After the stage was dark last December, the Kingdom of Sweets will once again look bright and tasty in Montreal, as a famous location in Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker. But the grand holiday tradition had to adapt this year, so the dancing sweets, and audience members, may remain safe at Place des Arts.
Due to COVID-related restrictions, no children under 12 are allowed to dance on stage this year. As Nutcracker enthusiasts know, the party scene in Act I is populated with many excited young children on Christmas Eve.
Learn about the significant changes to The Nutcracker presentation this year, as Spotlight producer Paul Larson speaks with Ivan Cavallari, the Artistic Director of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal.
Cavallari has choreographed an original short ballet called The Enchanted Gift, which Nutcracker audiences will see this year, before the second act of Tchaikovsky’s famous work is presented.
The last performances of The Nutcracker: Clara’s Journey (Act II) and The Enchanted Gift at Place des Arts occur on December 28.
For ticket information, head to grandsballets.com.
Spotlight is made possible, in part, by the Glenn and Carol Pearsall Adirondack Foundation, dedicated to improving the quality of life for year-round residents of the Adirondack Park. Spotlight is also supported by Hill and Hollow Music.Photos by Sasha Onyshchenko, courtesy of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal