Jan McNulty Posted July 25 Share Posted July 25 English National Ballet Nutcracker WORLD PREMIERE Mayflower Theatre, Southampton: 28 - 30 November 2024 London Coliseum:12 December 2024 - 12 January 2025 www.ballet.org.uk/nutcracker As part of its 75th Season, English National Ballet presents the world premiere of a new production of the classic festive ballet, Nutcracker, choreographed by the Company’s own Artistic Director Aaron S. Watkin and Olivier Award-winning choreographer Arielle Smith. English National Ballet’s Artistic Director and joint choreographer of Nutcracker, Aaron S. Watkin, said: “Nutcracker holds a special place in English National Ballet’s history and in the hearts of our audiences. The Company has performed a version of it every year since it was founded in 1950 and it is an honour to be working with Arielle and Dick to bring new magic and wonder to this much-loved ballet.” A celebration of classical ballet, this new version of Nutcracker will feature exquisite dancing, spectacular costumes and sets by Dick Bird, lighting by Paul Pyant, and Tchaikovsky’s iconic score played live by English National Ballet Philharmonic under the baton of the Company’s new Music Director, Maria Seletskaja. Nutcracker will take audiences on a fantastical Christmas adventure as they join Clara on her journey of discovery. Starting on the streets of Edwardian London and Drosselymeyer’s Sweets & Delights Emporium, audiences follow Clara to a dazzling ice realm before a grand celebration arranged by the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Land of Sweets and Delights. Continuing the Company’s commitment to UK touring and sharing world-class ballet with the widest possible audience, Nutcracker will receive its world premiere at Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre (28 - 30 November 2024) before performances at the London Coliseum (12 December 2024 - 12 January 2025). For the first time, English National Ballet will present a relaxed performance of Nutcracker, at the London Coliseum on 9 January 2025. The creation of this new production has been made possible by Charles Holloway, Lead Supporter of Nutcracker. Listings: Nutcracker WORLD PREMIERE Mayflower Theatre, Southampton Thursday 28 November – Saturday 30 November 2024 www.ballet.org.uk/nutcracker Nutcracker London Coliseum Thursday 12 December 2024 – Sunday 12 January 2025 www.ballet.org.uk/nutcracker Notes to Editors English National Ballet is a National Portfolio Organisation supported by Arts Council England. Ballymore is Principal Building Partner of English National Ballet. Charles Holloway is the Lead Supporter of Nutcracker. About English National Ballet English National Ballet has a long and distinguished history. Founded in 1950 as London Festival Ballet by the great English dancers Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin, it has been at the forefront of ballet’s growth and evolution ever since. English National Ballet brings world class ballet to the widest possible audience through performances across the UK and on eminent international stages; its distinguished orchestra, English National Ballet Philharmonic; its digital platforms Ballet on Demand and BalletActive; being a UK leader in creative learning and engagement practice, building innovative partnerships to deliver flagship programmes such as Dance for Parkinson’s; and through talent development initiatives including Ballet Futures which looks to create a more diverse and inclusive future for the artform. English National Ballet continues to add ground-breaking new works to its repertoire whilst celebrating the tradition of great classical ballet, gaining acclaim for artistic excellence and creativity. 2019 saw the Company enter a new chapter in its history with a move to a purpose-built state-of-the-art home in east London, allowing a renewed commitment to creativity, ambition, and connection to more people, near and far, than ever before. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted July 25 Share Posted July 25 Am looking forward to this as missed Nutcracker last year and RB not doing this year so can’t wait to see this new ENB version. Im even toying with the idea of going along to Southampton to see it if there’s a matinee on my birthday!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted July 25 Share Posted July 25 Just looked…there is!! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missfrankiecat Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 I am looking forward to this too. Christmas isn't Christmas without Nutcracker and it's exciting to have a new one. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 I hadn’t realised this was a JOINT choreography of Aaron Watkins and Arielle Smirh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 3 minutes ago, FionaM said: I hadn’t realised this was a JOINT choreography of Aaron Watkins and Arielle Smirh. Yes, this was in the original Season 2024/2025 announcement back in February. “ The World Premiere of a new production of Nutcracker choreographed by Artistic Director, Aaron S. Watkin, and Olivier Award winner Arielle Smith” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted July 31 Share Posted July 31 Hopefully with some/most of the standard after Ivanov choreography for the Grand Pas de deux retained! