Jeannette

Indeed, prs59...and for we of the Eastern Orthodox variety - on 7 January. 😉 Merry Xmas & Happy Holidays to all!

The Hungarian Nutcracker that’s streaming on 24 December is also by Eagling as is, of course, the well-known Dutch version on DVD. From what I’ve heard, they’re all different.

And for Petipa-reconstruction lovers, here is Stanislav Beliaevsky’s staging of the Petipa/Glazunov RUSES D’AMOUR (or THE TRIALS of DAMIS), just premiered yesterday in St Petersburg’s Hermitage Theatre, with dancers of the Mariinsky & Mikhailovsky...some wearing masks for safety. The original designs of Feb 1900 recreated. Stepanov notations consulted. What a joy to finally see this ballet, which starred Legnani & Gerdt at the premiere! Some of you Ashton specialists may recognize some of the tunes used in Birthday Offering (Fifield variation, the Fonteyn-Somes pdd and a couple of others). As per Facebook acct of Beliaevsky, the leads include Marat Shemiunov (Damis), Irina Perren (Isabella) and Alexandra Iosifidi (Countess/Isabella’s mother). This is taken from yesterday’s livestream on the St Petersburg TV channel. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAjbtglQwis&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR3SYq8ptK2Fd5p5L8SW7iuVmUeHsPrVlK14LQQdgpdPWdl1NqM_XXVGJck

Well, if this doesn’t bring smiles to faces, what would? Only a James Whiteside would dream this up. 😂

Thanks, John. The words “Christmas is cancelled” here = closure of places of worship...which is in the process of being legally contested, jurisdiction by jurisdiction. (Discrimination lawsuits.) Don’t want to stray too far off course. Thx to you & Sim for clarifying the situation over there.

Events, restaurants, shows related to Xmas (or Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus, whatever) are cancelled, yes. The observance of religious holidays? Something fundamental cannot be cancelled by governmental decree. Anyways, happy days and ballets are ahead!

Wow. This is amazing. 💗

Related- Just saw a long report on US broadcast TV - on the NBC morning news - under the alarmist title “Christmas Cancelled in London!” Sad.

Sorry, Stucha, but I have the exact opposite feeling than you about the Bolshoi-Grigorovich Nutcracker...cold, mechanical heartless production. And those creepy long candelabras held by the male corps! Grigorovich almost always employs tilted long sticks of some sort in his work.

Super! Glad that you’ve enjoyed. I adore the Chinese cultural motifs, such as the dancing white/blue porcelain.

Lovely version, I agree, Ivy, Jan et al. If US ballet-film collectors have international all-format DVD players, they’ve had access to the 1994 BRB film for 20+ years: https://www.amazon.com/Nutcracker-Tchaikovsky-Peter-Wright-Mukhamedov/dp/B001E181WS We also have the same production, in same glorious designs by McFarlane - filmed more recently, in better light - by The Australian Ballet (region-free PAL): https://www.amazon.com/Australian-Ballet-Nutcracker-DVD/dp/B01DRYRYQ8

I loved PNB’s bold-colored designs...a refreshing update to NYCB’s 1964 Karinska/Ter Arutunians...and wonderful integration of the opening animations during the overture with the first real-life scene. I’m a major fan of both Leta Biasucci (Sugar Plum) & Angelica Generosa (Marzipan lead), so no complaints! On the whole, NYCB is more precise but PNB generates the most warmth. Of the three Balanchine Nutcrackers I’ve seen - NYCB, Royal Danish and PNB - this (PNB) is my keeper!

Oh my, Jan...buried deep in one of the articles is mention of the National Ballet of China’s gorgeous production...the FULL ballet for free, via YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ETLlviwV3E&feature=youtu.be

Link to additional details and full cast, in English. This appears to be a unique staging by Wayne Eagling and Tomas Solymosi, in tribute to Vainonen...not Eagling’s previous staging for the Dutch. https://www.opera.hu/en/programme/megtekint/a-diotoro-online-kozvetites-2020/eloadas-202012241500/

The Hungarian National Ballet will stream a film of their complete Nutcracker (Eagling et al version) on 24 December, 15:00 local time, via their FB page. Free. Details here: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10157868066213697&id=65392953696

FREE for just two days (Dec 24/25); after, for a fee: Bavarian State Ballet, Munich, streams an archival film of Ray Barra’s SWAN LAKE. Details here: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10158893259264743&id=191195124742

Say WHAAAT? Oh no. 🤦‍♀️ So many promising new casts preparing...

Thanks for all of the photos & reports. This provides some hope that the major ballet theatres here in the USA might reopen...estimating September 2021 for Lincoln Center NY & Kennedy Center DC. Enjoy your live Nutcrackers in the UK!

Gorgeous production...just wow! It’s hard to top the NYCB designs by Ter Arutunian/Karinska but these are so classy/easy on the eye. Thanks for bringing this to our attention, yumiko. Excellent cast...especially love Lena-Maria Gruber’s Dewdrop...and what a delight to finally see our “hometown pride” Emerson Moose - Kirov Academy-DC graduate - in a solo opportunity, in the lead Spanish couple. Our Balanchine-Nutcracker cup runneth over this December...with several companies streaming the Balanchine version, each with different designs...Pacific NW Ballet coming next on my dance agenda. Great fun to compare and admire different qualities in each.

At the top- Barbara Hendricks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Hendricks

Apologies, Bellini Point. No harshness intended. The photo definitely looks “retro.” I did a double take and looked up her bio, as her career likely began in the late-70s/mid-80s. I wasn’t sure that it was she - didn’t quite trust the name on the photo - until I saw those gallery photos with same costume and the hair up. She has lost weight since early days...more youthful hairdo, etc.

Thanks so much, James. Fascinating! I kept wondering why this music ended up in two (at least) versions of Nutcracker. Surprising Tchaikovsky!

So there was a performer named Markella Hatziano - the name emblazoned on the photo - around in the 1940s? I think not. 😉 Too, see the Gallery of photos in Markella’s website...several b&w pics just like the one above, with same dress and hair.

Greek mezzo Markella Hatziano https://www.markella.com/

Apologies in advance for misappropriating this ENB holidays thread but I have an odd musical question about a past version of London Festival Ballet’s (now ENB) Nutcracker...specifically, the 1970s/80s Ronald Hynd version. In Act I, Fritz dances a hornpipe solo to a jaunty tune that’s neither from the ballet’s score nor sounds like anything else by Tchaikovsky. Does anyone know the source of this music and it’s composer. Is it by Gilbert? Very Pineapple Poll-ish! It’s at the 9:15 mark in this film: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xerl4cej3p4 The weird thing is that I also remember hearing this tune in Neumeier’s Nutcracker (different context, in A2). Any & all clues to solving the mystery are appreciated.