‘Tis the night before Christmas and everything is stirring. People are getting ready for the big Christmas party — cooking, wrapping presents and getting dressed.
Outside, boys play road hockey while friends and family start to arrive, carrying armload of presents and anticipating a night to remember.
It’s the winter of 1913 and times are good. The First World War is a year and half away, but as the clock strikes midnight, a young girl drifts off to sleep but is awoken by the Mouse King in search of her beloved Nutcracker.
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s adaptation of The Nutcracker will return to The Royal Theatre from Dec. 2 to 4 in conjunction with Dance Victoria and the Victoria Symphony.
Danced to Tchaikovsky’s timeless score, this production takes a uniquely Canadian twist. The show begins with a hockey game on a frozen pond and features RCMP officers battling the Rat King. Technically stunning dancers with gorgeous costumes, and beautiful sets make this production memorable for the whole family.
The Nutcracker, first presented in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1892, has become synonymous with the holiday season, drawing families back year-after-year.
“It brings back a sense of Christmas, it’s such a tradition. I’ve seen it a thousand times and I still enjoy it, ” said Royal Winnipeg Ballet Artistic Director André Lewis.
Choreographed by Galina Yordanova and Nina Menon, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet wanted to re-imagine the timeless tale and re-energize new audiences.
“I wanted something that related more to our Canadian way of celebrating Christmas,” Lewis said. “It’s just a couple of generations removed from the original, so people can still relate to The Nutcracker that their grandparents took them too.”
This adaptation takes a more contemporary feel with the hope audiences will become re-energized with the storyline. As the art form finds a way to surpass its traditional stereotypes, The Royal Winnipeg’s Nutcracker is an adventurous and clever take on a classic.
The Nutcracker will show on Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m., Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.,
Dec. 4 at 2 p.m. at the Royal Theatre.
For more information visit rmts.bc.ca