THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 2, 1994 TAG: 9409300232
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY IDA KAY JORDAN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines
A 10-city American tour of the Moscow State Ballet's new production of the original Russian ``Nutcracker'' will begin Nov. 18-20 at Willett Hall.
The premiere performances are scheduled at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 1 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $35, $25 and $17.50.
The ballet company will go from Portsmouth for a week of performances at Constitution Hall in Washington, followed by a week in Mechanic Theater in Baltimore.
The new production of the ``Nutcracker'' will feature two award-winning ballerinas who alternate in the role of Clara: Tatyana Frolova, the 1994 People's Artist of Russia, and Anna Reznik, the 1992 winner of the Diaghilev International Ballet Competition.
Frolova, who won the 1987 International Ballet Competition in Osaka, Japan, will dance with her long-time partner, Mikhail Negrobov. With Reznik will be Alexei Kremnev, who also was a finalist in the 1992 Diaghilev competition.
The ballerinas and their partners will dance the featured roles in second-act variations for performances when they are not appearing as Clara and the Prince.
The inaugural show here will feature 300 new costumes.
The Moscow State Ballet of the Natalia Sats Theatre was founded in 1921 and has been called one of Russia's 10 ``National Treasures.'' The company last toured the United States in 1991.
All the ballet company members are graduates of the Bolshoi and Kirov schools.
Former Bolshoi Ballet soloist Natalia Ryzhenko choreographed and is directing this Russian ``Nutcracker.'' Among her staging credits is the Bolshoi's production of ``Anna Karenina.''
The ballet is being brought to Portsmouth by SMI Inc. headed by Akiva Talmi, who said the selection of Portsmouth as the inaugural site for the 10-city tour ``reflects confidence and potential'' in Willett Hall.
``We are extremely excited that the Moscow State Ballet has selected Portsmouth as the site to inaugurate this 1994 tour of this spectacular production of a holiday favorite,'' said Keith Toler, director of the Portsmouth Convention and Tourist Bureau. ``To be chosen by this world renowned group is indeed an honor and underscores Portsmouth's commitment to bring in some of the best attractions for our citizens.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Alexei Kremnev stars in the Moscow Ballet.
by CNB