Dancers perform in a scene from Ballet Arizona’s “The Nutcracker.” Ballet Arizona will stage 15 performances of this classic holiday show this month at Symphony Hall (photo by Rosalie O’Connor Photography).
It is almost time for the magical display of a dancing sugarplum fairy, battling mice, Spanish chocolates, Arabian coffee and other treats that Ballet Arizona will bring to life in “The Nutcracker.”
Ballet Arizona will perform this 36th year of the classic holiday production choreographed by renowned artistic director Ib Andersen from Friday, Dec. 10 to Friday, Dec. 24 at Symphony Hall at 75 N. Second St. There will be 15 performances, with afternoon and night shows. Alastair Macaulay, senior dance critic with “The New York Times,” said Andersen’s “The Nutcracker” is “one of the three finest productions” of this ballet he has attended around the country.
This ballet, adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann’s story, “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” tells the story of Clara, who receives a wooden nutcracker from her godfather at a party her family holds on Christmas Eve. After the party ends, Clara checks on her cherished nutcracker, then large mice start to fill the room and battle with an army of soldiers and the nutcracker, who has transformed into a man. Later the nutcracker is transformed into a prince, who leads Clara to the Land of Sweets, where chocolate from Spain, coffee from Arabia, tea from China and other goodies dance.
To learn more or to purchase tickets, visit https://balletaz.org.
