Wayne Eagling / Tamás Solymosi / Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

THE NUTCRACKER

classic ballet 6

Fairy-tale ballet in two acts

Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker has for decades been an essential part of the world’s and the OPERA’s run-up to Christmas. In memory of the previous production that had been in the repertoire for more than half a century, for the Christmas of 2015, a newly buffed-up show was staged that follows classical ballet traditions while still conforming to the requirements of 21st century dance and set design. Partnering with Tamás Solymosi to choreograph a new fairy-tale ballet for the classical-music piece was a true Nutcracker specialist: the internationally renowned Wayne Eagling. It was the first time in the life of the Hungarian National Ballet that an artist of such worldwide stature had developed a choreography tailored specifically for it, with its unique characteristics in mind, in order to treat audiences to the ballet’s Christmas magic in a version that is even more full of spectacle and dance than the previous one.


This new choreography by Wayne Eagling and Tamás Solymosi is not only modern and as brilliant as one would expect, it is also a sort of homage to the legend, as it might be called, to the creative work of Vasili Vainonen and Gusztáv Oláh. The latter considered the sets for The Nutcracker to be the greatest “show” of his life, which is continuously reflected in Beáta Vavrinecz’s own sets in the current production. Nóra Rományi’s costumes are classic, beautiful and timeless.” (Eszter Veronika Kiss, Mno.hu)

Conductor
András Déri Imre Kollár László Kovács Kálmán Szennai Thomas Herzog
Princess Marie
Elena Sharipova Yourim Lee Maria Yakovleva Maria Beck Lili Felméry Diana Kosyreva Tatyjana Melnyik Ellina Pokhodnykh Miyu Takamori
Prince
Boris Zhurilov András Rónai Dmitry Timofeev Gergő Ármin Balázsi Taran Dumitru Ryosuke Morimoto
Drosselmeier
Vlagyiszlav Melnyik Maksym Kovtun Alekszandr Komarov guest Nyikolaj Ragyus Iurii Kekalo Gaetano Cottonaro
Mouse King/Mouse King doll
Nyikolaj Ragyus Léo Lecarpentier Kóbor Demeter Louis Scrivener Takaaki Okajima
Princess doll/Louise
Anna Krupp Yuka Asai Sorokina Nadezhda Julija Ragyus Artemisz Pisla Olga Chernakova Yuki Wakabayashi
Solo snowflakes
Anastasiia Konstantinova Ellina Pokhodnykh Yuki Wakabayashi Miyu Takamori Elena Sharipova Julija Ragyus Lea Földi Aglaja Sawatzki Olga Chernakova Nadezhda Sorokina Olha Skrypchenko Ganna Muromtseva Nutsa Chekurashvili Claudia García Carriera Ekaterine Surmava
Solo Waltz of the Flowers girls
Anna Krupp Adrienn Horányi Nutsa Chekurashvili Anastasiia Konstantinova Nadezhda Sorokina Jessica Carulla Leon Inès Furuhashi-Huber Ágnes Kelemen
Solo Waltz of the Flowers boys
Gaetano Cottonaro Valerio Palumbo Louis Scrivener Nyikolaj Ragyus Dmitry Zhukov Carlos Taravillo Mahillo Takaaki Okajima Noel Ágoston Kovács
Spanish girls
Rita Hangya Remedios Agustín Castaño Ildikó Boros Claudia García Carriera Artemisz Pisla Anna Krupp Barbara Kerényi Kateryna Tarasova Jessica Carulla Leon
Spanish boy
Dmitry Zhukov Carlos Taravillo Mahillo Maksym Kovtun Francesco Sardella
Arabian girl
Inès Furuhashi-Huber Lea Földi Ellina Pokhodnykh Jessica Carulla Leon Olha Skrypchenko
Arabian boys
Maksym Kovtun Noel Ágoston Kovács Kóbor Demeter Pavel Ostapenko Dávid Molnár Raffaello Barbieri Vlagyiszlav Melnyik Rafael Fernandez Ramos Louis Scrivener Taran Dumitru
Chinese girl
Miyu Takamori Yuki Wakabayashi Yourim Lee Yuka Asai
Chinese boys
Yago Guerra Christian Mathot Motomi Kiyota Balázs Majoros Ryosuke Morimoto Riku Yamamoto Kristóf Morvai Gabriele, Lucci
Russian girls
Aglaja Sawatzki Edit Darab-Fehér Ágnes Riedl Salomé Figueiredo de Santana Anita Tiffany Pesel Réka Sári Anna Fülöp Eszter Lovisek Sára Weisz, former member Zsófia Gyarmati Adrienn Szekeres Zsuzsanna Papp
Russian boy
Balázs Majoros Vince Topolánszky Motomi Kiyota Ryosuke Morimoto András Rónai
Pas de trois
Yuki Wakabayashi Yuka Asai Olga Chernakova Martina Préfontaine Nadezhda Sorokina Rita Hangya Lea Földi Artemisz Pisla Natsuna Oya Adrienn Pap Miyu Takamori Yourim Lee Julija Ragyus
Marie
Júlia Pásztor Franciska Yuki Bonecz Johanna Steiner-Isky Julianna Éva Pollák Liza Gulyás Laura Berki
Fritz
Lukács Márton Kiss Örs Domonkos Molnár Bertalan Máté Vincze Viacheslav Hosachynskyi
Featuring
the students of the Hungarian National Ballet Institute

