Dancers In Motion Since 1968 Maxine Mahon, Director John Stubbs, Music Director/Conductor

4819 Ronson Court San Diego, CA 92111 858.560.6741 Fax: 858.560.0072 Contact Diane Grosman dgrosman@californiaballet.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 2010

California Ballet’s The Nutcracker Features Distinguished Guest Artists at Two Theaters

The Nutcracker

Poway Center for the Performing Arts

San Diego Civic Theatre – Accompanied by the San Diego Symphony, Conducted by Music Director John Stubbs

The 2010 Nutcracker Production Sponsors –

The Westgate Hotel; Sycuan Resort & Casino; and Patricia Gregory, for the Baker Foundation

San Diego, CA- In its 43^rd season, California Ballet Company enthusiastically announces their current production of The Nutcracker. Choreographed by Director Maxine Mahon, and featuring Tchaikovsky’s score, this year’s production boasts a seasoned cast including two guest artists. Gennadi Saveliev, soloist with American Ballet Theatre, and Cuban trained Raydel Carceras have each performed with California Ballet in recent seasons. They will alternate the roles of Cavalier and Snow King along with Principals Vitaliy Nechay and Carlo Di Dio. The roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Snow Queen, and the Dewdrop will be shared between Principals Cassandra Lund and Chie Kudo. Dancing other featured roles will be Soloist Dancers Rebecca Correia, Bernadette Torres, Oscar Burciaga, and Hugo Carreon.

The Nutcracker begins its full run at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts on December 11-12. At the San Diego Civic Theatre performances will take place on December 18, 19 and 21. All performances at the Civic Theatre will be accompanied by the San Diego Symphony, conducted by California Ballet Music Director John Stubbs. Following matinee performances, patrons are invited to attend a Sugar Plum Party to meet cast members in the lobby.

California Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker is a wonderful opportunity for us to reach out into the community. Our Sharing the Art Program offers the experience of professional ballet performances to a significant population within community groups who have limited or no access to live theater. Since its inception in 2005, this program has made over 10,000 tickets available to children and adults with life threatening diseases through Rady Children’s Hospital and Scripps, to military families through Operation Homefront and to underserved and abused children through The Children’s Initiative, Episcopal Community Services and The Monarch School. In addition, California Ballet will partner for the second consecutive year with the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve in their Toys for Tots campaign and will be collecting donations of new, unwrapped toys at all Nutcracker performances.

As part of the San Diego Performing Arts series at the Kassebaum Theater at Mater Dei High School in Chula Vista, California Ballet will present one hour of excerpts from The Nutcracker on Saturday, December 4 at 7:00pm. Information is available through www.sandiegoperformingarts.org.

Maxine Mahon’s The Nutcracker has a cast of 160 including 35 professional dancers and apprentices, and alternating casts of children auditioned from the California Ballet School and the community. Director Mahon says “I present the Kingdom of the Sweets as having many confections, putting artistic life into fanciful childish dreams. It celebrates the power of human imagination, which children have in abundance. To make it sophisticated steals the charm. The Nutcracker possesses the power to make people happy at Christmas.”

The Nutcracker is one of the last of Tchaikovsky’s full-length ballets and is performed in two acts. Based on E.T.A.

Hoffman’s tale of The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, it was first performed at the Maryinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia on Dec. 18, 1892. The French choreographer Marius Petipa worked closely with composer Peter Illych Tchaikovsky on the score. For her own version, Mahon designed choreography that strengthens the storyline featuring Clara as an older child who is beginning to daydream about love.

FOR CALENDAR LISTINGS

The 2010 performances of The Nutcracker are generously sponsored by the Westgate Hotel; Sycuan Resort & Casino; and Patricia Gregory, for the Baker Foundation. Financial support for the 2010-2011 season is provided in part by the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, the County Board of Supervisors at the recommendation of Pam Slater-Price and Ron Roberts, Supervisors, County of San Diego, and the Hermann Foundation. 

Adult ticket prices range from $35-$80 and children 12 & under gain admission for $25. Tickets may be purchased at the California Ballet Box Office (858.560.6741), The San Diego Civic Theatre (619.570.1100), or online at www.californiaballet.org. Contact the Box Office at 858-560-6741 for information on Group sales. Deeply discounted tickets are offered to Scout Troops and their chaperones at select performances at both theaters.

In addition to these performances, the California Ballet will be presenting a Preview Dress Rehearsal at the Civic Theatre on December 17 at 7:00pm. This preview provides an opportunity for local schools, children’s groups, and help organizations to become familiar with arts, attending at little to no cost. For detailed information regarding Preview Dress Rehearsals, call 858.560.5676 ext. 16, or visit the Education and Outreach pages at www.californiaballet.org.

**End**

California Ballet is a not-for-profit 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to presenting a full season of professional ballet each year to the people of

San Diego and to providing a forum for professional dancers to develop and maintain their artistic skill.