The Nutcracker with the City Ballet Orchestra conducted by John Nettles
Spreckels Theatre Friday, December 5, 2008 7:30pm Saturday, December 6, 2008 2:00pm and 7:30pm Sunday, December 7, 2008 2:00pm Friday, December 12, 2008 7:30pm Saturday, December 13, 2008 2:00pm and 7:30pm Sunday, December 14, 2008 2:00pm Tickets: $42 - $52 - $62
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Performance Review

What the Critics Say About The Nutcracker

"[T]he children - and there are many of them - but at no time are they "extras," space fillers, or supplying the "cute factor."  They aren't on stage to be cute - they are dancers; a well rehearsed intrinsic part of the ballet; clean, well utilized and one never gets the feeling they've been "used."

-- Anjuli Bai, ballet.co.uk Dance Critic

"The ensemble dances, Kingdom of Snow and Waltz of the Flowers, again showed the fine hand behind the scenes; well rehearsed and together - well beyond the stage of "no mistakes" - every head, every arm, line of torso, line and height of leg - were presented as one body."

-- Anjuli Bai, ballet.co.uk Dance Critic

Read Anjuli Bai's complete review

"[T]he lifts with [Janica Smith's] arching backward over [Taurean] Green's head were especially daring and dramatic"

-- Kris Eitland, sandiego.com Dance Critic

"[Ariana] Samuelsson was riveting as the Rose with crisp fouettes and tight pique turns, even at warp speed"

-- Kris Eitland, sandiego.com Dance Critic

Read Kris Eitland's complete review

The Nutcracker Program

Classical Full-Length Ballet in Two Acts

Approximate Run Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes with one 15-minute intermission

Story: Tchaikovsky's classic ballet about a young girl, Clara, who is given a Nutcracker for Christmas by her godfather, Herr Drosselmeyer.  But this is no ordinary Nutcracker as Clara learns that very night.  After a great battle with the Mouse King, the Nutcracker turns into a Prince.  He takes Clara on a magic journey through the Land of the Snow to the Kingdom of the Sweets, where the Sugar Plum Fairy honors the couple with entertainment from around the world.

Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Orchestra: City Ballet Orchestra, John Nettles, Conductor

Choreography: Elizabeth Wistrich, after Lev Ivanov, Vassily Vainonen and Rudolp Nureyev

Year Choreographed: 1995

Scenery: San Diego Opera Scenic Studios

Costume Design: David Heuvel

Lighting Design: Stephen Judson

Programming, musical selections and artists are subject to change