Beyond the well-known sugar plums and character dances there lies equally enchanting—though less recognizable—music in Tchaikovsky’s score to the Nutcracker. 

On Saturday, December 18, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet (RWB) begins their annual presentation of the Nutcracker. The beloved production is a sure sign of the holidays for many, captivating the minds and warming the hearts of audiences of all ages. 

Completed in 1892, Nutcracker is the last of the Tchaikovsky ballets following Swan Lake (1876) and Sleeping Beauty (1889). The dazzling score exhibits deft orchestration; rich musical colours enhanced by the use of unique timbres, such as the celesta, the then-unfamiliar use of flutter tongue in the flutes, and an array of children’s instruments. 

“I love every part of this ballet,” says Principal Conductor of the RWB Julian Pellicano, who leads members of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in the performances. “There is not one measure of music that I don’t love.”

On Morning Light, maestro Julian Pellicano joined Simeon Rusnak to veer off the well-trodden path of trepaks and waltzing flowers, and share some other favourite moments in a score which seemingly never loses its lustre. 

Pellicano’s picks include the “Grandfather’s Dance” which takes place in Act I, Scene 5 at the bustling Christmas party; the magical “A pine forest in Winter” from Act I, Scene 8; and, the exquisite "Grand Pas de Deux" from Act 2, with accompanying tarantella first variation. 

RWB’s presentation of the Nutcracker runs from December 18-28. For more details and tickets, visit: www.rwb.org