Richmond Ballet to join in Christmastime presentation of “The Nutcracker”

A traditional Christmastime presentation of “The Nutcracker” will be produced in Hampton Roads this year as a joint effort of the Richmond Ballet and the Virginia Ballet Theatre of Norfolk.

The Richmond Ballet, the premier ballet company in Virginia, will be bringing its full holiday production, with its lavish sets and costumes, at Chrysler Hall, the VBT is to announce today.

The production will include 203 performers, including dancers, Virginia Symphony members and Virginia Children’s Chorus members. Richmond’s professional dancers will handle the principal roles, and the VBT will hold auditions for 72 local students.

Emphasizing the cooperative nature of the event, the official wording from VBT is that the Virginia Ballet is presenting the Richmond Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Virginia Children’s Chorus and Todd Rosenlieb Dance.

Virginia Ballet, which has presented an annual “Nutcracker” for many years, is regrouping this season after losing its artistic director, and most of its instructors, office staff and students this summer to a new group, Ballet Virginia International.

Thom Prevette, executive director for VBT, said this year’s production marks the first time Richmond Ballet has performed “The Nutcracker” in South Hampton Roads. The occasion illustrates VBT’s philosophy of collaboration with local arts groups and its mission to bring the best in professional ballet to Hampton Roads, Prevette said. Performances will be at 7 p.m. Dec. 5, 2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 6 and 2 p.m. Dec. 7.

Jurijs Safonovs, VBT’s new artistic director, said auditions for the 72 student roles will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Diehn Fine and Performing Arts Building on the Old Dominion University campus in Norfolk.

The VBT is working toward performances for February and the spring. The first show, possibly on Feb. 20 at the Harrison Opera House, would be a mixed repertoire performance including works by George Balanchine and an up-and-coming choreographer, Joseph Morrissey, Safonovs said.

The second performance would include works by local choreographers Todd Rosenlieb, of Norfolk’s TRDance Center, and Elbert Watson, Safonovs said.

Dan Duke, (757) 446-2546, dan.duke@pilotonline.com