The Nutcracker by The Alberta Ballet
Every parent lives for the moment when their child gasps in absolute wonder and, thanks to The Nutcracker by The Alberta Ballet, I was given that incredible gift over and over as we took in The Nutcracker for the first time.
A quick summary of The Nutcracker story from The Alberta Ballet:
Enter a Kingdom of Sweets, fall in love with a Sugar Plum Fairy, and bravely face an army of mischievous mice. In its authentic Russian setting, this intimate portrayal depicts a deeply romantic world complete with enormous Russian spoons and miniature mice. Introducing children to a world of art and culture, their young imaginations will light up as they relish in the legendary world of young Klara and her Nutcracker Prince. An experience to be cherished, a story to be a part of, we’re proud to share the most spectacular Nutcracker performance with you and your family.
The Nutcracker Rehearsal
We were invited to attend the dress rehearsal and take a few photographs to share with you. Mini, our daughter, and I decided to only watch the first half as we had tickets to attend the opening night performance. We wanted to leave the second half as a surprise and we are SO glad that we did!
A dress rehearsal is when the ballet company stages the entire production in front of an audience for the first time. It’s a chance to work the kinks out and fix any technical issues. I chose to sit beside the folks from the Alberta Ballet who were in charge of stopping the performance when something needed to be addressed. I could hear every word and I found it a most fascinating experience. There were questions about how fast the snow was falling, a stoppage to cue mice into the correctly timed position (the CUTEST mice ever I might add!), and a few minor things here and there. It gave me a whole new appreciation for the performance that I saw in the evening!
Made Foods Pop Up Restaurant
Before the opening night performance Mini and I were delighted to dine at the Made Foods pop up restaurant headed up by Chef Andrea Harling.
Made is a locally born business that is known for its strong connection to Calgary. Made is passionate about sourcing their ingredients from the best local farmers and suppliers and preparing every dish with love. With the added knowledge and experience of Chef Andrea Harling, formally of Brava Bistro, Made works with the best people in the community to make healthy, sustainable, delicious food that Alberta Ballet is proud to share with you.
This dining experience is held before each performance of The Nutcracker during it’s Calgary run. A banquet style setting in a beautifully decorated winter wonderland greeted us. There was traditional roast beef dinner items with a yummy twist, as well as a well-stocked dessert table that distracted all the kids and most of the parents! Not me though, I was firmly settled in front of the Yorkshire puddings. Mini disagrees and proclaims that the chocolate covered almonds and kettle corn were the best things ever. I can agree with that!
One plate is mine, one is Mini's. Guess which! 😂 #NutcrackerMagic pic.twitter.com/GFMQe9GOVT
— crackmacs 🏳️🌈 (@Crackmacs) December 17, 2016
Nutcracker Pop Up Restaurant Tickets
While You Wait…
After the tasty vittles we toured the lobby playing in Klara’s Closet, browsed the boutique by Castle Toys, and got a picture taken at the official photo booth. Mini hates having her picture taken but she smiled and did it for this one, as my Christmas gift. I’ll take it!
Come visit Klara's Closet before the show and during intermission tonight at #NutcrackerMagic! #yyc pic.twitter.com/7DG2uYwLRm
— crackmacs 🏳️🌈 (@Crackmacs) December 17, 2016
On With The Show!
The official performance of The Nutcracker was the most beautiful thing we have ever seen, and we attend A LOT of events. We are SO glad we only saw the first half of the dress rehearsal because the second half is the stuff little girls dream about. The costumes were stunning and the dancing was so breathtaking, as evidenced by the comments and audible gasps from the audience, many from Mini and I.
The Nutcracker Conclusion
We left with dreams of sugar plums in our heads as we clumsily pirouetted our way home. Don’t miss out on this awe-inspiring 50th anniversary run of The Nutcracker by the Alberta Ballet. The show runs December 16 – 24, 2016 at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.
