● Runs through Sunday, March 14
But its Russian choreographers, Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, could hardly have imagined their sumptuous ballet blanc would now be springing to life through computer screens and smart TVs, with the global pandemic having forced arts organizations, including the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, to pivot hard this season as a critical turning point in its own 81-year history. This latest production started by asking what can we do to keep the dancers dancing, RWB associate artistic director Tara Birtwhistle says during a recent phone interview. Audiences will get a whole new perspective and a different way of enjoying the ballet, and we’re all thrilled with the results.
DAVID COOPER PHOTO
Performers will sport masks crafted by the RWB wardrobe department to blend into the period costumes. The show’s original choreography has been revised so physical distancing can be maintained throughout the performance.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas whenever ballet companies around the globe unveil their annual productions of The Nutcracker, a perennial classic that lights up the holidays each year while making spirits bright.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas whenever ballet companies around the globe unveil their annual productions of The Nutcracker, a perennial classic that lights up the holidays each year while making spirits bright.