The world-famous ballet The Nutcracker, performed by Ukrainian ballet stars from Etoile Production, will be a magical Christmas gift for the whole family.

Every Christmas, The Nutcracker is performed by ballet companies all over the world. The story is based on E. T. A. Hoffmann’s fairy tale The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.

Experience a wonderful adventure with the young girl Clara, who falls asleep on Christmas Eve. She meets her prince, faces a battle against enormous mice and rats, and is transported to the enchanting Kingdom of Sweets. The story is far more than simply a Christmas fairy tale. It is also a coming-of-age story, beautifully reflected in the choreography. Now is the time to immerse yourself in this magical world, leave behind the worries and stresses of everyday life, rediscover the dreams of childhood, and fill your soul with inspiration, warmth, and new dreams.

This production of Marius Petipa’s classical choreography is presented by Etoile Production, a company founded in Kyiv by soloists from the Kharkiv Opera and Ballet Theatre, Irina and Anatoly Khandazhevsky. The performers include professional ballet dancers of the very highest calibre.

The ballet is accompanied live by a string quartet, giving the performance an intimate and warm Christmas atmosphere. The quartet appears on stage as part of the production and performs during key scenes, creating a close connection between music and dance. In addition, the performance uses a high-quality recording by the Kharkiv Opera Orchestra, combined with the live quartet to support the action on stage.

The Nutcracker is an ideal ballet for children to experience for the first time. If you are attending the ballet with a child, the organisers warmly recommend reading Hoffmann’s The Nutcracker and the Mouse King together beforehand. You may also read the libretto at Kultur for Folket, where you will find descriptions of each ballet scene.

Early Bird offer: Book before 1 September and save 10%!
Suitable for ages 5 and above.
Duration: Approximately 2 hours, including an interval.
Promoter: Kultur for Folket AS
Performed by: Etoile Production

Principal dancers:
Irina Khandazhevskaya, prima ballerina, Honoured Artist of Ukraine, soloist with the Kharkiv Opera and Ballet Theatre, choreographer, and diploma winner at the International Ballet Competition “Premio Roma”. Recipient of the “People’s Recognition 2010” award in the arts category. Awarded the “P. Virsky Prize” in choreography in 2007.
Anatoly Khandazhevsky, soloist with the Kharkiv Opera and Ballet Theatre (Ukraine), choreographer, and second prize winner at an international competition in Tallinn.
Maria Shupilova, soloist with the Kyiv Opera.
Kristina Kadashevich, principal soloist with the Kharkiv Opera and Ballet Theatre, laureate of international ballet competitions.
Katerina Andrenko, soloist with the Odessa National Opera, Hamburg Kammerballett, and Opera Poznań.
Dmitry Lazovik, soloist with the Belarusian State Academic Musical Theatre, laureate of international ballet competitions.
Vsevolod Maievskyi, soloist with the Dutch National Ballet, former soloist with the English National Ballet, and Ukrainian-born former dancer with the Mariinsky Ballet. @vsevolod_maievskyi
Larisa Hrytsay, soloist with the Kharkiv Opera and Ballet Theatre (Ukraine) and soloist with the Odessa National Opera.