“The Nutcracker”: A holiday tradition
The Oklahoma City Ballet will present The Nutcracker at the Civic Center Music Hall this December with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. Guest Conductor will be Douglas Droste.
Tchaikovsky’s familiar score and Artistic Director Robert Mills’ delightful staging of The Nutcracker will fill your heart with the spirit of the season. Holidays are a time to create special memories with family and friends, and The Nutcracker is one of Oklahoma City’s favorite holiday traditions and is the perfect first ballet for children or adults.
This classic tale tells the story of Clara, who receives a beautiful handmade wooden Nutcracker from the quirky Herr Drosselmeyer at a Christmas Eve party. That night, Clara tiptoes downstairs to play with her new Nutcracker and is swept away to a fantasyland of toy soldiers, giant mice and dancing snowflakes.
After saving her beloved Nutcracker from the evil Mouse King, she is whisked away to the enchanted Kingdom of Sweets and Toys, where she is treated to performances by fanciful dancing confections and toys, including the Sugar Plum Fairy.
Conductor Droste is a dedicated advocate of music education, and regularly conducts youth orchestras and is active as a clinician and adjudicator throughout the country. He has conducted the all-state orchestras of Missouri, Minnesota, Louisiana, Alaska, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute. He is a Yamaha Artist and Master Educator.
A talented violinist, Droste is Artistic Director of the Muncie Symphony Orchestra, Director of Orchestras at Ball State University, and Conductor of the Music For All Summer Symposium Youth Orchestra. His guest conducting appearances include the INSO-Lviv Symphony (Ukraine), and the orchestras of Kansas City, Indianapolis, Columbus, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Midland-Odessa, Fox Valley (IL), Chappaqua (NY), and Amarillo Virtuosi.
The Nutcracker performances will be Fri, Dec. 14 at 7 p.m., Sat, Dec. 15 at 2 & 7 p.m., Sun, Dec. 16 at 2 p.m., Fri, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m., Sat, Dec. 22 at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sun, Dec. 23 at 2 p.m.
For tickets, call OKC Ballet at (405) 848-TOES (8637) or visit www.okcballet.org.
Copyright The Gayly – December 6, 2018 @ 12:15 p.m. CST