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Balanchine "Nutcracker"


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Their email subscription campaign includes a poem -- no credit for the writer.

At PNB, we’ve been on a mission,
to bring you a fine new Nutcracker tradition.
It’s the same wonderful story,
brought to new glory—
With a few fresh spins,
To dazzle you and your kin.

Look for sweet little Clara and Herr Drosselmeier,
And a magical tree that grows high, high and higher.
There’s a vast white forest and a mighty snowstorm,
That shimmers and swirls (while you’re staying warm).

The Sugar Plum Fairy rules a lush Land of Sweets,
Where a tall Mother Ginger is a comical treat.
Tchaikovsky’s great score still sets every scene,
Of our brilliant new Nutcracker by George Balanchine.

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There are more costumes, headpieces, and drawings in the McCaw Hall lobby. The Flowers costume has a rosy saturated pink bodice and from the waist there are three tiers of petals with the color grading to orange. The longish tulle is a light orange with white dots. The headpiece is a in smallish triangular pattern. Ian Falconer's drawing was of a floppy tutu, but the actual costume looks like a Romantic dress, maybe a little shorter. We're not sure if the two lead flowers' costumes will be differentiated. The snow costumes are the same length, in a lovely ice blue. There are soft shard layers over the skirt with several inches of white "crystals" on each layer and taller crowns for headpieces.

The homage to the Sendak designs is that the Arabian will be dressed as a peacock, with a gorgeous blue and green jeweled peacock head that is on display. The drawings showed that she will have a peacock-like "tail" skirt.

There were two small crows that we think might be for Marie and the Nephew/Prince, a stunning green crown -- maybe the Sugar Plum Fairy's? -- and a couple more lovely crowns. I hope they can add more as they become available.

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(from Links) MJ McDermott (weather reporter on channel 13) got a look at the new sets in process -- I think that's a bust of Balanchine on the right side of the door, and Tschaikovsky on the left. I'm not sure if Falconer added the references as a nod to Sendak and his Nut designs, or to the NYCB tradition of including visual footnotes in sets and costumes. (Likely it's both) Am I missing any other connections?

Not sure where the dog fits in, though.

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I wondered about the other busts. Is Petipa there as well? ETA Hoffmann?

The bells in "Coppelia" honored Balanchine, Delibes, and the production donor-sponsors in Seattle and San Francisco that made the co-production possible. I believe the mirror also had Alexandra Danilova's initials on the back, in her honor.

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I wondered about the other busts. Is Petipa there as well? ETA Hoffmann?

The bells in "Coppelia" honored Balanchine, Delibes, and the production donor-sponsors in Seattle and San Francisco that made the co-production possible. I believe the mirror also had Alexandra Danilova's initials on the back, in her honor.

You're right about the bells and the mirror -- I think both of those ideas were copied from the NYCB production as well.

I can't tell about the other busts, but between those and the multitude of silhouette images on the scrim, there's plenty of room for that kind of puzzle!

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(from Links) MJ McDermott (weather reporter on channel 13) got a look at the new sets in process -- I think that's a bust of Balanchine on the right side of the door, and Tschaikovsky on the left.

I just watched the video without having read this and wondered if I saw not just Balanchine but also Kirstein (at the 42 second point, and later as the middle bust). Now I see Tchaikovsky too. I hope I'm right about Kirstein, but in any case I love the concept!

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There are more costumes, headpieces, and drawings in the McCaw Hall lobby. The Flowers costume has a rosy saturated pink bodice and from the waist there are three tiers of petals with the color grading to orange. The longish tulle is a light orange with white dots. The headpiece is a in smallish triangular pattern. Ian Falconer's drawing was of a floppy tutu, but the actual costume looks like a Romantic dress, maybe a little shorter. We're not sure if the two lead flowers' costumes will be differentiated. The snow costumes are the same length, in a lovely ice blue. There are soft shard layers over the skirt with several inches of white "crystals" on each layer and taller crowns for headpieces.

