St David’s Hall, Cardiff
Tues 20 Dec – Mon 2 Jan
It wouldn’t be the festive season without The Nutcracker, and this December The Russian State Ballet of Siberia brings that most famous of fantasy ballets back to St David’s Hall as part of the Hall’s annual, festive ballet season (Thurs 22 – Wed 28 Dec). Accompanied by The Orchestra of the Russian State Ballet, the season again includes that other ballet behemoth: Swan Lake (Thurs 29 Dec – Mon 2 Jan).
Starting the season with a masterpiece of comedy and one of the oldest ballets still regularly performed: La Fille Mal Gardée Tues 21 + Wed 22 Dec. Featuring a virtuoso pas de deux, maypole and clog dances; a farm boy woos a flirty farmer’s daughter and they find inventive ways to avoid her mother.
The Nutcracker is the most famous family-friendly fantasy ballet. When midnight strikes on Christmas Day the audience is transported to a magical world, one where the Mouse King leads his army in war, where the eponymous Nutcracker comes to life and turns into a handsome prince, and we travel to the Land of Sweets ruled by the Sugar Plum Fairy.
Swan Lake, the greatest romantic ballet, possibly the most famous of any ballets, of all time rounds of the ballet season’s trio. From the technical challenges of the principal dancer’s dual role of Swan Queen/Black Swan to Tschaikovsky’s unforgettable and immortal score, Swan Lake is the one ballet everyone should see.
Tickets: £16.50-£45.50. Info: 029 2087 8444 / www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk