Choreographed by RNZB artistic director Ty King-Wall, the show features more than 40 glittering tutus and costumes hand-crafted over nine months by the company’s specialist costume team, along with new stage designs.
Touring across New Zealand, the Ryman Healthcare season of The Nutcracker will be staged at Dunedin’s Regent Theatre on Friday and Saturday, November 21 and 22, with performances at 7.30pm on Friday and 1.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturday.
The production brings the much-loved story and Tchaikovsky’s score to life with summer traditions — from playing barefoot cricket to ice creams under pōhutukawa, in a love letter to growing up in New Zealand.
"Being a story borne from the northern hemisphere it is far removed from our own experiences around Christmas, the festive season and summer holidays.
"We have our own customs and history in this part of the world at that time of year, so first and foremost I sought to draw inspiration from that," King-Wall said.
At its heart, The Nutcracker is a story about hope, family and the unbridled power of imagination.
"I hope audiences have a sense of wonder and awe, of pure escapism to a world that is both reassuringly familiar and completely fantastical."
Working alongside King-Wall to bring this new version of The Nutcracker to life has been a creative team comprising set and costume designer Tracy Grant Lord, lighting designer Jon Buswell and the visual effects team at POW Studios. This is the RNZB’s first production of The Nutcracker in seven years.
"Our distance from the rest of the world is our strength," King-Wall said.
"It gives us a creative distinctiveness that’s reflected in every moment of this ballet."
