The Charleston Ballet and the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra (WVSO) will present Tchaikovsky’s holiday favorite, “The Nutcracker” on Friday, Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The performances will feature more than 75 local dancers and guest artists from The Charleston Ballet (Kim Pauley, Artistic Director & Choreographer) accompanied by the WVSO under the direction of guest conductor Bob Turizziani. The three performances will take place at the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia. This high quality local production is the only one in the area with a full live orchestra, and has been a Charleston tradition for 16 years. The Nutcracker features a number of distinguished guest artists. Olivier Wecxsteen, now based with the English National Ballet School in London and a former principal dancer with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens and Boston Ballet, will dance the role of Drosselmeyer. Principal dancers with Radenko Pavlovich’s Columbia Classical Ballet will perform the Cavalier and Sugar Plum Fairy. Additional guest dancers include more than a dozen artists from Columbia Classical Ballet in South Carolina. Local artist Ted Brightwell will appear as Mother Ginger, Rhiannon Turley will be dancing the role of Clara, and students from the American Academy Ballet will join artists of the Charleston Ballet to complete a wonderful cast. Tickets start at $24 for adults and $12 for students and children under 12 and are available through the Clay Center Box Office, 304-561-3570. Tickets may also be ordered online at www.wvsymphony.org.
