The Great Entertainment Company
Presents

The Nutcracker Ballet
Dubai Madinat Theatre – 2 December – 6 December 2008
Abu Dhabi Emirates Palace – 8 December 2008
 

The Great Entertainment Company is pleased to present the much loved Ballet “The Nutcracker” performed by “The Russian Festival Ballet”.

Cathryn Gaspar , Chief Executive of The Great Entertainment Company said “This is our fourth Winter Ballet in Dubai as we look forward to another festive season. The Nutcracker has become a family seasonal favourite in the UAE. This year, the Ballet will be performed by The Russian Festival Ballet. They have toured extensively over Europe and Asia this summer. We are pleased they have chosen to put Dubai on their itinerary.” Ballet appeals to young and old of all nationalities and cultures. “The Nutcracker” probably has the most memorable story and music that reaches out to everyone during the festive season.

Tickets are available from:

Madinat Theatre Box Office Tel: 04 366 6546
Emirates Palace Lobby Tel: 02 690 9000
www.madinattheatre.com
www.emiratespalace.com
www.thegreatentertainmentcompany.com

The Story of "The Nutcracker"

Tchaikovsky's the Nutcracker is based on the story of The Nutcracker and the King of Mice by ETA Hoffman and revised by Alexandre Dumas.

The story begins on Christmas Eve, in the home of the Stalhbaums, a large and grand house with the most beautiful tree imaginable. The family is hosting its annual party. The children, Clara and Fritz dance and play and welcome guests. The party is festive and Godfather Drosselmeyer arrives. He is a skilled clock and toymaker and he presents two life size dolls as well as gifts for the children, including a beautiful nutcracker for Clara. Overjoyed Clara falls asleep with the nutcracker in her arms.

At the stroke of midnight, the toys come to life and the room fills with mice led by the fierce Mouse King who does battle with the Nutcracker and overpowers him. Clara charges the Mouse King and throwing her slipper at him, he falls to the floor unconscious.

The Nutcracker turns into a prince who takes Clara on a journey to the Land of Snow, then on to the Land of Sweets where they meet the Sugar Plum Fairy who shows them a celebration of dance, including The Spanish Dance, the Arabian Dance, the Russian Dance, the Chinese Dance and the Waltz of Flowers as well as the Sugar Plum Fairy's beautiful Pas de Deux.

The dream ends and Clara awakens under the Christmas tree with her beloved Nutcracker.

The Russian Festival Ballet
Founded in 1989 by Timur Fayziev.

Fayziev, choreographer and dancer, graduated from the Academic School of Choreography, Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow in 1971. He was a soloist with the “Stanislavsky-Nemirovich Dancenko” ballet company of Moscow .
The company includes the most accomplished Russian dancers from the Bolshoi and Stanislavsky companies. They have performed more than 1000 times since 1989 and toured in Japan, China, Taiwan, Italy, Switzerland and Spain .

The company was chosen by Rudolf Nureyev for his last tour in 1991 across England, Norway and Sweden . In August, 2008, during the most recent tour of the Company, the Queen of Spain attended their performances for the third consecutive year.

Since 1993, the Ballet Company tours Japan and organizes Ballet Master Classes with Japanese ballet schools annually. After 11 years of teamwork, the level of the Japanese Ballet schools and professionalism of the children has developed considerably.

The Great Entertainment Company

The Great Entertainment Company, an events production and management company, is based in Dubai Media City, with offices in London and Beirut . It was formed to bring International Cultural and Entertainment events to the Gulf. To date it has been responsible from bringing The Nutcracker, Romeo & Juliet, Swan Lake, the Theatrical presentation of Queen – It's a Kind of Magic, the first fully fledged opera, Madame Butterfly, The Royal Ballet School. More great shows will soon be announced for the UAE at The Palladium.

For further information, please contact:

Cathryn Gaspar
CEO, The Great Entertainment Company
Dubai Media City

Tel: 04 360 2847
Email: cgaspar@thegreatentertainmentcompany.com