The Maguire Theater at SUNY College in Old Westbury will stage the Lumière Ballet’s The Nutcracker, with music by Peter I. Tchaikovsky, on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 15, at 4 p.m.
The holiday favorite features an array of classically-trained young dancers from the Bay Shore-based company. The role of the Nutcracker Prince will be danced by artistic co-director Venti Petrov. The two act ballet includes historical choreographic segments and original staging by artistic co-director Svetlana Caton.
While truthful to the classical tradition, for the first time this year, Lumière Ballet unveils a long time hidden conflict: The battle of the sugar plum fairies.
Lumière Ballet is a 26-year-old nonprofit fine arts institution whose members represent the broad landscape of the communities it serves.
“We are proud of our diversity which is reflected in the rich productions that artistic directors Caton and Petrov offer to audiences across Long Island,” a press release reads. “This annual performance of The Nutcracker brings an extraordinary group of dancers to the stage.
Caton, who founded the company, has a European background and training from the great heritage of the Russian School. At the age of 12, her participation in the prestigious Concours de Danse in Paris brought a scholarship offer to the school of the Paris Opera as well as an invitation to study with the legendary stars of the Maryinsky Imperial Ballet—Olga Preobrajenska, Liubov Egorova and Mathilda Ksenschinska. She has performed professionally in Europe and in the USA and has been teaching and directing for more than 35 years. Caton has created original story ballets and staged the classics. She is a graduate of the Lycée Français de New York, has a bachelor’s degree in French and Russian literature from Hunter College and completed post graduate studies in theater and film from LIU at C.W. Post.
Petrov settled in New York after competing his studies at the National Choreographic Institute of Sofia, Bulgaria. A disciple of Vladimir Dokoudovsky, he has worked with Suzanne Farrell (New York City Ballet), Alexander Vetrov (Bolshoi Ballet) and as a freelance ballet artist, performing and choreographing for several professional companies. He has performed in more than 20 states.
Petrov premiered two original ballets in Manhattan and has released four CDs for ballet classes, a master class DVD with Oksana Maslova, and a documentary book related to his Tchaikovsky ballet, Dear Nadezhda.
The campus entrance is on Route 107 (across from Milleridge Inn), exit 41 North from the LIE (495).
Tickets are $30 general admission and $25 for youth under 18.
Visit www.lumièreballet.com or call 631-586-2921 to find out more.
—Submitted by the Lumière Ballet
