“The Nutcracker”

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The Soraya Presents the Los Angeles Premiere of Aspen Santa Fe Ballet’s Production of “The Nutcracker”

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet returns to The Soraya this holiday season with three performances of the classic ballet, The “The Nutcracker,” on December 7 and 8. With Tchaikovsky’s original music, this storybook production, choreographed by ASFB executive director Jean-Phillippe Malaty and artistic director Tom Mossbrucker, is set in the Victorian era, beginning with the resplendent party and concluding with the fantastical scenes in the second act centered around a bright and colorful carousel.

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet’s exquisite dancers perform the leading roles, showing off their classical training. More than 70 children from Los Angeles Youth Ballet and students from USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance will round out the cast. Adding to the excitement, the traditional Russian, Spanish and Chinese pieces will feature performers from around the globe who bring their traditional and authentic dances. Almost 100 performers are on stage for this production.

The Soraya Presents the Los Angeles Premiere of Aspen Santa Fe Ballet’s Production of
The Soraya Presents the Los Angeles Premiere of Aspen Santa Fe Ballet’s Production of “The Nutcracker.” Photo by Sharen Bradford

The Saturday night performance will feature Joffrey Ballet company members Jeraldine Mendoza and Dylan Gutierrez, a Los Angeles native.

“Our partnership with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet over the last five years has been extraordinary,” says The Soraya’s Executive Director, Thor Steingraber. “From performances with renowned pianist Joyce Yang to pieces from some of the world’s most exciting choreographers like Jorma Elo and Jiří Kylián – Aspen Santa Fe Ballet has an incredible repertoire. Their production of “The Nutcracker” has been a staple in Aspen and Santa Fe for 23 years and we are so lucky to have its Los Angeles premiere at The Soraya.”

ASFB’s dancers are unmatched in their athleticism and technique, thanks to a rigorous, year-round schedule of training and touring, including engagements at the Joyce Theater, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, and the Kennedy Center. Their production of “The Nutcracker” is a signature piece, now in its 23rd season, coming to Los Angeles for the first time in December.

Win Tickets to The Nutcracker!

Enter for a chance to win a pair of tickets (2) to see Aspen Santa Fe Ballet’s The Nutcracker at The Soraya on December 7 at 3PM, 8PM, or December 8 at 3PM. Only one submission per participant will be accepted. The giveaway ends on Thursday, December 5 at 9AM (PST), with winners announced at 11AM (PST). 

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About “The Nutcracker”

Based on the story by E.T.A. Hoffmann
Music: Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreography: Jean-Philippe Malaty and Tom Mossbrucker
Set Design: Roger LaVoie
Lighting Design: Seah Johnson
Sound Design: Sam Chittenden
Costumes: Nete Joseph

WHEN:

Saturday, December 7 at 3:00pm and 8:00pm
Sunday, December 8 at 3:00pm

WHERE:

Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya)
18111 Nordhoff St.
Northridge, CA 91330

TICKETS:

Starting at $49. Prices subject to change.
(818) 677-3000
www.TheSoraya.org

“Aspen Santa Fe Ballet has brought joy and creative abandon to a holiday classic.” —Santa Fe New Mexican

The Soraya Presents the Los Angeles Premiere of Aspen Santa Fe Ballet’s Production of
The Soraya Presents the Los Angeles Premiere of Aspen Santa Fe Ballet’s Production of “The Nutcracker.” Photo by Sharen Bradford.

About Aspen Santa Fe Ballet

Ballet’s dynamic story in the American West In 1996, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Founder Bebe Schweppe invited Tom Mossbrucker and Jean-Philippe Malaty to create a ballet company in Aspen. A unique, multidimensional arts organization developed rapidly from the ballet school Schweppe had established in the Rocky Mountains. “Bebe’s vision for Aspen to have its own ballet company was the project of a lifetime,” says Malaty, ASFB’s Executive Director. “We embarked together on a serendipitous adventure. More than 20 years later, the connection between the dancers and our two communities is deep and inextricable.”

Forging a new frontier
The company began modestly with seven dancers. Growth was organic. Friends in the field—Gerald Arpino, Trey McIntyre, Septime Webre, Dwight Rhoden—offered start-up repertoire. Moses Pendleton’s popular Noir Blanc was a seminal event for the young ASFB. It launched a tradition of commissioning new works. An open, exploratory style emerged as Mossbrucker and Malaty tapped the creative scene in Europe where classical ballet was breaking from its boundaries. The athletic and adventurous American dancers found themselves at a crossroads of dance history. The divide between ballet and modern dance was dissolving.

Innovative business model
In 2000, the Aspen, Colorado-based ballet company forged a dual-city relationship with Santa Fe, New Mexico, broadening its scope and lending crucial revenue diversification. Under this hybrid business model, a roster of arts activities flourishes year-round in both cities. Performance, education, presentation, and community outreach all join in the mix. In 2014, ASFB shared resources with a local troupe, Juan Siddi Flamenco Santa Fe (JSFSF). This entrepreneurial project led to artistic heights at Jacob’s Pillow and New York’s Joyce Theater. Fortified with new experience and relationships, JSFSF continues to thrive in its own right.

New commissions
ASFB’s mission places highest priority on developing new dance works and nurturing relationships with emerging choreographers. The company fostered the early careers of now in-demand global dance makers like Nicolo Fonte (nine commissioned Fonte works in the ASFB repertoire), Jorma Elo (three commissioned Elo works), Edwaard Liang, Jacopo Godani, Helen Pickett, Cayetano Soto, Alejandro Cerrudo, and others. Works by late 20th century masters—William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Twyla Tharp—round out the repertoire.

“We value building relationships with choreographers who become integral to the company. The natural beauty of our surroundings has a profound impact on creativity. Our choreographers find it inspiring to create here,” says Mossbrucker, ASFB’s Artistic Director.

About Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya)

The 2019-20 Season marks the ninth year for the award-winning Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts which has quickly become one of the cultural jewels of the greater Los Angeles region. Under the leadership of Executive Director Thor Steingraber, The Soraya continues to expand its programming and outstanding multidisciplinary performances. The Soraya presents a wide variety of performances that not only include new and original work from the Los Angeles region but also work from around the world appealing to all of LA’s rich and diverse communities.

Located on the campus of California State University, Northridge, The Soraya’s season offers a vibrant performance program of nearly 50 classical and popular music, dance, theater, family, and international events that have served to establish The Soraya as the intellectual and cultural heart of the San Fernando Valley, and further establish itself as one of the top arts companies in Southern California. The award-winning, 1,700-seat theatre was designed by HGA Architects and Engineers and was recently cited by the Los Angeles Times as “a growing hub for live music, dance, drama and other cultural events.


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