Pasadena Dance Theatre (PDT) returns to live performances of “The Nutcracker,” the beloved Christmas favorite, at the historic San Gabriel Mission Playhouse starting on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Performances will be on Saturday and Sunday, December 18 and 19, and December 22 and 23.
In this full-length production, more than 80 dancers magically bring to life Clara’s Christmas Eve dream of a dashing Nutcracker Prince, a devious Mouse King and an ethereal Sugar Plum Fairy.
Pasadena Dance Theater’s Artistic Director Cynthia Young and her choreography to Tchaikovsky’s memorable musical score dazzles audiences of all ages.
“The Nutcracker,” first produced in 1892, is a two-act ballet originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with Tchaikovsky’s score. The libretto is adapted from E. T. A. Hoffmann’s 1816 short story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.”
Tchaikovsky’s 20-minute suite extracted from the ballet has been enormously successful and has become one of his most famous compositions. The score, among other things, is noted for its use of the celesta, an instrument that the composer had already employed in his much lesser known symphonic ballad, “The Voyevoda.”
The complete “Nutcracker” is now performed by countless ballet companies, primarily during the Christmas season. Ballet companies in America generate around 40 percent of their annual ticket revenues from “The Nutcracker” performances. The ballet’s score has also been used in several film adaptations of Hoffmann’s story.
In keeping with Los Angeles County Department of Public Health guidance, all indoor events with potential audience sizes greater than 1,000 patrons will require proof of COVID-19 vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the day of the event.
Face masks must also be worn indoors at all times during the event, regardless of vaccination status.
Tickets to “The Nutcracker” are $25 to $75. To purchase tickets, go to https://pasadenadance.
For more information, call (626) 683-3459, visit www.pasadenadance.org/events or email pasadenadancepdt@gmail.com.