The homage to the Sendak designs is that the Arabian will be dressed as a peacock, with a gorgeous blue and green jeweled peacock head that is on display. The drawings showed that she will have a peacock-like "tail" skirt.

There were two small crows that we think might be for Marie and the Nephew/Prince, a stunning green crown -- maybe the Sugar Plum Fairy's? -- and a couple more lovely crowns. I hope they can add more as they become available.

Helene, your descriptions of the costumes are making me jealous!!

(from Links) MJ McDermott (weather reporter on channel 13) got a look at the new sets in process -- I think that's a bust of Balanchine on the right side of the door, and Tschaikovsky on the left. I'm not sure if Falconer added the references as a nod to Sendak and his Nut designs, or to the NYCB tradition of including visual footnotes in sets and costumes. (Likely it's both) Am I missing any other connections?

Not sure where the dog fits in, though.

I love that they included the busts of our beloved artists! I'm sure this will be a wonderful production and all of you in Seattle and the West Coast who will see the debut of this production, enjoy!

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Do you know who will be staging this for them? So many of these dancers know Balanchine's Nutcracker. Leta Biasucci did all the major roles (Sugar Plum, Marzipan Lead, Dew Drop) when she was at CPYB. Not sure which roles she did while she was in Oregon. Really excited for the company to be doing Balanchine's version!

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Do you know who will be staging this for them?

Presumably Peter Boal himself, since he was in it for so many years. Here's what he told the NY Times when he went back to NYCB to dance Drosselmeier this past December:

“It’s been almost 40 years (39 actually) since my little 10-year-old foot first stepped on the stage of the New York State Theater as a party guest,” Mr. Boal wrote in an email. “I went on to be a mouse and the boy under the bed and Balanchine himself coached me in the role of the Prince. Drosselmeier became my tenth role in the production when I performed it during my final year with the company.”
Mr. Boal added that he had asked Mr. Martins if he could return to perform the role, partly “as research” since Pacific Northwest Ballet will acquire the Balanchine “Nutcracker,” with new sets and costumes by Ian Falconer, next year.
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We haven't yet heard, but Peter Boal said that they were starting early this year in August for the new "Nutcracker." He was also watching rehearsals and performed Drosselmeier at NYCB during a trip East last year, but I don't remember if his staff or any of the dancers were with him.

There are a lot of dancers in the company who danced in "Nutcracker" during their SAB and/or NYCB years. The Orzas. William Lin-Yee, and Matthew Renko would likely have done a number of roles. Ballet Master Otto Neubert danced in it at NYCB: I saw him as the Cavalier partnering Stephanie Saland, in 1987. I don't know if he did any other roles, including character roles.

Other dancers who might have danced some roles in the Balanchine "Nutcracker" in other schools/companies:

  • Miami City Ballet: Jerome Tisserand
  • Oregon Ballet Theatre: Leta Biasucci, Henry Cotton
  • Central Pennsylvania Ballet alumnae Carrie Imler, Carli Samuelson, Noelani Pantastico, and Biasucci

I could imagine Boal doing a lot of coaching, but I can't imagine him staging the whole thing, given the number of chirldren and corps roles. It's been a while. In all the years I saw the NYCB "Nutcracker," while I'm sure I saw him among the kids and adult corps, in featured roles, I only saw him dance Tea, twice. Looking through cast lists, though, I find that I saw PNB dancer Ryan Cardea's Nephew in 2001.

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I am sure there will be someone in addition to Boal. Funny thing about many of those parts, I do not believe they would have to ransack their memories. I know the dancers from CPYB and SAB learn those roles by watching early on. Carli Samuelson also did Sugar Plum and Dew Drop. Noelani actually danced Sugar Plum with the late Albert Evans while she was at CPYB. CPYB would often bring in a dancer from NYCB to dance the Cavalier role. There is a picture of them together at the infamous Barn.

http://blog.cpyb.org/nutcracker-memories/

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Couched in a "Buy tickets" and "Donate" email today were these tidbits about "Nutcracker":

Fall weather reigns outside, but inside PNB it’s all The Nutcracker all the time. Dancers learned the new production in record time (seven days!) from Nutcracker stager Judith Fugate and Artistic Director Peter Boal. Judith is enjoying a full-circle Nutcracker moment—she was Peter Boal’s mother in the Party Scene, Sugarplum to his Cavalier, and now they’re together again staging The Nutcracker for PNB’s new production. Artist-in-Residence Ian Falconer is a frequent visitor to our studios and costume and scene shops, working with our artists on every last detail of the production

Fugate and Boal were among the few SAB -> NYCB -> Principal Dancers who started in the "regular" track at SAB and trained there from the time they were children, and they would have performed (or at least observed) more children's roles than those who came as Professional Division students. There was an iconic photo of her as a child being taught by Balanchine, but I can't find it online.

I remember from Christopher d'Amboise's memoir: "One year the Nephew/Prince, the next year the bed boy."

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PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET PRESENTS


George Balanchine's "The Nutcracker"™

  • Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

  • Choreography: George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust

  • Scenic and Costume Design: Ian Falconer

  • Lighting Design: James F. Ingall


November 27 – December 28, 2015

Marion Oliver McCaw Hall

321 Mercer Street, Seattle Center

Seattle, WA 98109


SEATTLE, WA – A new/old holiday tradition comes to Seattle! Pacific Northwest Ballet is excited to premiere the centerpiece of its 2015/2016 season, a sparkling new production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ featuring eye-popping colorful sets and costumes designed by author/illustrator Ian Falconer (Olivia the Pig). PNB’s new production still features Tchaikovsky’s timeless score performed live by the mighty PNB Orchestra, and the beloved story of Clara, her Nutcracker prince, and a magical journey to delight audiences both young and old. “As a ten-year-old boy, I stepped onto the stage for the first time as a member of the cast of George Balanchine’s Nutcracker,” said PNB Artistic Director Peter Boal. “The magic of this production was evident from that moment on, and now to have the opportunity to bring it to Seattle audiences wrapped in the brilliance of Ian Falconer’s designs is a dream come true.”


PNB’s new production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ premieres at Seattle Center’s McCaw Hall for 37 performances November 27 through December 28, 2015. Tickets may be purchased through the PNB Box Office at 206.441.2424, online at PNB.org, or in person at 301 Mercer St. No other ticket outlets are authorized to sell tickets for PNB’s production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™.


With his work on George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™, designer Ian Falconer becomes PNB’s second Artist-in-Residence (following Twyla Tharp). Mr. Falconer will be spending approximately 12 weeks in Seattle over the course of the year, working with PNB costumers, scenic artists, dancers and stagers, to bring this new production to life. At the end of the 2015/2016 season, the PNB School will present two performances of Christopher Wheeldon’s Scènes de Ballet, featuring scenic design by Mr. Falconer. “Ian’s blend of wit, wonder and ingenuity fills the stage and delights the viewer,” said Mr. Boal. “How lucky we are to have him as PNB’s second Artist-in-Residence.”


In anticipation of its premiere, PNB is presenting a series of three special events over the next three months, to introduce audiences to the production. Curated by Audience Education Manager Doug Fullington, Exploring George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ will give audiences a sneak-peek before the curtain goes up in November. See SPECIAL EVENTS (below) for more information.



2015 NUTCRACKER PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE


  • Friday Nov. 27 7:30pm

  • Saturday Nov. 28 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm

  • Sunday Nov. 29 1:00 pm & 5:30 pm

  • Friday Dec. 4 7:30 pm

  • Saturday Dec. 5 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm

  • Sunday Dec. 6 1:00 pm & 5:30 pm

  • Thursday Dec. 10 7:30pm

  • Friday Dec. 11 7:30pm

  • Saturday Dec. 12 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm

  • Sunday Dec. 13 1:00 pm & 5:30 pm

  • Wednesday Dec. 16 7:30 pm

  • Thursday Dec. 17 7:30 pm

  • Friday Dec. 18 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm

  • Saturday Dec. 19 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm

  • Sunday Dec. 20 1:00 pm & 5:30 pm

  • Monday Dec. 21 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm

  • Tuesday Dec. 22 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm

  • Wednesday Dec. 23 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm

  • Thursday Dec. 24 2:00 pm

  • Saturday Dec. 26 1:00 pm & 5:30 pm

  • Sunday Dec. 27 1:00 pm & 5:30 pm

  • Monday Dec. 28 1:00 pm & 5:30 pm



TICKET INFORMATION


Ticket range: $25 - $156 ($22 - $141 for children 12 and under. All ages require a ticket for admission, including babes in arms.) Tickets may be purchased through the PNB Box Office:


  • Online 24/7 at pnb.org

  • Phone: 206.441.2424 (Mon.-Fri. 9am–6pm; Sat. 10am–5pm)

  • In Person: 301 Mercer Street, Seattle (Mon.-Fri. 10am–6pm; Sat. 10am–5pm)

Tickets are also available – subject to availability – 90 minutes prior to each performance at McCaw Hall, located at 321 Mercer Street. NOTE: No other ticket outlets are authorized to sell tickets for PNB’s production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™.


Bring a Group to the Show and Save!


From a familial flock of 15 to a throng of 3,000 of your closest comrades, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ is the perfect way to celebrate the holiday season! Bring a group of family, friends, co-workers, or clients and receive 10-15% off PNB’s regular prices, depending on date, time, and section. In addition to outstanding savings, groups receive personal ticketing assistance, the opportunity to book a backstage tour, save on group menu packages, receive priority seating, and have access to McCaw Hall reception facilities that may be rented for private parties. For more information or to purchase group tickets, please use PNB’s online group form at PNB.org/Season/GroupTickets or contact Group Sales Manager Julie Jamieson at 206.441.2416 or JulieJ@PNB.org.


Please note that all discounts are taken off the standard ticket price only, and may not be combined with other offers. Please check back as additional details become available.
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SPECIAL EVENTS


Exploring George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ (Three-part series)


Get an inside look at PNB’s new production before the curtain goes up! PNB’s three-part series will introduce audiences to the magical production that made The Nutcracker America’s favorite holiday tradition. All events are 90 minutes. Tickets ($40 per session or $100 for the series) are available through the PNB Box Office, 206.441.2424 or online at PNB.org.



Introducing George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™

Tuesday, September 15, 7:00 pm


Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall



Learn all about George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ during this panel discussion with Artistic Director Peter Boal, stager Judith Fugate, and designer Ian Falconer as they share their lifelong experiences with this treasured staging and reveal secrets about PNB’s new production.



Learning The Nutcracker

Tuesday, October 13, 6:00 pm


The Phelps Center, 301 Mercer Street



Join in the fun and learn how to be royal alongside PNB Company dancer Ryan Cardea and PNB School students as Peter Boal teaches you the famous Little Prince pantomime from the second act of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™.



Dancing The Nutcracker

Tuesday, November 17, 5:30 pm


Watch PNB Company dancers rehearsing excerpts from The Nutcracker while learning about the close ties Balanchine’s production shares with the 1892 St. Petersburg original. With Carrie Imler, James Moore, Noelani Pantastico, Kyle Davis, and Angelica Generosa.



Listen to the Ballet


PNB partners with 98.1 Classical KING FM to bring listeners some of history’s most popular ballet scores, featuring the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra direct from McCaw Hall. Tune in for a live broadcast of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ on Saturday, December 5 at 7:30 pm. Only on KING FM, 98.1 fm or online at king.org/listen.



Nutcracker Suites at McCaw


Skip the lines and bustle of the lobby at intermission! Treat you and yours to an enchanted intermission experience in the SAVOR…McCaw Hall Nutcracker Suite. The Nutcracker Suite takes the stress out of intermission and adds to the memorable wonder of your day at the ballet. There’s a range of activities awaiting you: a self-service candy station, hot cider and cocoa with marshmallows and toppings, swords and crowns for snap-your-own pictures, a light appetizer buffet by Executive Chef Shawn Applin, and coffee, Prosecco, wine and beer for adults. Nutcracker Suites are $30 per person (includes applicable tax and service charge); performance tickets sold separately. To purchase, visit “Reservations” at savorsmgmccawhall.com or call 866.973.9610.



Nutcracker Tea

Saturday, December 5 following the 2pm matinee performance


Don’t miss the opportunity to be a part of the holiday magic: You and your little ones will join friends from the Land of the Sweets in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ for an exclusive reception after the show. Enjoy a buffet of kid-friendly snacks and sweets, while collecting autographs from the Sugarplum Fairy, Arabian Coffee, Spanish Hot Chocolate and all your favorite characters, on your very own keepsake poster. Tickets ($45/child and $65/adult) are available through the PNB Box Office, 206.441.2424 or PNB.org.



# # #



Principal sponsorship support for the 2015 PNB premiere of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ is made possible through the generosity of Dan & Pam Baty, title sponsor Alaska Airlines, and major sponsors Snoqualmie Indian Tribe, Swedish Pediatrics, Patty Edwards, Peter & Peggy Horvitz and Carl & Renee Behnke. Chaplin Motors/Subaru is the official sleigh sponsor. Pacific Northwest Ballet’s 2015-2016 season is proudly sponsored by ArtsFund and Microsoft. Season support also provided by 4Culture, National Endowment for the Arts, and Seattle Office of Arts & Culture. PNB media sponsorship provided by The Seattle Times and KOMO 4.

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A new press release with more info:

SEATTLE, WA – A new holiday tradition comes to Seattle! Pacific Northwest Ballet is excited to premiere the centerpiece of its 2015/2016 season, a sparkling new production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ featuring eye-popping colorful sets and costumes designed by author/illustrator Ian Falconer (Olivia the Pig). PNB’s new production features Tchaikovsky’s timeless score performed live by the mighty PNB Orchestra, and the beloved story of Clara, her Nutcracker prince, and a magical journey to delight audiences both young and old.
PNB’s new production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ premieres at Seattle Center’s McCaw Hall for 36 performances November 27 through December 28, 2015. Tickets may be purchased through the PNB Box Office at 206.441.2424, online at PNB.org, or in person at 301 Mercer St. (Don’t get duped this holiday season: Be mindful of unauthorized third-party online ticket resellers when ordering tickets for PNB’s production of The Nutcracker.)
“George Balanchine’s timeless production of The Nutcracker was my introduction to the wonders of ballet when I was just five years old,” said PNB Artistic Director Peter Boal. “I remember it like it was only yesterday; the mighty mouse king, the towering tree, and the delicious Land of Sweets. The magic of this ballet was evident from that moment. As a ten-year-old boy, I stepped onto the stage for the first time as a member of the cast. To be able to present this new production is a true honor and a dream come true. Watching our talented dancers perform Balanchine's singular, enchanting choreography, seeing the exquisite craftsmanship of PNB’s artists in Ian Falconer's whimsical designs, and hearing Tchaikovsky's magnificent score in the hands of our incomparable PNB Orchestra is a triumph for all of us. I am so proud of PNB’s splendid new holiday tradition.”
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, George Balanchine (choreography) is regarded as the foremost contemporary ballet choreographer in the world. He came to the United States in 1933 at the invitation of American arts patron Lincoln Kirstein (1907-96). The School of American Ballet was founded in 1934, the first product of the Balanchine-Kirstein collaboration, and several ballet companies directed by the two were created and dissolved in the years that followed. On October 11, 1948, New York City Ballet was born, and Mr. Balanchine served as its ballet master and principal choreographer until his death. His more than 400 dance works include Serenade (1934), Concerto Barocco (1941), Le Palais de Cristal, later renamed Symphony in C (1947), The Nutcracker (1954), Agon (1957), Symphony in Three Movements (1972), Stravinsky Violin Concerto (1972), and Vienna Waltzes (1977). He also choreographed for films, operas, revues, and musicals. Among his best-known dances for the stage is Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, originally created for Broadway’s On Your Toes (1936). A major artistic figure of the twentieth century, Mr. Balanchine revolutionized the look of classical ballet. He quickened, expanded, streamlined, and inverted the fundamentals of the 400-year-old language of academic dance. Although at first his style seemed particularly suited to the energy and speed of American dancers, especially those he trained, his ballets are now performed by every major classical ballet company in the world.
Ian Falconer (scenic and costume design) is an American illustrator, children's book author, and costume and set designer for the theater. Born in Ridgefield, Connecticut, Mr. Falconer graduated from The Cambridge School of Weston, and went on to study painting at the Parsons School of Design and Otis Art Institute. He has created 30 covers for The New Yorker as well as other publications, and is widely known for the iconic Olivia children's book series, which features a young pig and her many adventures. In the world of theater design, Mr. Falconer teamed up with artist David Hockney, collaborating on the costume designs for the Los Angeles Opera production of Tristan and Isolde (1987). He served as co-designer for sets and costumes with Mr. Hockney on the Lyric Opera's production of Turandot (1992), and designed the costumes for The Royal Opera's production of Die Frau Ohne Schatten at Covent Garden. In 1996, Mr. Falconer designed the sets for The Atlantic Theater's Off-Broadway production of The Santaland Diaries, written by David Sedaris. In 1999, he designed scenery and costumes for the Boston Ballet's production of Firebird, choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon. Mr. Falconer designed scenery and costumes for Scènes de Ballet (1999), and Variations Sérieuses (2001), both choreographed by Mr. Wheeldon for New York City Ballet. In 2003, he designed sets and costumes for Stravinsky's Jeu de Cartes, choreographed by Peter Martins. In 2008, Mr. Falconer completed the set design and oversaw the installation for the operetta Veronique at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. The sets were widely hailed for their use of classic stage sets married with complex moving film images, impressing audiences with innovative theatrical optical illusions.
James F. Ingalls (lighting design) studied stage management at Yale School of Drama, and went on to work as a stage manager for Yale Repertory Theatre and the Twyla Tharp Dance Company, before turning to lighting design for opera, theater, and dance. He was the Resident Lighting Designer for the American Repertory Theater from 1981-1984 and has worked frequently with theater director Peter Sellars. Mr. Ingalls’ work for dance companies includes designs for American Ballet Theatre, Dutch National Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Mark Morris Dance Group, Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Paul Taylor Dance Company, and San Francisco Ballet, among others. He collaborates frequently with the Wooden Floor Dancers in Santa Ana, California. Mr. Ingalls is the recipient of several Drama-Logue Awards, the Obie for sustained excellence in lighting design, and a National Theater Artist Residency Grant.
SPONSOR THANKS
It takes a village to create a new holiday tradition: Pacific Northwest Ballet’s production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ is made possible through the generosity of Dan & Pam Baty’s principal support, with major support provided by Patty Edwards, Carl & Renee Behnke, and Peter & Peggy Horvitz, along with donations from over 600 other individuals. PNB’s premiere of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ also receives ongoing support from its Title Sponsor Alaska Airlines, as well as Major Sponsors Snoqualmie Indian Tribe and Swedish Pediatrics, and Sleigh Sponsor Chaplin’s Bellevue Subaru. The works of George Balanchine performed by Pacific Northwest Ballet are made possible in part by The Louise Nadeau Fund.
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