A Premiere of 'The Nutcracker' by Tchaikovsky.

As the Christmas holidays approach, Opera Plovdiv will delight the audience with the premiere of "The Nutcracker" by Tchaikovsky. This classic ballet title will be presented on the Plovdiv stage for the first time in its entirety, with two acts, an orchestra, and a choir. The choreography of the performance is by Boryana Sechanova, and the conductor is Maestro Dian Tchobanov. The enchanting world from Hoffman's story is brought to life by set designer Salvatore Liistro and costume designer Yana Dvoretska. The premiere is scheduled for October 21st at 6:00 PM.

For Boryana Sechanova, this is her fourth staging of "The Nutcracker," but the first time presenting the complete version with an orchestra. Her choreography combines classical ballet and neoclassical elements in the dances of the mechanical toys, reflecting the blending of styles in the story itself. Sechanova emphasizes the philosophy of the story, inspired by children's imagination, highlighting the idea that children need more attention from their parents than mechanical toys as gifts. In her interpretation, the characters in the fairy tale are not simply good or bad, black or white. They are all colorful in children's dreams, each possessing diverse qualities, such as the ugly Nutcracker, who transforms into a handsome prince. She mentions that all the participants are very young, making it an excellent show for young dancers.

Maestro Dian Tchobanov has had a long-standing dream of presenting "The Nutcracker" with a full orchestra at Opera Plovdiv. He has conducted this title over 500 times in various European theaters, where it is a tradition for families to attend the ballet during Christmas. He notes that Tchaikovsky's music is melodic and light, but it presents a challenge to the orchestra due to its length and complexity, comparable to performing two and a half symphonies by the composer. The concertmaster is Wieslaw Novak.

Italian set designer Salvatore Liistro creates a true Christmas fairy tale with glowing showcases and a festive Christmas tree, leaving the ballet stage open for choreography. Yana Dvoretska's costumes provide a carnival-like feeling while being technologically adapted to the dancers' movements. They combine imaginative elements with a contemporary touch and a great attention to detail.

In the premiere evenings, the role of Marie will be performed by Arisa Mamba from Japan, while the Nutcracker Prince will be played by Lorenzo Carriero from Italy. Other roles will be portrayed by Dian Raichev, Amedeo Giunta, Alexandra Savova, Antonio Rosas, Elena Kuchkova, Apolin Lajoa, Zlatomir Kolev, Maya Beppu, Soichiro Katano, and more. The troupe is led by Mariana Krunchieva, and the rehearsal director is Petya Dimova.

The ballet "The Nutcracker" has a duration of two hours with an intermission and is suitable for the whole family. Tickets for the premiere dates are sold out. The next performances are scheduled for November 17th, December 2nd, and December 23rd. Tickets can be purchased at the Opera's box office, the Eventim network, online at eventim.bg, and grabo.bg.