For the 26th consecutive year, The Maryland Regional Ballet is proud to present a family Christmas favorite, The Nutcracker. This year, we're especially excited to welcome guest artists Miranda Weese and Sebastien Marcovici from the New York City Ballet, who will be dancing the roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Cavalier. We are also proud to welcome to our stage Alexander Ritter from the Suzanne Farrell ballet.
Background
The Nutcracker Ballet is based on the book called "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" written by E.T.A. Hoffman. In 1891, the legendary choreographer Marius Petipa commissioned Tchaikovsky to write the music for the Nutcracker Ballet. In 1892, the first showing of the Nutcracker took place at the Mariinsky Theatre of Russia, home of the Kirov Ballet.
The Nutcracker made its way to Western Europe in the 1930's and to America by 1940, performed by Ballet Russe. The first American full length Nutcracker was performed by the San Francisco Ballet. It has since become an annual Holiday tradition.
About the Dancers
Miranda Weese
Miranda Weese is a Principal Dancer at New York City Ballet. Born in San Bernardino, California, she began her ballet training at Laguna Dance Theatre in Laguna Hills, CA. In 1990, Ms. Weese entered the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet. She became an apprentice with New York City Ballet in the fall of 1991, and was invited to join the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in 1993. She was promoted to the rank of Soloist in December 1994, and in January of 1996, Ms. Weese was promoted to the rank of Principal Dancer.
Sebastien Marcovici
Born and raised in Paris, France, Sebastien Marcovici began his ballet training at age eight with local teachers, and at age 12 he enrolled at the School of the Paris Opera Ballet. During the summer of 1993, while studying with Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride at the Chautauqua School of Dance, Mr. Marcovici was invited by Ballet Master in Chief Peter Martins to take Company class with New York City Ballet at Saratoga Springs. In November of 1993, he was invited to join New York City Ballet's corps de ballet. Mr. Marcovici was promoted to the rank of soloist in 1998 and to principal dancer in May 2002.
Alexander Ritter
Born in Ottowa, Canada, Mr. Ritter began his dance training at the age of 12 with the National Ballet of Canada School in Toronto. He became a member of the New York City Ballet in the fall of 1992 and was promoted to the rank of soloist in January, 1995. He was seen in a wide variety of corps roles from the New York City Ballet's vast repertory, including featured roles George Balanchine's Agon, Haieff Divertmimento, and Prodigal Son. Mr. Ritter joined the Boston Ballet as a soloist in 2002 and is now dancing with the Suzanne Farrell Ballet Company.
