Nicosia to present multimedia ballet "The Nutcracker and Me" on December 28

The repertory production "The Nutcracker and Me" featuring pianist Alexandra Darescu will take place on December 28 at the Nicosia Municipal Theatre as part of the Nicosia International Festival. There will be two performances — at 10:30 AM and 4:30 PM.

The show combines piano solo, ballet, and digital animation. According to the organizers, the performance has already attracted over 70,000 viewers in various countries. The production uses fragments of Tchaikovsky's original score arranged by Mikhail Pletnev, Stefan Esipoff, and Percy Grainger, as well as three new works composed by Gavin Sutherland.

On stage with Darescu will be dancer Desiree Ballantyne as Clara. The plot tells the story of Christmas night when a gift — a soldier-nutcracker — opens a magical world and leads the heroine on a fantastic adventure with music and dance.

The organizers note that the production is intended for audiences of all ages and aims to attract a young audience to classical music. For residents in Cyprus, this is an opportunity to see an international multimedia version of the classic ballet; tickets are priced at €10–18. More detailed information and tickets are available on the festival website.