Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker
Sat Dec 23, 3:00 AM - Sat Dec 23, 7:00 PM

All ages are invited to celebrate Christmas with the Moscow Ballet company of almost 40 ballerinas and danseurs on their 25th Anniversary Tour of North America in 2017. Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker is known for its award-winning Principal Dancers, lavish costumes in the style of the Victorian era, many backdrops created by La La Land Set Concept designer Carl Sprague, and its Russian focus including life-sized Matryoshka Dolls, Russian folk legends Ded Moroz (Father Christmas) and Snegurochka (Snow Maiden) and Troika Sleigh. Adults and children enjoy the special effects of the flapping winged owl on the Grandfather clock, the growing 50 ft tall Christmas Tree, the Dove of Peace with a 20ft wingspan, and of course, the leaps, spins, and extraordinary moves of the company all performed to Tchaikovsky’s complete and incomparable score.

For twenty-five years Moscow Ballet has been consistently embraced by audiences and the press on their North American tours. “The Russians remain the principal keepers of the classical ballet tradition.” Eric Harrison, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, 2016. The Principal Dancers receive accolades, “Danced exquisitely by...Ekaterina Bortiakova, her technical prowess, especially in her footwork and turns, coupled with an endearing smile and girlish innocence, was…truly great," from Cleveland Plain Dealer 2014. Canada’s Stephan Bonfield, with the Calgary Herald, writes, “Great Russian Nutcracker …resplendently detailed, colourful production…technically supreme dancing, dazzling moments, authentically opulent and beautifully detailed costumes.” The New York Times Chief Dance Critic Alastair Macaulay, 2010, sums it up, “The Russian ballet style is expansive… elegantly generous, and so the experience is never meager.”