Ballet Victoria brings holiday classic The Nutcracker to Panida Theater

By Reader Staff

It has been more than 130 years since Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker premiered on Dec. 18, 1892 in St. Petersburg, Russia, but neither time nor geography has lessened its appeal — including in Sandpoint, where the classic production will come to the main stage Wednesday, Dec. 3 at the Panida Theater (300 N. First Ave.). 

Presented by the Pend Oreille Arts Council, doors open at 5 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m., when the world-class artists of the Victoria Symphony and Ballet Victoria will enthrall audiences with the magical story of dancing toys, sugar plum fairies, and the epic duel between the Nutcracker and the Mouse King.

Young local talent and youth dancers with the Ballet Victoria Conservatory will join the professional performers — hailing all the way from Victoria, British Columbia — in presenting the classic holiday tradition, to which Ballet Victoria adds new elements each year.

Founded in 2002, Ballet Victoria is described as a “boutique professional ballet company” including 14 dancers under the direction of Paul Destrooper, who put on four annual productions. In that time, the organization has produced about 100 new works — including 10 full-length ballets — with performances in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.

“Our performances are dramatic, technically demanding and often laced with humour,” the company stated on its website.

Tickets are $52.86 for adult general admission and $24.57 for youths, available at the door and panida.org.