The Nutcraker Ballet Arizona’s Holiday Tradition Sparkles In Symphony Hall December 7th – 24th
Photo Ballet Arizona/The Nutcracker tells the story of a little girl named Clara who is given a magical nutcracker doll on Christmas Eve.
Phoenix, Arizona. November 2012. The holiday season is just around the corner and Ballet Arizona is proud to announce their 27th year of The Nutcracker performances, choreographed by renowned Artistic Director Ib Andersen. The Nutcracker will run from December 7-24 for a total of nineteen performances, with afternoon and evening shows at Symphony Hall, 75 N. 2nd St in downtown Phoenix.
Tickets for The Nutcracker start at $26 and are available through Ballet Arizona’s Box Office at (602) 381-1096, Ticketmaster or online at www.balletaz.org. Discounts for seniors and students and groups of 10 or more are available through the Box Office.
The beloved ballet tells the story of a little girl named Clara who is given a magical nutcracker doll on Christmas Eve. She encounters the frightful King Rat before embarking on a wondrous journey through the Land of Snow and the Kingdom of Sweets. Young and old alike will experience the many special effects, including the Christmas tree which “grows” to 40 feet, 200 pounds of “snow” falling during the snow scene, and the firing of cannon onstage.
45 minutes before each performance of The Nutcracker, audiences are invited to the Symphony Hall lobby for pre-show events including storytelling and photos with the Sugar Plum Fairy beneath Ballet Arizona’s 20 foot Christmas Tree, hung with decorated toe shoes. Hot cocoa and cookies are available for purchase.
Some interesting facts from this season’s The Nutcracker performances:
There are 260 costumes in The Nutcracker, requiring more than 6,500 yards of fabric. A tutu alone takes 12 yards of material and 60 hours to produce.
Over 100,000 Austrian Swarovski crystals make the spectacular Snow Scene sparkle.
Nutcracker scenic elements including sets, lights, costumes and special effects require four tractor trailers and two 24-foot trucks bring sets, lights, and special effects to Symphony Hall.
The Mouse King is over 9 feet tall with his crown.
During the run of The Nutcracker Ballet Arizona female dancers will use over 300 pairs of pointe shoes. Pointe shoes are custom made and cost over $90 a pair. Most pairs of shoes last one performance. Costume department personnel will wash about 125 loads of laundry during the run of The Nutcracker. The production uses 25 different backdrops.
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