1995 to pursue choreography full-time. The ballets she has choreographed for the RWB include La Soif, Drunken Butterflies, Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White and The Gitagovinda.

Ms Menon was recently in Winnipeg to re-choreograph sections of Nutcracker. This included revamping the first part of act two to now include a group of adorable angels who Clara and the Prince encounter before they enter the Prince's kingdom.

The Music
Cleveland audiences will be tapping their toes to Tchaikovsky's memorable music before the curtain even goes up, as 45 local musicians perform live under the direction of Conductor Tadeusz Biernacki, Associate Music Director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.

Tickets are on-sale now and range in price from $10 - $75 each. To purchase tickets, call (216) 241-6000, log on to PlayhouseSquare.org or visit The PlayhouseSquare Ticket Office. Special discounts are offered for groups of 15 or more. Please call the Group Sales Department at (216) 664-6050 for more information.

Performance Schedule:
Thursday, December 10 at 7 p.m.
Friday, December 11 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 12 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Sunday, December 13 at 2 p.m.

PlayhouseSquare encourages all guests to "Plan Your Visit" ahead of time by visiting playhousesquare.org and clicking the "Plan Your Visit" tab where directions, parking information, dining options, lodging, ticketing policies and other useful information designed to enhance guest experiences at PlayhouseSquare exist. Whether their visit is the first or one hundred and first, PlayhouseSquare is committed to making guest experiences both as memorable and hassle free as possible.

This performance engagement is a part of the Smart Seats program at PlayhouseSquare that offers smart entertainment at a smart price. For more information on Smart Seats, visit playhousesquare.org/smartseats.

Photo: David Cooper

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