Greater Bakersfield Area Youth Invited to Open Auditions to Perform in Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker

(Berkshires, MA) Oct. 1, 2010 – Moscow Ballet is in the midst of holding auditions across North America for its Great Russian Nutcracker… next stop: Bakersfield!

Open auditions will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 19 at 6 p.m. at the Bakersfield Fox Theatre. Tatiana Casian, a Russian-trained soloist and dance teacher with Moscow Ballet, will facilitate the auditions and work with the selected students in rehearsal at a later date, to be announced.

Those chosen will perform in the Great Russian Nutcracker at the Bakersfield Fox Theatre on Thursday, Dec. 16 at 8 p.m.

Applicants must have dance experience and be between 7 and 16 years old. Applicants must also dress in dance attire and may bring Pointe shoes. For more information about the auditions, contact local Dance Coordinators: Lenore or Donna at the Lenore Smith Dance Centre, (661) 324-9287 OR Joy Handy at the J&M Dance Center, (661) 477-4449.

This is a rare opportunity for young dancers in the greater Bakersfield region to work with and learn from a professional, expert Russian ballet dancer and teacher—Tatiana Casian—and to be a part of Moscow Ballet’s renowned international tour of its Great Russian Nutcracker performance.

**We can put you in touch with Tatiana for an interview and photos. Please contact Moscow Ballet (413.499.1733, x21) to discuss this.

Praised for exquisite dancing and gorgeous costumes, the Great Russian Nutcracker is directed by Ballet Master Vladimir Troschenko. Troschenko partnered such legendary Russian ballerinas as Nadia Pavlova, Ludmilla Seminyaka, and Galina Mezentseva and is an honors graduate of the Bolshoi and Kirov academies. He will tour Swan Lake to 61 cities in Europe from June 30 to Aug. 31. Set against Valentin Fedorov's spectacular hand-painted backdrops and life-sized dancing puppets, the Great Russian Nutcracker delights audiences with a visual tapestry rich in detail and whimsy. It is especially distinctive for its unique setting of the “Land of Peace and Harmony” in Act II and for the introduction of a Christmas Dove and a fantasy clock with wings of an owl that cast a shadow over the battle between the Soldiers and the Mice. Fedorov, an Honored Artist of Chuvashia, was a protégée of the legendary designer Valery Leventhal of the Bolshoi Theatre. He is art director at the Chuvashia State Theater and has designed over 40 productions for opera and ballet. Acclaimed for exquisite classical ballet dancers and bejeweled, sumptuous costumes, critics rave that Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker is “flawless,” “breathtaking,” and “dazzling.” The richness of the Russian classical ballet dancers blended with whimsical storytelling have made the Great Russian Nutcracker a memorable holiday treat for the last 17 years.

Tickets are now on sale. To purchase by phone call Ticketmaster 800-745-3000, or buy online at www.nutcracker.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets start at $27.50. Group rates are available for 10 or more tickets—call 800-320-1733 for more information.

*(Visit http://www.nutcracker.com/Tickets.php?ballet=nc for a complete listing of tour dates.)

And for a truly special Christmas experience Moscow Ballet introduces its Platinum Seating and Gift promotion. Platinum ticket buyers receive a limited edition fine art giclee print created by contemporary Russian masters from the St. Petersburg Academy of Art. These stunning first edition prints were commissioned to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Marius Petipa’s life. Renowned as the creator of Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, Petipa is revered as the “Father of Russian Ballet.” Platinum Seating includes the best centered seats, a backstage Meet and Greet, gourmet chocolates, preferred parking and a Platinum Member’s Benefit Card for purchases at www.nutcracker.com. Only seven pairs of platinum tickets per performance are available!  For information on Platinum, VIP or discount tickets visit http://www.nutcracker.com/premium.php .

Justine Murphy, 413.499.1733 x18, Justine@nutcracker.com , www.nutcracker.com

About Moscow Ballet
Moscow Ballet is known for its annual touring Great Russian Nutcracker and full-length productions of classic story-ballets, Swan Lake, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and others. Created by award winning Juilliard alumnus, composer/conductor and theatrical producer, Akiva Talmi, the organization evolved out of Talmi’s all-star Russian "Glasnost Festival Tour" (1986-92). Moscow Ballet made its debut in 1993 with the Great Russian Nutcracker, which was directed and choreographed by soloist Stanislav Vlasov of the famous Russian Bolshoi Theatre. In 1994, Moscow Ballet invited the Moscow State Theatre of Natalia Sats, and the theatre's full orchestra, to expand the company to an 88-artist tour which was billed as the "19th Century Classical Nutcracker." In 2003, Moscow Ballet announced the appointment of Anatoly Emelianov, winner of the Diagelev award, and Vladimir Troshchenko, director of Odessa State Ballet and a pivotal figure in the ballet world, as co-artistic directors. Moscow Ballet continues to feature top graduates of Perm, Vaganova, Moscow State Academic Choreographic and Kiev schools in its productions.

*Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/Moscow Ballet & Twitter: @MoscowBallet