The ballet is an adaptation of the 1816 short story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” by German author E.T.A. Hoffmann. It was composed by Tchaikovsky and choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov.
The classical ballet consists of two parts and revolves around a young girl named Clara who receives a magical nutcracker doll from her godfather on Christmas Eve. To her surprise, the nutcracker comes to life and takes her on a fantastical journey through a world of dancing snowflakes, enchanting sweets, and a terrifying Mouse King.
“The Nutcracker” premiered at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1892 and has since become a beloved holiday tradition worldwide.
The HCM City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) first performed the ballet in 2001 as part of the Transposition Programme initiated by the government of Norway to introduce classical music projects to Vietnam.
The choreography was done by Norwegian artist Johanne Jakhelln Constant, who holds a Master’s Degree in dance performance from the University of Iowa in the US.
This year’s performance will feature Do Hoang Khang Ninh as Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Meritorious Artist Ho Phi Diep as the Nutcracker and the Cavalier.
Ninh received a scholarship to study with The Norwegian National Opera & Ballet and has participated in cultural exchanges in Korea. She has previously performed in ballets such as “Gissele,” “Cinderella,” and “Ballet Kieu,” which received the excellence award at the National Dance and Music Festival in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak in June 2022.
Meanwhile, Diep is currently Deputy Head of HBSO’s ballet department. He has won top prizes at various national dance and music competitions and has performed in Singapore, France, Japan, and the Republic of Korea.
The ballet will also feature Meritorious Artist Dam Duc Nhuan, La Man Nhi, Nguyen Hoang Lan Anh, and the dance department.
HBSO director Le Ha My will conduct the female choir and symphony orchestra for “The Nutcracker.”
The performance will take place at 8 pm at the Opera House located at 7 Lam Son Square in District 1. Tickets can be purchased at the venue.
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‘Les Misérables’ on the Vietnamese stage
NDO – ‘Les Misérables’ – the classic work of French writer Victor Hugo will be performed for the first time on November 21-22 at the Hanoi Opera House.
Nutcracker returns for two performances
HCMC – The HCMC Ballet, Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) is once again reviving its hugely popular Christmas production, Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, for two performances on December 11 and 12 (Friday and Saturday) in the Saigon Opera House.
