The HCM City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera will bring classical ballet The Nutcracker to the Opera House stage on December 5, 6 and 7 to celebrate the Christmas season. — Photo courtesy of HBSO

HCM CITY — The world-famous classical ballet The Nutcracker will return to the HCM City Opera House on December 5, 6 and 7, ushering audiences into a sparkling, colourful Christmas season.

The ballet is adapted from German author E.T.A. Hoffmann’s 1816 short story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, composed by Tchaikovsky and choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. It premiered at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1892, and has become a worldwide favourite during the Christmas season.

The HCM City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) will stage a version exclusively choreographed for the troupe by Norwegian Johanne Jakhelln Constant as part of the Norwegian government's Transposition programme to bring classical music projects to Việt Nam.

Constant, who earned a Master of Fine Arts in classical ballet and modern dance from the University of Iowa, the US, created completely new versions of the ballets Coppélia, Cinderella and Swan Lake for the troupe.

HBSO first performed The Nutcracker in 2001 and conquered the hearts of millions of audiences, especially young people. It has quickly become the troupe’s most-awaited show during the holiday season.

The work tells the magical journey of a young girl named Clara and her Nutcracker soldier, who transforms into the prince in her dreams and leads her through battles, dances and beautiful landscapes in the Confectionery Kingdom.

Young dancer Đỗ Hoàng Khang Ninh will play Clara in the ballet. — Photo courtesy of HBSO

The ballet will star Đỗ Hoàng Khang Ninh as Clara.

Ninh received a scholarship to study with the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet and participated in cultural exchanges in Korea. She has performed in the ballets Giselle, Cinderella, Ballet Kiều, and Swan Lake.

Japanese dancer Chika Tatsumi, who also performed in Swan Lake, will play Snow Queen.

Tatsumi graduated from the Codarts University for the Arts in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in 2013. She has been a principal dancer with Lonneke van Leth Production in The Hague for three years. In 2015, she joined Arabesque Dance, a neo-classical and contemporary dance company in HCM City.

The performance will also feature Lê Tuấn Anh as the Nutcracker, La Mẫn Nhi as Dewdrop, Lê Đức Anh as Cavalier, and Đặng Minh Hiền as Mr Drosselmeyer.

The production will also feature dancers from HBSO Ballet and Sasa Ballet.

Lê Ha My, HBSO director, will conduct the HBSO female choir and symphony orchestra.

The Nutcracker will begin at 8pm at the Opera House, 7 Lam Sơn Square, Sài Gòn Ward. Tickets are available at the venue. — VNS