Delight the entire family with Symphony Nova Scotia’s The Nutcracker!

Presented by Symphony Nova Scotia with Halifax Dance and Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia
Conducted by Bernhard Gueller and Martin MacDonald
Choreographed and directed by Leica Hardy
Puppetry direction by Jim Morrow
December 4, 5, 11 & 12 at 7:30 pm
December 5, 6, & 12 at 2:00 pm
Music by Pyotr Il’ytch Tchaikovsky

Halifax, NS – Colourful characters. Larger-than-life puppets. Breathtaking live music. A fairy tale ballet. Symphony Nova Scotia presents its 19th-anniversary production of The Nutcracker, a holiday treat for all ages!

Taking place from December 4-12 at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium, this annual production by Symphony Nova Scotia, Halifax Dance, and Mermaid Theatre is unmatched by any other in Nova Scotia. Combining the talents of over 100 musicians, dancers, and production staff, The Nutcracker entertains thousands of Nova Scotians each year.

It’s the story of a young girl who falls asleep in a dormitory and wakes up in a fantasy world with her beloved Nutcracker. Together, they fight a ferocious mouse queen and enter an enchanting Land of Snow, where flowers, dolls, and toys come to life.

“It’s a magical story,” says Melanie Ferro, who plays Clara again this year. “The huge puppets, the dancing, the live music by Tchaikovsky – it’s all very exciting, and it’s the perfect family event for the holidays. It’s the story of fighting your fears and turning them into something positive and hopeful. It gives you the feeling that anything can happen!”

Melanie performs in The Nutcracker with a cast of more than 30 dancers and puppeteers, ranging in age from seven all the way to 50. And while she and her fellow dancers and puppeteers are onstage, the musicians of Symphony Nova Scotia are beneath them in the pit performing Tchaikovsky’s famous Nutcracker Suite. The Suite includes some of the most recognizable classical music ever written, including the Russian Dance, the Waltz of the Flowers and Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

"Our version of The Nutcracker is a very human narrative for all ages,” says Leica Hardy, The Nutcracker’s choreographer and director. “It is a story of loneliness and friendship, fear and courage, distrust and compassion, and the transformation of a lonely child into a courageous, gracious and forgiving young woman."

Get your tickets now! Prices range from $19-37, HST included. Call 494.3820 or 1.800.874.1669, or visit www.SymphonyNovaScotia.ca.