THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 13, 1994 TAG: 9411110369
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Ida Kay's Portsmouth
SOURCE: Ida Kay Jordan
LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
A new Russian Nutcracker comes to Willett Hall in Portsmouth!
I love it when my favorite WHRO-FM radio announcer makes that announcement.
This premiere of the Moscow State Ballet's new production is a fantastic occasion for residents of Hampton Roads and beyond.
In addition, it's a great opportunity for us to prove that a good show at Willett will attract a good audience.
A few weeks ago I had breakfast with Elena Kopylova, the Russian ballerina who has been in this country to teach the American youngsters who will dance in the performances of the Nutcracker across the country.
In Portsmouth, 80 boys and girls, ages 7-12, from all over the region will perform with the Russian company of 45 outstanding dancers.
Speaking through an interpretor, Erin Ioannisyan of Virginia Beach, Kopylova said she was honored to be chosen to come to this country to teach the choreography to the young dancers who have been practicing for weeks to perfect their ensembles.
The Russian dancers will arrive here this weekend to begin four days of rehearsals at Willett tomorrow. They'll bring scenery created for the new production making its debut in Portsmouth before going to Washington.
It is a ``magical storybook set,'' said Kopylova. ``It changes right in front of your eyes.''
Portsmouth ballet goers also will be the first to see the 300 new costumes made for the production.
The sets and costumes are very good, because the government sponsored them, Kopylova said.
``This is a very big and important production,'' she added.
Kopylova said the choreography follows the practice of the theater's guiding light, Natalia Sats.
Sats wanted to express things through music, Kopylova said, and the ballets she staged fit the music. As a result, the dancers are interpreting the music, not just dancing.
The choreography for this new production was done by Natalia Rezhenko, who danced with the Bolshoi Ballet.
I personally have never seen a performance by any Russian group that was not well done and I've seen a lot of them over the years. This one should be no different.
Paul Butler of the Willett Hall staff tells me that tickets are selling well for all four performances. I hope they all sell out!
Public response to this major production could make a big difference for Willett Hall and Portsmouth.
And there's another interesting possibility if people respond.
This year, the Moscow State Theater is doing an $800,000 exchange program in Conecticut.
Portsmouth can apply for the program in 1995.
Natalia Sats always emphasized the importance of involving children and the organization now has ``the most famous children's program in Russia,'' according to Akiva Talvi, the producer of The Nutcracker.
``She was a pioneer in aesthetic education for children,'' he said.
The presence of the new Children's Museum of Virginia and the support of the community for that project should not go unnoticed as a selling point for this city, Talvi said.
I hope we already have made contacts and begun selling Portsmouth to next year's exchange program. We can't wait to begin. MEMO: AT A GLANCE
Performances of the Nutcracker by the Moscow State Ballet are
scheduled at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday ; 2 p.m. Saturday and
Sunday .
Tickets are $35, $25 and $17.50 with $3 discounts for children and
seniors over age 60 and 10 percent discounts for AAA members.
For ticket information, call Willett Hall box office at 393-5144. by CNB