ON STAGE
What: The Nutcracker
Where: Royal Theatre
When: Nov. 30 through Dec. 2
Tickets: $49-$111 through the Royal McPherson box office, by phone at 250-386-6121, or online at
Andr茅 Lewis and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet鈥檚 relationship with Victoria goes back to 1979, through travelling productions such as Dracula, Peter Pan, Moulin Rouge and The Magic Flute.
鈥淰ictoria and Vancouver are two homes away from home where we always feel super welcome,鈥� said Lewis, the ballet鈥檚 CEO.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a connection, because I think half of Winnipeg has moved to Vancouver or Victoria. It鈥檚 not that other cities are not welcoming, but I meet many people in Victoria who have a connection with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.鈥�
The past two decades have brought the company to town for its own version of The Nutcracker, an updated holiday staple that has become one of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet鈥檚 most popular productions.
鈥淚t was a major undertaking 19 years ago when we first presented it,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淭he version we have is significantly different from the one we had done previously. This has Canadian roots, as it is set in Winnipeg at the turn of the last century. It makes a connection to who we are as Canadians, but it very much respects what [the 1892 original] did.鈥�
The version in Victoria, a collaboration of Dance Victoria, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and the Victoria Symphony, is based on choreography by Galina Yordanova and Nina Menon that Lewis commissioned.
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet had performed choreographer John Neumeier鈥檚 popular 鈥� albeit non-Christmas-themed 鈥� version of The Nutcracker for years, before making the switch to a Canadianized production that still employs Tchaikovsky鈥檚 iconic music.
Explaining why the company abandoned Neumeier鈥檚 version, Lewis said, with a laugh: 鈥淭here was no growing Christmas tree.鈥�
鈥淓veryone expects a growing Christmas tree in The Nutcracker. They expect a certain tradition to be respected.鈥�
Lewis wanted the Royal Winnipeg Ballet鈥檚 new Nutcracker to focus on family. The native of Gatineau, Que., who began his career with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet as a dancer nearly 40 years ago, was involved with various versions of The Nutcracker during his time on stage, but he likes this version better than the others.
Lewis said it brings to mind holiday-season memories from his own upbringing, as it will for many in the audience.
Considered radical at first, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet production is now regarded as the top Nutcracker in sa国际传媒, especially with outdoor hockey playing a prominent role and 12 polar bears and four Mounties making appearances.
鈥淲hen I first conceived of a new Nutcracker, I wanted to have some polar bears, in part because a polar bear in Winnipeg has some significance. I thought it would represent Manitoba well.鈥�
The revised story also gives dance students in each city an opportunity to be on stage, something that was not possible during stagings of Neumeier鈥檚 version.
Lewis said the group travelling to Victoria from Winnipeg includes 36 dancers and 14 crew, coupled with what鈥檚 known as 鈥渢he Nutcracker Ensemble鈥� 鈥� 76 students from 15 local dance studios under the guidance of the Pacific Dance Centre鈥檚 Leah Wickes.
The performances through Sunday at the Royal Theatre also include 45 Victoria Symphony members under the baton of guest conductor Earl Stafford, bringing the total number of moving parts to about 180 contributors on stage and off.
鈥淵ou want to connect with people,鈥� Lewis said.
鈥淥ur mission is to enrich the human experience by teaching, creating and performing outstanding dance. The Nutcracker is one of those dances that enriches the human experience, because people leave there having had a thoroughly good time.鈥�
Lewis said every effort goes into making The Nutcracker a holiday tale, which means an abundance of white stuff 鈥� however unfamiliar that might be to local audiences.
鈥淲e bring a little bit of snow, but in a controlled manner,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淎nd you don鈥檛 have to suffer the consequences after.鈥�
