Behind the scenes of 'The Nutcracker'

Behind the scenes of 'The Nutcracker'

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When the curtain rises for "The Nutcracker" at St Petersburg's Mikhailovsky Theatre, it is the culmination of hundreds of hours of toil and sweat by dancers, costume makers, set designers and musicians.

It appeared to have paid off at a recent matinee performance. Children looked on wide-eyed as the evil Mouse King did his worst and the Sugar Plum Fairy wowed the capacity audience with a legendary pas de deux that dancers have performed since the first rendition of the ballet in 1892.

. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

The production - by Spanish choreographer Nacho Duato, with French stage designer Jerome Kaplan assisting with choreography – is put together by an extensive team, from a painter touching up scenery to a violinist practising or a ballet dancer leaping in a workout.

. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

"Nacho Duato has created a real fairy tale and a beautiful ballet," says Leonid Sarafanov, principal dancer at the Mikhailovsky Theatre. "I am always happy to rehearse and perform his choreography."

The production, meanwhile, is a clear demonstration of the global appeal of the Christmas classic.

For it is not just in Russia - where dance appeals to fans young and old from many economic backgrounds - that the ballet continues to draw crowds more than a century after Pyotr Tchaikovsky wrote the score.

. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor
A ballet dancer puts on her shoes at the Mikhailovsky Theatre.

In New York, for example, "The Hip Hop Nutcracker" includes the rapper Kurtis Blow, while a more traditional production by English National Ballet is performed at The Coliseum in London’s West End.

"It's magical, a typical fairy-tale ballet," says Barry Drummond, a dancer with the English National Ballet, who plays roles including the older Freddie. “I could go and watch it again and again."

Drummond, who started to dance aged 11, first saw The Nutcracker - sometimes billed as simply Nutcracker - about five years later.

"It was two hours of being taken somewhere completely different,” he recalls. "That's very special at Christmas."

. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor
Anastasia Soboleva, first soloist, chooses her pointe shoes for practice at Mikhailovsky Theatre.

Wherever The Nutcracker is staged, from Los Angeles to Melbourne via Tokyo, the performance does not just happen. The entire dance troupe at the Mikhailovsky started one day of painstaking preparation with a dance class even before formal rehearsals, which continued beyond 9 p.m.

"It's extremely demanding and requires a huge amount of stamina," says Drummond at the English National Ballet.

. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

At the theatre in St Petersburg, repetiteur Zhanna Ayupova, directed all rehearsals.

“From time to time (she) tried to overcome my strong character and turn me into a delicate and fragile girl,” says Valeria Zapasnikova, soloist at the Mikhailovsky Theatre.

. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

“The role of Masha has become a great pleasure for me,” she says, referring to the affectionate name given in Russia to the character Clara. “This is another milestone in my professional development.”

Among the rewards for all the rehearsals and a long string of performances of The Nutcracker is helping to preserve an age-old ballet tradition, Drummond in London says.

"When you take your call at the end, all the hard work is absolutely worth it."

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Slideshow

A seamstress prepares a costume.
. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

A seamstress prepares a costume.

Ballet soloist Valeria Zapasnikova blows into her pointe shoe to warm it up before a rehearsal.
. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

Ballet soloist Valeria Zapasnikova blows into her pointe shoe to warm it up before a rehearsal.

Anastasia Soboleva, first soloist, stretches during a practice session.
. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

Anastasia Soboleva, first soloist, stretches during a practice session.

Ballet soloist Sergey Strelkov performs during rehearsal.
. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

Ballet soloist Sergey Strelkov performs during rehearsal.

Principal dancer Ivan Zaytsev talks on the phone as he has lunch.
. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

Principal dancer Ivan Zaytsev talks on the phone as he has lunch.

Ballet soloist Tatiana Miltseva adjusts her pointe shoes as she prepares backstage for a performance.
. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

Ballet soloist Tatiana Miltseva adjusts her pointe shoes as she prepares backstage for a performance.

Principal dancer Ivan Zaytsev gets his make-up done.
. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

Principal dancer Ivan Zaytsev gets his make-up done.

Ballet dancers prepare behind the curtain.
. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

Ballet dancers prepare behind the curtain.

People walk up a staircase during an intermission.
. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

People walk up a staircase during an intermission.

The Mikhailovsky Theatre is seen empty.
. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

The Mikhailovsky Theatre is seen empty.

Ballet dancers prepare for a performance.
. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

Ballet dancers prepare for a performance.

A ballet dancer watches from backstage during a rehearsal.
. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

A ballet dancer watches from backstage during a rehearsal.

Ballet dancers perform "The Nutcracker”.
. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

Ballet dancers perform "The Nutcracker”.

Ballet dancers are seen on stage.
. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

Ballet dancers are seen on stage.

Principal dancer Ivan Zaytsev performs.
. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

Principal dancer Ivan Zaytsev performs.

Ballet dancers stand behind the curtain as they prepare for a performance.
. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

Ballet dancers stand behind the curtain as they prepare for a performance.

A general view shows the Mikhailovsky Theatre.
. St. Petersburg, Russia. Reuters/Grigory Dukor

A general view shows the Mikhailovsky Theatre.