As COVID cases continue to increase across the country — and in Ohio — the Cincinnati Ballet has announced it is canceling its in-person holiday performances of the beloved The Nutcracker and moving to a virtual platform this holiday.
Called "The Nutcracker at Home," the free digital experience will include a one-hour version of the show recorded at Music Hall — with dancers following all COVID protocols. Dates and details are forthcoming.
“Given the ongoing surge in COVID-19 cases across the region, we’ve made the difficult decision to cancel all in-person performances of The Nutcracker at Cincinnati Music Hall,” said Cincinnati Ballet President and CEO Scott Altman in a release. “We have a responsibility to the community to do all we can to stop the spread of COVID-19. While we will dearly miss performing for live audiences, we could think of no better gift for the community this holiday season.”
The performance will feature Artistic Director Victoria Morgan’s choreography and the whimsical sets and costumes you've come to expect from this Cincinnati tradition.
“All those magical moments we share together each year remain in this production,” Morgan said in the release. “Clara and the Nutcracker Prince, the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier, plus we’ve added a few surprises for this digital version.”
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra will also be recording Tchaikovsky’s score at Music Hall for the "at home" show, conducted by Cincinnati Ballet Music Director Carmon DeLeone.
And you can up the ante of your The Nutcracker at Home experience with a themed gift box featuring "Nutcracker cheer," says the ballet, and a full-sized nutcracker. Boxes are priced at $75 and start shipping Dec. 1.
Digital programming details are coming soon to cballet.org/nutcracker-2021.
