The Nutcracker: Overseas stars to join Cork City Ballet for production of family favourite
Katerina Petrova and Tsetso Ivanov from National Ballet Sofia, Bulgaria, in The Nutcracker.
After a Covid-19-related hiatus and the many challenges that came with it, Cork City Ballet is back “making magic happen” on the Cork Opera House stage with the return of a classic. Directed by Alan Foley with choreography by Yury Demakov, The Nutcracker will run at the Cork Opera House in November for four performances.
The production will feature Katerina Petrova, prima ballerina with the National Ballet Sofia in Bulgaria as the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Tsetso Ivanov as her Prince, along with principals, soloists, and a full corps de ballet.
“I always use the word magical when it comes to Nutcracker because that’s exactly what it is. And also… it’s a magnificent introduction for children to classical ballet and classical music,” explains Alan Foley who also promises the all-important snow scene will leave the audience — particularly its younger members — “in awe and wonderment”.
Cork has a long tradition of ballet and this year, Cork City Ballet is celebrating 30 years in operation, having held its first set of performances in 1992. But, according to Foley, every person involved in the ballet company can trace their lineage back to Joan Denise Moriarty — a name synonymous with ballet in Ireland.
While the longest-running professional ballet, Cork City Ballet has not received funding from the Arts Council since 2011, and Foley says the company relies on funding from Cork City Council and Benchmark International, which is one of their sponsors — as well as other local businesses and companies.
“The Cork Opera House is wonderful and has been a great ally. A very staunch ally of Cork City Ballet for many years,” says Foley, also founder and artistic director of Cork City Ballet. “And of course, the other and most important thing are the public because if the public don’t come to see us, then we can’t operate.”
So, with Covid and its immense impact on the arts, how did they keep it all going? “We didn’t. We just had to stop. Everything shut down, every class, every performance. It just died a death and like everything else, you just had to get on with it.”
However with their first production since 2019’s Swan Lake just around the corner, the excitement is rising and preparations are in full swing with a cast of 50, including 22 children, set to perform The Nutcracker.
“I’m looking forward to it. I know in particular The Nutcracker is such a family favourite, particularly for the kids and it's lovely to see the kids enjoying themselves and seeing magic happen on stage. And that for me — when I see that, it’s all worth it. All of the struggles and the challenges, they go by the wayside,” says Foley.
When watching the seemingly effortless elegance on stage, it's hard to imagine the preparation behind the scenes. A lot is involved in making it all happen and while the professional dancers have danced this ballet and many others before, there are still a lot of logistics to work out before the show begins — like finding them accommodation.
“It’s still very hard work putting it all together and there’s so many logistics, not least finding the dancers accommodation which is also my job because you have dancers coming into the country for two, three, four weeks. To find accommodation for that period of time is just crazy.”
Thankfully, the ballerinas have found a home, and the audience can look forward to a spectacular performance. With plenty of drama and excitement wrapped into the beauty that is classical ballet, there really is, as Foley puts it, “something in it for everyone”.
“It’s been really, I would say, challenging, to sort of step back into the role of putting it all together but it's lovely to be back as well and making magic happen at the Cork Opera House.”
- The Nutcracker will run at Cork Opera House on November 3, 4 and 5, for four performances only — including a matinee at 2.30pm on Saturday 5
