The Nutcracker and I is a groundbreaking multimedia performance for piano, ballerina and projected digital animation. The technical demands of this performance mean that we have to move for this promotion to ‘The Grand’, which is a state-of-the-art music venue.
Virtuosic Romanian pianist Alexandra Dariescu played for us in March 2015; at that time she was ranked as “one of 30 pianists under 30 destined for a spectacular career”. Her rocketing international progress since has confirmed this prediction. Ballerina Désirée Ballantyne trained at the Royal Ballet and became a soloist with the English National Ballet. Search engines will bring up links to both of them.
Tchaikovsky’s enchanting ballet music features throughout and includes favourites such as Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Arabian Dance, Chinese Dance, Pax de Deux, and the Flower Waltz, in 15 virtuosic arrangements. Alexandra has arranged the music from suites written by composers Mikhail Pletnev, Stepan Esipoff, Percy Grainger and three brand new adaptations by Gavin Sutherland. The story is told by the ballerina and the dancing images are projected onto a gauze screen. See here
The world premiere was on 19 December 2017 at London’s Barbican Centre before moving to Moscow. Other international venues are planned, including several in China. It says a lot for Clitheroe Concert Society’s rapport with professional artists that Alexandra has agreed to bring her amazing production to Clitheroe. We believe also that this is the first performance here by a top-ranking professional ballet dancer.
After the performance the bar will be open for refreshments and pianist, ballerina and technical director have all agreed to talk to the audience.