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThoughtsFlow Posted August 6 Share Posted August 6 On 25/07/2024 at 14:06, Jan McNulty said: Nutcracker will take audiences on a fantastical Christmas adventure as they join Clara on her journey of discovery. Starting on the streets of Edwardian London and Drosselymeyer’s Sweets & Delights Emporium, audiences follow Clara to a dazzling ice realm before a grand celebration arranged by the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Land of Sweets and Delights. I think that sounds really cool! I think it’s great to hear about ballet companies putting a new spin on the Nutcracker, so long as they stay true to the essence of the story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted August 6 Share Posted August 6 On 31/07/2024 at 11:35, Emeralds said: Hopefully with some/most of the standard after Ivanov choreography for the Grand Pas de deux retained! perhaps improved even Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted August 6 Share Posted August 6 Not that I would expect at this point but presumably no casting announced as yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted August 6 Author Share Posted August 6 1 hour ago, San Perregrino said: perhaps improved even Improved??? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted August 6 Share Posted August 6 4 hours ago, Jan McNulty said: Improved??? In the sense that ballet is a living art form that evolves and so we may see something in this new Nutcracker that we haven’t seen before and think that’s even better than what has gone before. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted August 6 Author Share Posted August 6 30 minutes ago, San Perregrino said: In the sense that ballet is a living art form that evolves and so we may see something in this new Nutcracker that we haven’t seen before and think that’s even better than what has gone before. Gosh, next you'll be suggesting improvements to Fille! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAB Posted August 6 Share Posted August 6 33 minutes ago, San Perregrino said: ballet is a living art form that evolves So is Beethoven, but change a note at your peril. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted August 6 Share Posted August 6 27 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said: Gosh, next you'll be suggesting improvements to Fille! I’m not sure why you think my suggestion is akin to blasphemy? Ballets have evolved over time and bits added and subtracted. Look at the vibrant discussion surrounding Scarlett’s Swan Lake for example. A new staging of The Nutcracker mounted by not one but two choreographers working together might reasonably suggest that there might be new, revised and/or different choreography as a part of the production which, once seen, may or may not be determined to be an improvement on what has gone before. It is often read on the forum that the Sugar Plum Fairy and her (perhaps even his at some future date) escort could have more to do in some Nutcracker productions. Many people on this forum, not me, have suggested that the choreography in Ashton’s Cinderella needs an overhaul. If I follow your reasoning that suggestion too is sacrilegious. As to La Fille, to my knowledge, noone is currently working on anything other than a revival with existing choreography so the point is moot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fromthebalcony Posted August 6 Share Posted August 6 Please don't change Ashton's Cinderella! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted August 6 Share Posted August 6 25 minutes ago, San Perregrino said: I’m not sure why you think my suggestion is akin to blasphemy? Ballets have evolved over time and bits added and subtracted. Look at the vibrant discussion surrounding Scarlett’s Swan Lake for example. A new staging of The Nutcracker mounted by not one but two choreographers working together might reasonably suggest that there might be new, revised and/or different choreography as a part of the production which, once seen, may or may not be determined to be an improvement on what has gone before. It is often read on the forum that the Sugar Plum Fairy and her (perhaps even his at some future date) escort could have more to do in some Nutcracker productions. Many people on this forum, not me, have suggested that the choreography in Ashton’s Cinderella needs an overhaul. If I follow your reasoning that suggestion too is sacrilegious. But the comment referred specifically to the grand pas de deux - that's quite a different kettle of fish. