Dancers of the HCM City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) will start the Christmas season with the classical ballet The Nutcracker. — Photo courtesy of the theatre

HCM CITY — Dancers of the HCM City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) will launch the Christmas season with the classical ballet The Nutcracker, a two-act production choreographed by Johanne Jakhelln Constant, art director of the Moving Art Theatre in Bodo, Norway, on December 11 and 12.

The work is based on the story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by German author E.T.A. Hoffmann. 

It features the dream of the little girl Clara and her adventures with a nutcracker, a gift from her godfather.

It was first presented at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia on December 17, 1892, and has become a worldwide favourite during the Christmas season.

It premiered in HCM City in 2001 as part of the Norway government's Transposition programme to bring classical music projects to Việt Nam.

This season, it will be staged by dancers of HBSO, including Hồ Phi Điệp (the Nutcracker), Nguyễn Thu Trang (Clara),  Đỗ Hoàng Khang Ninh (Sugarplum Fairy) and Đặng Minh Hiền (Mr Drosselmeyer).

Japanese dancer Yuki Hiroshige will play the role of Snow Queen and Dewdrop.

Hiroshige began practicing ballet at the age of 11, and studied at the Australian Ballet School.

She worked as a solo dancer at the New National Theatre from 1996, and later performed at Noriko Kobayashi Ballet Theatre from 2005.

The play’s choreographer Johanne has also worked in costume design, scenography and props design. 

The Nutcracker, with music by Tchaikovsky, will highlight the HBSO symphony orchestra and female choir led by conductor Trần Vương Thạch.

The classical ballet The Nutcracker will be led by Meritorious Artist and conductor Trần Vương Thạch, director of HBSO. — Photo courtesy of the theatre

 Meritorious Artist Thạch, director of the HBSO, was recently granted the title Knight of Arts and Letters (Chevaliers des Lettres et des Arts) from the French government for his efforts to promote arts exchange between Việt Nam and France.

Thạch studied at leading music schools and conservatories in Belgium and The Netherlands.

He has performed in many countries such as Germany, Italy, Scotland, Spain, France, Tokyo and Korea.

“HBSO artists are working to offer high-end shows aiming to popularise ballet, opera and classical music,” said Thạch.

The Nutcracker will be staged for two nights, December 11 and 12, at 8pm at the Opera House at 7 Lam Sơn Square in District 1. Tickets are available at the theatre’s box office and www.ticketbox.vn. Guests will have their temperature checked and will be asked to use alcohol-based hand sanitiser and wear face masks during the show. — VNS