St. Petersburg State Ice Ballet: Nutcracker On Ice

Time&Date:19:30:00 5/10/2008
Venue：Shanghai Grand Theatre - Lyric Theatre
Price(RMB)：680;580;480;380;280;180

Once again, in a unique combination of art and entertainment, the internationally acclaimed St. Petersburg State Ice Ballet brings one of the world’s favorite fairy tales to life in a lavish ice ballet with stunning scenic backdrops and fabulous costumes. The world-renowned troupe of skaters delight audiences of all ages creating a magical performance for the entire family.

At first it’s familiar: Tchaikovsky’s score, party guests in petticoats, and second-act divertissements representing different nations. But when the St. Petersburg State Ice Ballet brings its version of The Nutcracker to the Shanghai Grand Theatre this October, there’s one essential difference: a cast that is not en pointe but on blades. Momentum adds magic to the fairy tale.

Like the traditional ballet version, it tells the story of the young girl Clara, who receives a Nutcracker doll from Herr Drosselmeier, that miraculously becomes human, battles mice, and transports her to The Kingdom of the Sweets.
Act I
The work opens with a brief “Miniature Overture”. The curtain opens to reveal the Stahlbaums’ house, where a Christmas Eve party is under way. Clara, her little brother Fritz, and their mother and father are celebrating with friends and family, when the mysterious godfather, Herr Drosselmeyer, enters. He quickly produces a large bag of gifts for all the children. All are very happy, except for Clara, who has yet to be presented a gift. Drosselmeyer then produces a toy Nutcracker. Clara is overjoyed, but her brother Fritz is jealous, and breaks the Nutcracker.
When the clock strikes midnight, Clara hears the sound of mice. Alternatively, perhaps Clara is still in a dream: the Christmas tree suddenly begins to grow to enormous size, filling the room. The Nutcracker comes to life, he and his band of soldiers rise to defend Clara, and the Mouse King leads his mice into battle.
A conflict ensues, and when Clara helps the Nutcracker by holding the Mouse King by the tail or throwing her shoe at the Mouse King, the Nutcracker seizes his opportunity and stabs him. The mouse dies. The mice retreat, taking their dead leader with them. The Nutcracker is then transformed into a prince.
Clara and the Prince travel to a world where dancing Snowflakes greet them and fairies and queens dance, welcoming Clara and the Prince into their world. The score conveys the wondrous images by introducing a wordless children’s chorus. The curtain falls on Act I.

Act II

Clara and the Prince arrive at the Land of the Sugar Plum Fairy. The Sugar Plum Fairy and the people of the Land of Sweets dance for Clara and the Prince in the dances of Dew Drop Fairy, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and the Waltz of the Flowers. The dances in the Land of the Sugar Plum Fairy are not always performed in this order.
After the festivities, Clara wakes up under the Christmas tree with the Nutcracker toy in her arms and the curtain closes.

THE ST. PETERSBURG STATE BALLET ON ICE 
 
The St. Petersburg State Ballet on Ice is one of the jewels of Russia. They have been presented throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East, South Africa, South America, Canada and have toured the United States 10 times since 1996! The company travels with 34 worldclass figure skaters in magnificently costumed productions including NUTCRACKER, SLEEPING BEAUTY, SWAN LAKE, CINDERELLA and ROMEO AND JULIET.....ALL ON ICE in the tradition of the renowned Kirov Ballet.

What’s unusual about the production is Rassadin’s blend of ballet and skating vocabularies: axels and salchows meld with port de bras and modified pique arabesques. This mixture reflects Rassadin’s background as a graduate of the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet and star dancer for the Maryinsky Theater--formerly the Kirov. His dancers are former skating champions and winners of international competitions. As is common for Russian skaters, ballet classes play an important role in their training. Once skaters are accepted into the St. Petersburg State Ice Ballet, they are required to take ballet classes regularly.