reviewvancouver: Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Nutcracker

The magic of a Canadian winter is on stage at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Royal Winnipeg Ballet has brought their Canadian holiday classic back to Vancouver for the Christmas season. Choreographed by Galina Yordanova and Nina Menon, this Nutcracker will not disappoint. It is jammed packed with delights that bring the nostalgia of an earlier time to the forefront and allow those who have enjoyed many a Nutcracker over the years to again be delighted with Nutcracker all over again.

The production flows beautifully, moving from scene to scene with effortless grace. Sets are big and bold, creating effective backdrops for all the activity on stage. The opening scene engages in a Canadian passion, hockey, Hockey and the making of angels in the snow bring the evening to a close, speaking to young and old alike. The Hudson Bay blanket was a lovely touch. Highlights of this Nutcracker were many and struck an audible cord with the audience. The dance of the snowflakes in their seafoam green costumes against a blue background, the adorable polar bears and angels, the little soldiers and mounted police, the large bears, the waltz of the flowers in their pink frothy flowing dresses, the gorgeous gold enrobed Arabian dancers, the delightful Chinese dancer and of course, the reindeer all created a very magical evening. It is a joy to be swept away on the music of Tchaikovsky while feasting on a cornucopia of images on stage.

Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s principals, soloists and corps de ballet bring Nutcracker to life, retelling a classic story with the beauty of their movements.