Season167
January 8, 2019
Pyotr Tchaikovsky
THE NUTCRACKER
Ballet In Two Acts
Marie - Nino Gulordava
The Nutcracker-Prince - Karin Washio
Sugar Plam Fairy - Lali Kandelaki
Prince - Yonen Takano
Drosselmeyer, godfather to Marie and Fritz - Maksym Kamyshev
Staging Choreographer – Alexei Fadeechev
The Doll Dance staging – Gia Marghania
Staiging Designer – Simon (Soliko) Virsaladze
Designer – Yuri Gegeshidze
Assistant to the staging choreographer – Eka Shavliashvili
State Opera House of Georgia Orchestra
Conductor Papuna Ghvaberidze
Director of the Ballet Company
Nina Ananiashvili
*The late-comers will not be allowed in until the first interval.
The Nutcracker was first staged at Tbilisi State Opera in 1900; the premiere of the new version of the performance was in June 28, 1999. Choreographer of this version is famous Russian ballet master Iuri Grigorovich. The performance was dedicated to 90 years anniversary of well-known theatrical designer Solomon Virsaladze. This version was staged in Bolshoi theatre and continues to enjoy great success to this day.
Design belongs to Solomon Virsaladze. Each year his special decorations and colourful costumes cause a lot of joy among the children, when Spanish, Chinese, French, Indian and Russian dolls dance around the Christmas tree and after the battle between the King of The Mice and Nutcracker Prince snowflakes dance a wonderful waltz on a festive ball.
The premiere of the new choreographic version of “The Nutcracker” was held in Tbilisi Art Hall in December 2010. The Staging belongs to Alexei Fadeechev and the dances of the Dolls to Gia Marghania. The decorations and costumes are by Simon Virsaladze.
The premiere was held on december 25, 2010 at the Tbilisi Art Hall
Synopsis
Act 1
Guests are gathering for a Christmas party at the Stahlbaum home. Among them are Drosselmeyer, godfather to Marie and Fritz, the Stahlbaums' children. He has brought them a wonderful present: a funny Nutcracker.
The children wait with impatience for when at long last they will be shown the Christmas tree and the presents. The long awaited moment comes: the handsomely adorned Christmas tree is presented to the assembled company.
Drosselmeyer suddenly appears disguised as a magician.. His unknown ability to make their toys come alive delights the children but, as everything that is clad in mystery, it involuntarily arouses their fear. In order to calm them down, Drosselmeyer takes off his mask and the children now recognize their beloved godfather. Marie wants to play with the wonderful dolls which have come alive, but they have already been tidied away. To comfort Marie, Drosselmeyer gives her the Nutcracker-Doll. Marie takes a great liking to this awkward, funny creature. Marie's brother Fritz, who is a great tease and very naughty, accidentally breaks the doll. With great tenderness, Marie comforts her injured Nutcracker and rocks it backwards and forwards.
Fritz and his friends now tease poor Marie. The guests appear from an adjoining room. After the final, ceremonial Grossvater dance, they all leave.
At night the room where the Christmas tree stands is bathed in moonlight. It looks mysterious and full of magical secrets. Overcoming her fears, Marie has come to the room to visit her ‘sick' Nutcracker-Doll. She kisses the doll and rocks it, then goes to sleep beside it. In her dreams Drosselmeyer appears, but instead of her kind godfather, he has turned into a wizard. At a wave of his hand everything around them is transformed: the walls of the room slide back, the Christmas tree starts to grow, and the dolls come alive and grow together with the tree.
Suddenly, mice creep out from under the floorboards, led by the Mouse King. The dolls are panic-stricken and thrown into confusion. The Nutcracker's quick wits and bravery save the day: lining up the lead soldiers, he boldly leads them out to do battle with the mice forces. However, the forces are unequal, the advantage is on the side of the evil mice. The Nutcracker is left alone to face the Mouse King and his suite. Marie is out of her mind with worry over the danger that threatens her doll. At this very moment, Drosselmeyer hands her a lighted candle and she throws it at the mice who scurry away helter-skelter.
The battle field empties. The only person left here is the Nutcracker who lies without moving on the floor. Marie, together with the dolls, hurries to his rescue.
And now a miracle occurs… Before Marie stands a handsome Nutcracker-Prince. He walks forward to meet her. The walls of the house disappear. Marie is standing under a star-studded sky, by a fairy-tale Christmas tree. Snowflakes go round in a magical dance. Marie and her Nutcracker-Prince, beckon, as if to a beautiful dream, to the twinkling star at the top of the Christmas tree. They climb into a magic boat and set off for the top of the tree. The dolls follow behind them.
Act 2
Marie and Nutcracker-Prince are sailing in their magic boat through the Christmas tree kingdom. There are their friends, the dolls, invited by Drosselmeyer. The shining star is getting closer and closer. They are just about to reach the top of the tree when they are suddenly attacked by the mice and the Mouse King who have crept up behind them. Once again, the Nutcracker-Prince goes boldly into battle. Horribly frightened, Marie and the dolls watch the fight. The Nutcracker-Prince vanquishes the enemy. The evil mice have been defeated. Drosselmeyer appears and presents Marie, the Nutcracker-Prince, the Sugar Plum Fairy and her cavalier, alongside their accompanying characters. Joyous victory celebrations are underway. Marie and the Nutcracker-Prince are radiant with happiness - they have reached the kingdom of their dreams.
But it appears all this was just a dream. Christmas Eve is over and with it all wonderful reveries. Marie, still in the thrall of the fabulous dream, is sitting at home by the Christmas tree, with the Nutcracker-Doll on her lap.