Kyiv Ballet, Shumka join forces to stage "The Nutcracker" (11/23/97)

Kyiv Ballet, Shumka join forces to stage "The Nutcracker"

EDMONTON - The Kyiv Ballet of the National Opera of Ukraine in collaboration with guest artists of Canada's Shumka Dancers have joined forces to bring a sumptuous production of "The Nutcracker: A Ballet Fantasy" to Canadian audiences (for the holiday season) beginning on December 3.

For many, "The Nutcracker," the enchanting story of a young girl's coming of age through a magical dream, has introduced them to the world of ballet. While countless versions of "The Nutcracker" have been staged, none before have captured the poetic spirit of Tchaikovsky's Ukrainian heritage.

The production will feature 30 dancers from The Kyiv Ballet of the National Opera of Ukraine, which is under the artistic direction of choreographer Viktor Litvinov, and 14 dancers from the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers of Edmonton, under the artistic direction of John Pichlyk.

The sets and costumes are by Maria Levitskaya, director of stage design at the Kyiv Opera and Ballet.

Tchaikovsky's music will be conducted (in Ottawa) by Volodymyr Kozhukhar of the National Opera of Ukraine and Oleg Riyabov (digital recording at the Dovzhenko Film Studio).

"The Nutcracker: A Ballet Fantasy" is a production of Sulyma Productions of Edmonton.

The ballet's performance schedule is the following:

Ottawa: National Arts Center, December 3-7, call (613) 996-5051, ext. 280;
Mississauga: Living Arts Center, December 9-17, call (905) 306-6000; and
Guelph: River Run Center; December 19-21, call (519) 837-5662.

| Home Page |