Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker

Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker is known for its award-winning Principal Dancers, lavish costumes in the style of the Victorian era, many backdrops created by La La Land Set Concept designer Carl Sprague, and its Russian focus including life-sized Matryoshka Dolls, Russian folk legends Ded Moroz (Father Christmas) and Snegurochka (Snow Maiden) and Troika Sleigh. Adults and children enjoy the special effects of the flapping winged owl on the Grandfather clock, the growing 50 ft tall Christmas Tree, the Dove of Peace with a 20 ft wingspan, and of course, the leaps, spins, and extraordinary moves of the company all performed to Tchaikovsky’s complete and incomparable score.

For twenty-five years Moscow Ballet has been consistently embraced by audiences and the press on their North American tours. “The Russians remain the principal keepers of the classical ballet tradition.” Eric Harrison, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, 2016. “The Great Russian Nutcracker... experience of a lifetime [witnessed by] the ovation and swells of applause that spontaneously broke out all over,” Broadway World, 2016. The Principal Dancers also receive accolades, “Danced exquisitely by...Ekaterina Bortiakova, her technical prowess, especially in her footwork and turns, coupled with an endearing smile and girlish innocence, was…truly great," from Cleveland Plain Dealer. Canada’s Stephan Bonfield, Calgary Herald writes, “Great Russian Nutcracker …resplendently detailed, colourful production…technically supreme dancing, dazzling moments, authentically opulent and beautifully detailed costumes.” The New York Times Chief Dance Critic Alastair Macaulay, 2010, sums it up, “The Russian ballet style is expansive… elegantly generous, and so the experience is never meager.”