Ballet Phils. restages The Nutcracker for the Holiday Season.

Last Christmas season, Ballet Phils. staged an original production Awitin Mo At Isasayaw Ko for the first time. This year, BP is going back to the classic with The Nutcracker.

The Nutcracker ballet is a significant part in the Yuletide Season. Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Suite was so familiar that it was featured as background music for the Home Alone movies that starred Macaulay Culkin.

The Nutcracker is a timeless piece for ballet that it is suited for the holiday season. This is why the Nutcracker is now considered a Christmas decoration rather than tool. It’s called a nutcracker because its mouth can really crack a hard nut when you lever it to close. It only has one trademark face but it can be a king, prince or a soldier.

This production of Ballet Philippines’ The Nutcracker combines the choreography of National Artist for Dance Alice Reyes and Edna Vida. Ms. Reyes serves as the artistic director while Ms. Vida coaches the dancers. For this production, BP will be joined by international guest artist Nobuo Fujino, principal dancer of Hong Kong Ballet while resident guest artist Candice Adea will alternate with Denise Parungao and Jemima Reyes as the Sugar Plum Fairy. Instead of a European setting, the story takes place in 1920's Philippines during the Noche Buena.

 

Denise Parungao as the Sugar Plum Fairy

There will be selected shows with live music by the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Mr. Gerard Salonga. This production will give tribute to the late National Artist of Theater Design Salvador Bernal. His set design will be used for this production.

To make the Nutcracker experience memorable especially to children, BP will host The Nutcracker Tea Party for children with fun activities like decorating ballet shoes and meet the dancers. Limited slots are available. The Nutcracker will be staged on CCP from December 1 to 10, 2017. It was performed by Ballet Philippines back in 2005. It the best time to see it now or wait another 12 years for it to be restaged again.

Margie Moran, BP president and Alice Reyes,artistic director(L-R, standing)

Check out the limited edition Nutcracker ornaments on sale online for the benefit of BP scholars. Follow this blog and like L.E.N.S. blogs for more updates about Ballet Phils.