Events

Premiere: Nov. 28, 2015

Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
06. Dózsa Imre season ticket
Hungarian State Opera
37. ifj. Harangozó Gyula season ticket
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
09. Pongor Ildikó season ticket
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
05. Hágai Katalin season ticket
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera
Hungarian State Opera

Synopsis

Act I

By the chapel; at the Stahlbaum House

It is Christmas Eve, and as snow flurries fall, the smallest children of the Stahlbaum family, Marie, and her brother, Fritz head towards the chapel with their nanny while the rest of the family prepare for the great event. In front of the house there is an ice-skating rink and a vendor of roasted chestnuts. One after the other, the guests – including Uncle Drosselmeier and his nephew – arrive to celebrate together with the family.

The Christmas party

While the children wait in the antechamber to be allowed inside and see the Christmas tree, Drosselmeier performs a series of magic tricks to entertain them. The doors of the salon open up, and at Drosselmeier’s command the festivities begin. The guests gather around the beautifully decorated Christmas tree, where a great number of presents are waiting for the children. Marie’s uncle entertains the guests with a dance performance. The show is about the battle between the Nutcracker and the Mouse King, in which the Nutcracker is performed by Drosselmeier’s nephew and the Princess by Louise, Marie’s sister. Drosselmeier gives a nutcracker doll to Marie, who happily dances with her new favourite. Fritz thoughtlessly grabs the nutcracker doll from Marie, breaking it. Fortunately, Drosselmeier is able to fix the toy. The Christmas festivities close with everybody joining in a dance before the guests’ departure and the children going to bed.

Marie’s dream

Full of happiness and joy, Marie falls sound asleep, naturally with the nutcracker doll she has received beside her. The clock strikes midnight. As Marie dreams, everything seems to grow to an enormous size: the Christmas tree, the gifts, and the furniture. The dance show also comes to life. The Mouse King leads mice and rats in preparations to attack the house and Christmas tree. In her fright, Marie hopes that the Nutcracker will come to her aid. At the head of an army of lead soldiers who have come to life, the Nutcracker defeats the Mouse King.

Journey to the Land of Snow

The room and the house transform into a forest winter wonderland. Marie and Nutcracker delight in the Waltz of the Snowflakes together and then dance a lovely, lyrical duet to show their feelings for each other.

Act II

The journey

Marie and Nutcracker board Drosselmeier’s board to embark on a fantastic journey together. They are accompanied by Drosselmeier. The voyage to wonderland is a long one in which the young lovers find their path blocked by bats in a cave. Drosselmeier, however, disperses them with a single blow, and his magic kingdom opens up.

The Snow Crystal Palace

The inhabitants of the fairy-tale realm adoringly welcome Prince Nutcracker and his bride, Marie. A series of dance divertissements, in which the “residents” of the realm introduce themselves, ensues. A lively Spanish trio is followed by an Oriental snake-charming dance. Three Chinese dancers then entertain the guests with jumps and fast spins before the magnificent Russian dance commences. Next, is a pas de trois, a brilliant variation for “rococo” ballerinas, which leads, as the greetings conclude, to the climax of these divertissements: the Waltz of the Flowers. After the waltz comes the grand pas de deux between Princess Marie and Prince Nutcracker, a duet constructed in keeping with classical tradition as an adagio, two variations and a coda testifying to the fulfilment of their love. In the finale, they are joined by the entire corps de ballet and the enchantingly lovely inhabitants of the Snow Crystal Palace.

Marie’s room

On Christmas morning, Marie awakes from a wonderful dream. Racing into the room is Fritz, and they share the adventures they experienced in their dream. Marie herself is unable to say whether the Christmas magic was something she dreamed or actually experienced.

Reviews

This new choreography by Wayne Eagling and Tamás Solymosi is not only modern and as brilliant as one would expect, it is also a sort of homage to the legend, as it might be called, to the creative work of Vasili Vainonen and Gusztáv Oláh. The latter considered the sets for The Nutcracker to be the greatest “show” of his life, which is continuously reflected in Beáta Vavrinecz’s own sets in the current production. Nóra Rományi’s costumes are classic, beautiful and timeless.” (Eszter Veronika Kiss, Mno.hu)