Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker
Monday, December 14 and Tuesday, December 15 at 7:00 p.m.
Music Hall Theatre
The ultimate holiday tradition for the youngest to the seniors in every family, seeing Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker creates holiday memories that last a lifetime. Moscow Ballet’s company of almost 40 dancers is the only internationally touring ballet group to perform to critical acclaim in over 75 North American cities annually. The renowned, award-winning principal dancers and corps de ballet thrill audiences with their expertise, dramatic expression and stunning leaps, drops and turns. The production is known for its dedication to world peace placing Act II in the “Land of Peace and Harmony,” featuring a cannon that shoots roses and a stunning 2-dancer “Dove of Peace” with a 20’ wingspan. All ages feel the spirit of the season at Great Russian Nutcracker performances through the beauty of romantic hand-sewn costumes, 9 shimmering backdrops with authentic splashes of Russian history and fanciful effects such as; life-sized Matrushka (Nesting) Dolls; a 3-headed Rat King and a Troika Sleigh ride through the magical Snow Forest (with falling snow) escorted by Father Christmas and Snow Maiden.
Tickets start at $30.00. Groups of ten or more and Girl Scout troops receive discounts by calling 800-320-1733. Seniors 65+, Military and AAA discounts are available at the theater box office with appropriate identification. For Gold Circle Gift Package and single tickets call Ticketmaster 800-745-3000 or go to www.nutcracker.com/buy-tickets.
Youth “ Musical Wunderkind” musicians accompany Moscow Ballet principal ballerinas in Saint Saen’s “ Dying Swan” from Carnival of the Animals, now commonly known as the influence for Odette’s movements in Swan Lake, in cities on the national tour. The Wunderkind, each in their respective cities, rehearse with the principal ballerina and open the performance in a duo of string player and ballerina to the delight of audiences.
Moscow Ballet’s cross discipline program, “ Musical Wunderkind,” is a salute to talented young Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition winners across the country and is an unprecedented opportunity for them. The live performance experience develops young musicians’ interpretation skills in a way practice cannot. Moscow Ballet continues to develop its mission to provide art enrichment for the local communities in which it performs.
Moscow Ballet Wunderkind Jieming Tang, 17, began playing the violin at age three in his native China. He attends the Young Artist Program at the Cleveland Institute of Music and participates in the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra where he was concertmaster for the 2014-2015 season. Jieming has received a number of accolades both here and abroad including the grand prize in the Cleveland POPS Orchestra's 2014 Jean L. Petitt Memorial Music Scholarship Competition, the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award, fifth prize in the 2013 Cooper International Violin Competition, first place at the 2007 Golden Beijing National Young Artist Violin Competition and second place at the 2006 Close to Mozart national violin competition in China. Jieming has appeared on NPR’s From the Top and has performed in more than one hundred events since he came to the United States including touring performances with BlueWater Chamber Orchestra. Jieming is a junior at Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland.