Nearly every year growing up on the west coast of Florida, my grandmother would take me to see The Nutcracker at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater with the Florida Orchestra playing in the pit. Although I enjoyed it, I didn’t think too much of it at the time when I was a kid but looking back, I can see how formative it was for me (I even made my professional debut at 18 playing with the same orchestra)!
My performance career has taken me to big stages in countries around the world, but some of my most gratifying performances have been in the pit with a ballet company (I even used a run of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake to buy an engagement ring!). Tchaikovsky also became one of my favorite composers too, and this ballet tradition with my grandmother started before I was even playing an instrument.
This year we have several opportunities to enjoy this holiday classic in the Washington DC area. There are the typical full length ballet performances, but also shorter ones for very young audiences, and a “remixed and remastered” Hip-Hop version too complete with a DJ, violin soloist, and MC Kurtis Blow.
Before you go to the theater, listen to our Classical Breakdown episode all about Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker (see below), and I hope you get out and enjoy a performance of this holiday classic because for me it hasn’t gotten old yet!
Nutcracker performances in the Washington DC area
Maryland
The Hip Hop Nutcracker at Strathmore (Dec 19-22) The Hip Hop Nutcracker.
Maryland Ballet Theater offers two experiences, the full ballet and a shortened one perfect for young audiences (Dec 3-11) mbtdance.org.
Olney Ballet Theater (Dec 19-24) olneyballet.org.
Washington DC
The Kansas City Ballet returns to the Kennedy Center (Nov 23-27) Kansas City Ballet: The Nutcracker.
The Washington Ballet at Warner Theater (Nov 25 – Dec 30) The Washington Ballet - The Nutcracker.
Virginia
Manassas Ballet Theater at Hylton Performing Arts Center (Dec 16 – 23)Manassas Ballet Theatre - The Nutcracker.
Fairfax Ballet and Fairfax Symphony at George Mason University (Dec 17 and 18) The Nutcracker with the Fairfax Symphony & Fairfax Ballet.
Learn more about The Nutcracker from Classical Breakdown
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