It's really unique and intriguing.
Do you get Ovation TV on your cable? They ran their "Battle of the Nutcracker" contest all week - a different version every night this past week, Mon-Friday. Now we get to vote this weekend on our favorite, and the winner will be re-broadcast on Christmas Eve.
They showed:
Mon - Mariinsky Theatre's The Nutcracker
With elaborate and colorful sets that will bring the story to life, this darker and more adult retelling is a new twist on the well-known Nutcracker. Mikhail Chemiakin’s surrealist rendition of the classic Nutcracker is performed in the State Academic Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia where The Nutcracker debuted in 1892.
Tues - The Nutcracker: Berlin State Ballet
Patrice Bart's take on the classic Nutcracker tale is overflowing with dramatic twists and turns. In this version, young Marie is abducted by Russian Revolutionaries and forced to live with the cruel Drosselmeyer. Once her beloved Nutcracker comes to life, the hope that she may be reunited with her mother is rekindled. The Berlin State Opera Ballet fills this production with vigor and the most graceful of dance movements. You'll be on the edge of your seat rooting for Marie on her magical journey to find a home where she truly belongs.
Wed - Bolshoi Ballet: The Nutcracker
Tchaikovsky?s ballet The Nutcracker, which was written in 1891, premiered in St. Petersburg in 1892 and first performed at the Bolshoi Theatre Moscow in 1919, shows no sign of losing its hold as the No. 1 Christmas ballet. It is based on the fairytale 'The Nutcracker' and the King of Mice written by E.T.A. Hoffman and tells the story of the young girl Clara, who dreams of a Nutcracker Prince and a fierce battle against a Mouse King with seven heads. The ballet is a fantastic tale presented in the choreography of Yuri Grigorovich. It is filled with beautiful music - the Waltz of the Snow flakes and the pas de deux of Sugar-Plum Fairy and Prince have become immortal - as well as enchanting costumes and a fabulous setting at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.
Thurs - The Royal Opera House
(2009) In this magical production of the beloved Christmas classic, members of the Royal Opera Ballet inhabit their roles with a fluid elegance that brings this lush production to life. Miyako Yoshida is a standout, playing the Sugarplum Fairy with finesse. Sets and costumes are sweeping in scope. Audiences will enjoy the spectacle as they watch Clara find her Prince in this dazzling imagination-land of sights and sounds.
Fri - Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker
A specially televised version of award-winning choreographer Matthew Bourne's interpretation of Tchaikovsky's classic ballet - the Nutcracker. This delicious production is full of pathos and theatrical magic. From a hilariously bleak Christmas Eve at Dr. Dross' Orphanage, to the spectacular candy folk of Sweetieland, Clara's journey passes through Oliver Twist, the Icecapades and the kaleidoscopic fantasy of Busby Berkeley musicals.
Very different productions, some traditional some modern, different and a little quirky. These will be broadcast over this weekend too, and during the week next week if you want to try to catch one or more of them
There are clips of all 5 of them available at the website along with clips from previous years' winners
http://ovationtv.com/events/battleofthenutcrackers/
= new reply since forum marked as read
