Virtuoso dancing, an orchestra performing Tchaikovsky’s score, opulent sets and costumes, a holiday chorus singing carols and characters like the Sugar Plum Fairy are just a few of the offerings when City Ballet, Pacific Beach’s premiere dance company, brings back its award-winning production of the holiday classic ballet “The Nutcracker.” The holiday classic will take the stage for two weekend performances, Dec. 8-10 and Dec.15-17, at the Spreckels Theatre, 121 Broadway.
“We really decided to do ‘The Nutcracker’ when we first moved to San Diego in 1987. We went and looked at the local ‘Nutcracker’ productions and, quite frankly, we were very disappointed,” said Steven Wistrich, ballet director. “We did not think that there was a really professional production in San Diego, so when the time came for us to put a ‘Nutcracker’ together, we had a whole different idea in mind.”
High caliber became the theme of “The Nutcracker” that the City Ballet would put on. City Ballet was fortunate enough to acquire an elaborate set from another company, and that set fits the Spreckels Theatre like it was built for it.
“The costumes we acquired were also very beautiful. We have been doing ‘Nutcracker’ for about 12 years now and over the years we keep adding to and refurbishing our costumes ” unlike other productions in the area, which may have had the same costumes onstage for like 25 or 30 years,” Wistrich said. “We keep changing and evolving, so it is visually stunning.”
The production always gets an excellent response. In fact, in previous years it would only run for one weekend. Last year the company decided to add another weekend, and still the box office is hopping ” particularly on the day of the show.
˜The Nutcracker’ is special because it is a holiday tradition and it is one of those shows that can bring families together,” dancer Ariana Samuelsson said. “Every young girl wants the Sugar Plum Fairy, and so it’s a really magical production; the story is great, and there is a lot going of special effects and interesting things happening.”
Samuelsson, 24, a University City resident, remains a familiar face at City Ballet because she grew up with it as the daughter of Steven Wistrich and his wife ” resident choreographer Elizabeth Wistrich ” both of whom run the company.
Moving beautifully with Samuelsson comes Slovakian-born Ivan Bielik, an elegant dancer who began his training at the age of 8 at the Vienna State Opera, under Michael Birkmayer and Valentin Onoschoko, formerly of the Kirov Ballet. He later joined that company before moving to the United States and joining the Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley and Pittsburgh Ballet as principal dancer.
“Nutcracker” aficionados will be impressed with the music, too, after the company recently took a major step in its development by adding The City Ballet Orchestra, which will play along during the show. Other production highlights include a very festive, holiday mood, a snow scene onstage with the chorus singing and professional child dancers from the City Ballet School.
The City Ballet, located at 941 Garnet Ave., is a fully professional ballet company entering its 13th season and featuring dancers from all over the world. The Wistriches lead the company through an exciting and mixed repertoire from October to the middle of May. The group’s final performance of the season will be a program of works by George Balanchine, the famous Russian ballet genius.
“Not only are our sets and costumes very spectacular, but the caliber of our dancing is highly professional. Our production has been compared to the San Francisco production of ‘Nutcracker,'” Wistrich said. “If people want to see a very polished, award-winning production of ‘The Nutcracker,’ they will be able to see ours and not be disappointed.”
Tickets are $29 for balcony, $39 for mezzanine and $49 for orchestra.
For information call (858) 272-8663.