IU Ballet Theater presents 'The Nutcracker'
WHAT: IU Ballet Theater's "The Nutcracker" by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
WHEN: 8 p.m. Nov. 30 and Dec. 1; 2 p.m. Dec. 1 and 2
WHERE: IU Musical Arts Center, 101 N. Jordan Ave., Bloomington
TICKETS: Purchase tickets at the Musical Arts Center box office from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at music.indiana.edu/ballet. Bursar billing is available for students. The box office will be closed the week of Nov. 19 for Thanksgiving break.
: All four performances. Featuring live blogging by musicology students.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 15, 2012
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University Ballet Theater will present its 54th annual production of "The Nutcracker" at the Musical Arts Center at 8 p.m. Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, and at 2 p.m. Dec. 1 and 2.
The popular production will feature choreography created specifically for the Jacobs School of Music's dancers by Michael Vernon, chair of the Jacobs School Ballet Department.
"The Nutcracker" spotlights the university's excellent corps de ballet and soloists, Vernon said, with the role of Clara being danced by students in IU's Pre-College program.
"We have a greater number of graduating seniors this year than usual," said Vernon, "Which means that in this production, all principal roles will be danced by dancers who are relatively seasoned and eager to make their last performances in these roles their best. It also means that more dancers will have chances for principal roles next year."
Tchaikovsky's classic score will be played by the University Orchestra under guest conductor Andrea Quinn, who studied at the Royal Academy of Music and was music director of The Royal Ballet Covent Garden for three years. She was also music director of New York City Ballet for five years, chief conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of Norrlands Opera for four years and music director of the London Philharmonic Youth Orchestra for three years.
The set was designed by C. David Higgins, now-retired chair of the Jacobs School's Opera Studies Department.
As in other communities around the country, "The Nutcracker" has become integral to Bloomington's holiday traditions and the IU Ballet Theater season.
"The Nutcracker," composed in 1892, is based on an old German fairy tale, "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King," written in 1816 by E.T.A. Hoffmann. It tells the story of young Clara, who receives a toy soldier nutcracker from her mysterious godfather. When she falls asleep with the Nutcracker in her arms and starts to dream, magical things begin to happen.
Purchase tickets at the Musical Arts Center box office from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at . Bursar billing is available for IU Bloomington students. The box office will be closed the week of Nov. 19 for Thanksgiving break. However, tickets can be bought online at any time.
Attendees can meet Clara and other characters at a special "Nutcracker" Tea held on the mezzanine following each matinee performance. Limited tickets are available at the MAC box office.
All four performances of "The Nutcracker" will be live-streamed via the site.