The season begins with the return of Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker to the Fox Theatre. The whimsical holiday tale takes 20 pounds of snow, eight tons of scenery, lighting, and props, and a 38-foot-tall Christmas tree to make the magic of Marya’s unbelievable story come to life. More than 200 of Atlanta’s young dancers will join the Atlanta Ballet professional company for this extravagant production live with the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra and the Georgia Youth Choir for all performances. After 55 years, Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker continues to be a treasured holiday tradition shared by multiple generations.
Performance Dates: Friday, December 11 – Sunday, December 28 (20 Performances) Venue: The Fox Theatre – 660 Peachtree Street Northeast Atlanta, 30308 Ticket Information: $20-$120 Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by phone at 855-ATL-TIXX, in person at the Fox Theatre Box Office and the Atlanta Ballet Box Office, or online at www.atlantaballet.com.
About Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker
Atlanta Ballet first brought Nutcracker to the stage in 1959, performing George Balanchine’s version of the timeless tale. In that year, Atlanta Ballet was the only company outside of New York City Ballet allowed to perform this signature piece thanks to Atlanta Ballet’s then Associate Artistic Director Robert Barnett who had danced with Balanchine at New York City Ballet. “We gave it as a gift,” says Barnett, “inviting children from all counties to come in and see the performance. It was a gift from Mr. Balanchine, and he never charged us a cent for doing it.” From that day forward, Nutcracker has been an annual event in Atlanta. In 1995, Atlanta Ballet’s third and current artistic director, John McFall, created a brand new Nutcracker for the city of Atlanta. McFall’s vision was to create a Nutcracker that was “traditional yet new, familiar yet different, classic yet contemporary and above all magical.” Every year since then McFall has added a special touch to the production in an effort to keep it vibrant and fresh.
About Atlanta Ballet
Founded in 1929, Atlanta Ballet is one of the premier dance companies in the country and the official state Ballet of Georgia. Atlanta Ballet’s eclectic repertoire spans ballet history, highlighted by beloved classics and inventive originals. After 85 years, Atlanta Ballet continues its commitment to share and educate audiences on the empowering joy of dance. For more information, visit www.atlantaballet.com, follow us on Twitter @atlantaballet, and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/atlantaballet.