Love The Nutcracker? In Surrey there are several chances to see the seasonal show in November and December.
Surrey City Orchestra brings its abridged version of Tchaikovsky’s classic to Chandos Pattison Auditorium on Saturday, Nov. 23, which is also the day Royal Winnipeg Ballet opens a three-show run at Surrey's Bell Performing Arts Centre.
Two weeks later, from Dec. 6-8, Royal City Youth Ballet returns to Surrey Arts Centre's Main Stage with five performances of The Nutcracker, featuring a cast of 100-plus dancers directed by Keitha Campeau.
At the 1,500-seat theatre at Pacific Academy in Fraser Heights, Surrey City Orchestra will be joined by Affinity Dance, Kvitka Ukrainian School of Dance, Layali Dancers and Coastal Sound Youth Choir for a family-friendly, shortened version of The Nutcracker. Tickets are sold on eventbrite.ca from $25 (students/seniors) to $35 (adults). The venue has free parking and is wheelchair accessible.
Cloverdale’s Tyra Sergeant returns as lead choreographer for the production on Nov. 23, with dancers from across Surrey.
"Tyra is now the ballet instructor for the Affinity School of Dance, and has many years experience with the Goh Ballet in Vancouver, where her own daughter played the lead role on The Queen Elizabeth Theatre stage," reported Ellen Farrugia, co-founder of Surrey City Orchestra.
"Larissa Trefanenko leads the Kvitka Ukrainian School of Dance, with their high-energy and athletic performance of the Trepak. New to our production is Ashley Rhianne, award-winning dancer, trained in the Egyptian style, of the Layali Dancers, a Semiahmoo Secondary graduate who will lead the Arabian Dance.
The SCO is very excited that the Coastal Sound Children’s Choir, based in Coquitlam and led by Diana Clark, will join them on stage with the wonderful professional musicians of the orchestra."
Tchaikovsky’s magical score is one that musicians never tire of, Farrugia says. "We are so fortunate to have Maestro Leslie Dala conducting, with his masterful interpretation, and years of experience with Vancouver Opera Orchestra, Vancouver Bach Choir, and many other orchestras and choruses in the U.S. and Europe."
Before the show, and during intermission, the SCO will host Surrey Festival of the Arts Society, to present artists and performers associated with the larger festival, now in the planning stages. Says Farrugia: "It’s recommended that you come early as here will be two visual artists, a video display of Ellie Kings’ production of Robin Hood, South Asian dancers led by Simran Sidhu and an instrument zoo provided by Long & McQuade, where children interested in music can try a musical instrument, aided by the knowledgeable staff from the Surrey Central location."
Meantime, at the Bell, Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet will bring a touring, Ballet BC-backed production of the dreamlike dance show to the theatre in Sullivan Heights. Show times are 1 and 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 23 and 5 p.m. Nov. 24. Tickets are priced from $48 to $150 on bellperformingartscentre.com.
"B.C.’s only professional version of the wintertime classic is danced to a majestic and instantly recognizable Tchaikovsky score," the company's website says.
The December dates for Royal City Youth Ballet are part of a seasonal tour by the company, formed in 1989. Royal City "bridges the gap between dance schools and professional companies," says a post on royalcityyouthballet.org.
"In this sense, Royal City Youth Ballet Company is the only Company of its kind in Canada! We are a non-profit organization which presents productions with professional choreography, costumes, sets and lighting. Performing at a high level is a dream for many dancers, and we’re thrilled to provide that opportunity to them."
For The Nutcracker shows, there are magical soldiers, mice, a Sugar Plum fairy and a growing Christmas tree, all danced to the music of Tchaikovsky's famous score.
If you don't know the story, a synopsis: It is Christmas Eve, a time when dreams may become reality. Drosselmeyer, godfather to Clara, brings gifts and magic to her parents’ home for the annual Christmas party. His special gift to Clara is a large Nutcracker soldier. When she falls asleep after the party, Clara is cradling the Nutcracker in her arms, and begins to dream. In her dream, her Nutcracker soldier fights a battle and transports her on a sleigh through the Land of Snow to the Land of Sweets, where she meets the Sugar Plum Fairy and people from faraway lands. The ballet closes as Drosselmeyer brings Clara back, still cradling her Nutcracker soldier and treasuring her wonderful dream.
