November 16, 2007
By George Matlala
FOR the first time, the South African Ballet Theatre (SABT) will perform the traditional Christmas ballet, The Nutcracker, with a live orchestra.
The Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra (JPO) will accompany the ballet company for its 16 performances of
The Nutcracker this year, and then for its 2008 seasons at the Johannesburg Civic Theatre.
Supported by Talk Radio 702,
The Nutcracker runs from Friday, 23 November to Sunday, 16 December at the South African State Theatre in Pretoria.
"It is appropriate that a collaboration between the country's largest professional ballet company and the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra is taking place," says Don MacRobert, the chairman of the ballet company's board.
Working together, the two will allow the audience to experience the glamour, escapism and magic of ballet, he says. "Our audiences certainly enjoy live accompaniment and the ballet dancers themselves far prefer performing to a live orchestra."
Shadrack Bokaba, the managing director of the orchestra, says it partnered with the SABT to offer its audiences quality music. "Music forms an integral part of the ballet; in fact, without it, there will be no dancing."
The partnership will lower the cost of putting on ballets, he adds, noting that traditional ballet performances have become expensive, forcing ballet companies to perform using recorded music.
The orchestra will accompany the SABT during its Johannesburg seasons in 2008, starting with
Sleeping Beauty at the Johannesburg Civic Theatre, he says.
The Nutcracker
With the music of Russian classical composer Peter Tchaikovsky, dancers will take the audience on journey into the world of fantasy and magic, says Samantha Saevitzon, the ballet company's publicity officer.
The Nutcracker is based on the fairytale
The Nutcracker and the King of Mice, written by German author Ernst Hoffman. It is about a young German girl, Clara, who dreams of a Nutcracker Prince and a fierce battle against a Mouse King with seven heads.
"Since its [debut] performance in 1892,
The Nutcracker has come to embody the festive season and appeals to audiences across the age spectrum," she says.
The audience will not only have the opportunity to travel with Clara on a magical journey to the Land of Snow and the Kingdom of Sweets, but will also have get a chance to root for the prince as he battles with the king of rats, she adds.
"Come to the ballet; it is a entertaining experience where you can forget about your problems for a few hours and just escape into the magical world."
Pheladi Gwangwa, Talk Radio 702's station manager, says: "This is in line with the SABT's efforts to showcase all the glamour, escapism and magic of classical ballet to a wider audience, and we are proud to be part of that."
The Nutcracker is on at the South African State Theatre in Pretoria from Friday, 23 November to Sunday, 16 December. Tickets range from R70 to R165; they are available at Computicket outlets, on 011 340 8000, or online on the
Computicket website.
The South African Ballet Theatre is based at the Johannesburg Civic Theatre, in Loveday Street, Braamfontein.
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