100 Dancers Bring Holiday Tradition to Life at Oxnard Performing Arts Center
A live philharmonic orchestra will accompany Ventura County Ballet’s 27th annual production of the beloved holiday classic The Nutcracker. The performances will take place at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center on Saturday, December 6, at 2 pm and Sunday, December 7, at 2 pm.
Kathleen Noblin, founder/executive director of Ventura County Ballet, said, “We’re delighted to welcome global ballet stars Hanna Chudinova and Alexander Saveliev headlining a cast of 100 dancers. We’re also thrilled to again have Dr. Brian Asher Alhadeff leading the 38-piece Opera San Luis Obispo Grand Orchestra. Our audiences last year told us how much they loved having the live music.”
Dr. Alhadeff added, “There’s a wonderful connection between dancers and musicians that draws the audience deeper into the performance. Live music is the standard for leading ballet companies around the world. We’ll also have the CAPE Comets Choir directed by Shannen Hemmel and the Cabrillo Middle School Choir directed by Benjamin Miller in the iconic Snow scene just as Tchaikovsky envisioned.”
Ventura County Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker is the only one in Ventura County area featuring a live orchestra accompanying internationally famous ballet dancers. The cast also includes well-known local dancers and talented pre-professionals from Ventura County Ballet’s official school, Ballet Academy Ventura.
Ukrainian ballet star Hanna Chudinova, who dances the role of Dream Clara, has toured Europe and the US with Kyiv Ballet, St. Petersburg Ballet, Ukrainian Ballet Theater, Russian Grand Ballet and Moscow Ballet with featured roles in La Bayadere, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, The Nutcracker and others. This is Hanna’s fourth season with Ventura County Ballet. She is also on the faculty of Ballet Academy Ventura.
Alexander Saveliev is making his Ventura County Ballet debut as the Nutcracker Prince. A graduate of Russia’s Vaganova Academy, he danced with the renowned Mariinsky Theater and toured as a soloist in leading roles at prestigious events worldwide, including Andrea Bocelli’s concert hall in St. Petersburg. Now living in California, Alexander looks forward to many more performances with Ventura County Ballet.
The Nutcracker is the perfect holiday entertainment for the whole family with glorious music, exquisite hand-painted backdrops and over 300 beautiful costumes. There is something to delight every age from life-size dancing dolls and a growing Christmas tree to tiny whirling snowflakes, brave Clara battling the Rat Queen and a visit to the Land of Sweets where Sugar Cookies, Candy Canes and Gingerbread Soldiers come to life.
Doors open one hour before showtime to a complimentary Sugar Plum Cookie Party for children, a holiday gift boutique and a silent auction. Tickets, from $28 to $65 (fees included), are on sale at venturacountyballet.com. Contact info@venturacountyballet.com for group prices and other information.
