‘Tis the season for gift wrap, wish lists, red cups at Starbucks, and The Nutcracker performed by Nashville Ballet. As the largest professional ballet company in Tennessee, Nashville Ballet brings some of the best dancers to the stage along with a cast of over 200 children to put on this holiday favorite with a uniquely local twist. Well-known residents such as President Andrew Jackson and Vanderbilt Chancellor James Kirkland provide inspiration for some of the characters on stage.
The show is set in the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition. It features a young girl named Clara who receives a special nutcracker from her uncle Drosselmeyer, performed by critically acclaimed dancer and actor Eric Harris, who came out of retirement to return in this role. The nutcracker comes to life to guide Clara through his world, where she meets the Snow King and Queen, watches the Sugar Plum Fairies dance, and runs into many of the characters she previously saw at Centennial Exposition.
The Nashville Symphony will provide their take on the original Nutcracker music written by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. This year’s performance promises a special new surprise to spice up the annual tradition and engage loyal fans as well as first-timers.
December 10 – 19, 2010 in TPAC’s Jackson Hall- Tickets may also be purchased by phone at 615-782-4040.