---

Once again the strains of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker are filling the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. A Christmas tradition that delights the young and proud grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles who accompany them ensuring the tradition of Nutcracker lives on into the future.

The Royal Winnipeg Ballet presents its Canadian themed Nutcracker this season opening with boys playing hockey in front of their home before guests arrive to partake in a Christmas Eve celebration.

Meanwhile, Clara is upstairs in her bedroom getting ready for the evening’s fun and practicing her ballet steps in front of the mirror. Her mother, father, grandmother and younger brother Dieter join Clara as they all anticipate the evening’s Christmas party.

Downstairs in the drawing room Drosselmeier arrives with the Christmas tree and the party begins with the decorating of the tree. Clara, Dieter and the children are presented their gifts as Aunt Josephine, Grandmother Marguerite and the rest of the adults dance the evening away to the music of Tchaikovsky.

So sets the stage for the beautiful Nutcracker that The Royal Winnipeg Ballet offers this year. The tranquil scenes of falling snow in the magical forest filled with icy blue costumed snowflakes and adorable polar bears, the kingdom of the Sugar Plum Fairy accentuated with enthusiastic tiny angels dressed in long white dresses, their bobbing gold ringlets topped with gold halos adding whimsy to the Kingdom and the soft frothy pink dresses of the flowers as they waltz brought magic to the performance. The dancing and choreography were seamless and the predominately soft pastel toned sets and costumes gave this interpretation of Nutcracker a dreamy quality. It seemed that the cast were enjoying the performance as much as the audience with the enthusiastic making of angels in the snow a delightful cap to the evening.

All in all, it was a most enjoyable evening enthusiastically appreciated by everyone who attended.

© 2018 Nancie Ottem