Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker has for decades been an essential part of the Opera’s run-up to Christmas. In memory of Vasili Vainonen and Gusztáv Oláh, we are presenting for Christmas of 2015 a newly buffed-up show that follows classical ballet traditions while still conforming to the requirements of 21st century dance and set design.
Partnering with ballet director Tamás Solymosi to choreograph a new fairy-tale ballet for the classical-music piece will be a true Nutcracker specialist: the internationally renowned Wayne Eagling. This is the first time in the life of the Hungarian National Ballet that an artist of such worldwide stature has developed a choreography tailored specifically to its members, as well as taking inspiration from them.
Audiences can enjoy the new production in the performance of several casts including Lili Felméry (Étoile of the 2015/16 season), Aliya Tanykpayeva (Étoile of the 2013/14 season), Zoltán Oláh (Étoile of the 2012/13 and 2014/15 seasons), Gergely Leblanc (Best dance artist of the 2014/15 season awarded by the Association of Hungarian Dance Artists), and recently contracted soloist Tatiana Melnik.
Conductor: Domonkos Héja, András Déri, Péter Halász, Máté Hámori, Imre Kollár
Choreographer: Wayne Eagling & Tamás Solymosi
Composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Set designer: Beáta Vavrinecz
Costume designer: Nóra Rományi
Main cast:
Aliya Tanykpayeva, Tatiana Melnik, Radinya Dace, Lili Felméry, Cristina Balaban, Minjung Kim, Adrienn Pap as Princess Mary
Zoltán Oláh, Ievgen Lagunov, Gergely Leblanc, Dmitry Timofeev, Yuya Takahashi, Gergő Ármin Balázsi, Benjamin Babácsi as the Prince
Premiere: 28 November 2015, 6 p.m., Opera House
Further dates: 29 November, 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 16, 18, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, December, 2015