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted August 6 Author Share Posted August 6 17 minutes ago, San Perregrino said: I’m not sure why you think my suggestion is akin to blasphemy? Ballets have evolved over time and bits added and subtracted. Look at the vibrant discussion surrounding Scarlett’s Swan Lake for example. It was your wording ... improved ... that I found puzzling. AFAIAW the exact choreography from the Petipa/Ivanov production is lost in the mists of time so most traditional Nutcrackers have gpdd "in the style of" with some perhaps being closer to the original than others. There are some versions that are better than others and people have their own preferences. I would expect the choreographers to put their own stamp on the production but people higher up the thread have asked for the "traditional" choreography for the gpdd to be retained. In respect of Ashton - but The Dream rather than Fille - a friend and I were once having a conversation with David Nixon who had just choreographed a wonderful 3 Act production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. He told us he had wanted to do something different to Sir Frederick Ashton because you could not improve on perfection... 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 16 hours ago, Jan McNulty said: It was your wording ... improved ... that I found puzzling. My choice of word wasn’t meant to raise hackles, it might have been better to write ‘alternative’ or ‘different’ as ‘improved’. On reflection, whether or not something is ‘improved’ is in the eye of the beholder and can only be a subjective assessment based on personal preferences. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 18 hours ago, fromthebalcony said: Please don't change Ashton's Cinderella! There is a LOT that should be changed in Ashton’s Cinderella including some of the dreadful choreography for the season fairies which too many dancers struggle to do technically and musically. I won’t list again the rest of my dissatisfaction with it. That’s been done elsewhere It’s not all bad. The ballroom pdd is indeed wonderful. And Cinderella’s broom solo too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fromthebalcony Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 31 minutes ago, FionaM said: There is a LOT that should be changed in Ashton’s Cinderella including some of the dreadful choreography for the season fairies which too many dancers struggle to do technically and musically. I won’t list again the rest of my dissatisfaction with it. That’s been done elsewhere It’s not all bad. The ballroom pdd is indeed wonderful. And Cinderella’s broom solo too. I have never felt that way in watching it numerous times with Boston Ballet and ABT. I guess different strokes for different folks. The only other version I have seen is Kudelka's which I enjoyed, especially Prince Charming's tour to find Cinderella. I would love to have seen Wheeldon's version when ENB performed it but was unable to make the trip. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted August 7 Author Share Posted August 7 I love SDB's production of Cinderella for BRB and can't wait to see it again in the Spring. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 On 06/08/2024 at 14:09, LinMM said: Not that I would expect at this point but presumably no casting announced as yet? Here’s a teaser: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-X-i3cs5G4/?igsh=MTB0MWN5em44ZmRucw== 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 Ivana Bueno and Gabrielle Frola (with Aaron Watkins saying ‘nice’ and ‘very nice’) behind them Miguel Angel Maidana and Katja Khaniukova ?? with Rentaro Nakaaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmgard Posted August 8 Share Posted August 8 8 hours ago, FionaM said: Ivana Bueno and Gabrielle Frola (with Aaron Watkins saying ‘nice’ and ‘very nice’) behind them Miguel Angel Maidana and Katja Khaniukova ?? with Rentaro Nakaaki Haruhi Otani with Nakaaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted August 8 Share Posted August 8 (edited) 46 minutes ago, Irmgard said: Haruhi Otani with Nakaaki I’m not sure that it is Haruhi. Her face seems different to this. Edited August 8 by FionaM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted August 8 Share Posted August 8 Thanks for that clip San Perregrino. Would love to see Frola and Bueno in this but it sometimes depends on exactly the day they will be performing. Im up in London on 17th Dec for Cinderella so ideally looking at casting for 16th or 18th Dec or possibly 19th as well though could make the first night on the 12th as well! I can’t make the 30th Nov at the Mayflower now as belatedly realised that I have a prior date supporting my old amateur ballet company in North London who are performing on that date and it’s a special year for them this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmgard Posted August 8 Share Posted August 8 8 hours ago, FionaM said: I’m not sure that it is Haruhi. Her face seems different to this. It is definitely Otani. She wears a fringe in rehearsal which she does not usually wear onstage so this may be why her face looks different to you. And I know for a fact that she and Nakaaki are rehearsing together at the moment. 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted August 8 Share Posted August 8 @Irmgard thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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