Special to the Patriot-Bridge
Nine-year-old Emily Emrick of Charlestown Navy Yard will take the stage in Boston Ballet’s production of Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker, performing the role of Polichinelle. A dedicated student at Boston Ballet School for 7 years, Emily is making her debut in this iconic holiday production.
The Nutcracker opens November 29 at the Citizens Opera House with performances through December 29.
Emily began her ballet training at jus two years old and quickly discovered a love and passion for the art form. She is currently enrolled in the Elementary 2 level of the school’s Classical Ballet Program and trains at Boston Ballet’s Back Bay studio twice a week. In addition to her regular classes, Emily has devoted countless hours to rehearsals, preparing to brining the magic of The Nutcracker to life for audiences this holiday season.
Emrick joins more than 200 other young Boston Ballet School students from around New England in Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker. Three different casts will take on various roles, such as toy soldiers, pages, reindeer, lambs, polichinelles, baby mice, and party children during Boston Ballet’s 45 performances of The Nutcracker.
This version of the classic tale, created for Boston Ballet in 2012, is one of the largest builds the Company has ever done, engaging craftspeople from across the United States. Acclaimed, award winning scenic and costume designer Robert Perdziola illustrated more than 40 sketches that were transformed into the production’s larger-than-life sets that range from calm, subtle colors in the Act I party scene to vibrant colors in Act II’s Nutcracker Kingdom. The production also incorporated more than 350 beautifully intricate costumes, designed by Perdziola. Lighting design is by renowned Finnish designer Mikki Kunttu. The Boston Ballet Orchestra, the second largest musical organization in New England, led by Boston Ballet Music Director Mischa Santora, performs Tchaikovsky’s renowned score.
All children performing in The Nutcracker are students of Boston Ballet School and Boston Ballet School’s Professional Division at Walnut Hill School for the Arts and coached by an experienced staff including Boston Ballet Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen, Children’s Rehearsal Director Dalay Parrondo, and Boston Ballet School’s world-renowned faculty. Students auditioned and started rehearsing for the production in October. They will continue rehearsals through November, which includes rehearsals with Company dancers and costume fittings with Boston Ballet’s Costume Shop. They will experience the unique, backstage atmosphere at the Citizens Opera House through technical and dress rehearsals, as well as performances accompanied by the Boston Ballet Orchestra.
Participating in a full-length ballet is an important performance opportunity for students, exposing them to aspects of ballet they do not experience in a regular class. The students learn about the hard work and enjoyment that composes a live ballet performance and have the unique opportunity to dance alongside Boston Ballet’s internationally acclaimed professional dancers from around the world.
For a full synopsis and additional details, visit bostonballet.org.
All 44 performances of The Nutcracker will take place at the Citizens Opera House (539 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111)
Tickets start at $25. For more information, visit bostonballet.org/nutcracker or call 617.695.6955.
The Nutcracker performance length is approximately 2 hours including one 20-minute intermission.
Choreography: Mikko Nissinen
Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Set & Costume Design: Robert Perdziola
Lighting Design: Mikki Kunttu
Since 1963, Boston Ballet’s internationally acclaimed performances of classical, neo-classical, and contemporary ballets, combined with a dedication to world-class dance education and community engagement, have made the institution a leader in its field, with a 61-year history of promoting excellence and access to dance.
Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen and Executive Director Ming Min Hui, the Company, made up of 67 dancers and 14 nationalities, performs a diverse and acclaimed repertoire ranging from full-length classical ballets to masterworks by George Balanchine, and new works and world premieres by today’s finest contemporary choreographers.
The New York Times hailed Boston Ballet’s repertoire as “one of the most eclectic in the country,” and as having dancers that are “striking by national and international standards.” Boston Ballet’s repertoire combines timeless classics such as Marius Petipa’s The Sleeping Beauty, Sir Frederick Ashton’s Cinderella, Rudolf Nureyev’s Don Quixote, August Bournonville’s La Sylphide, Mikko Nissinen’s Swan Lake and Raymonda, John Cranko and John Neumeier ballets, with the imaginative visions of today’s most innovative choreographers including Resident Choreographer Jorma Elo, as well as William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Crystal Pite, Akram Khan, Wayne McGregor, Christopher Wheeldon, and Helen Pickett. In 2016, Boston Ballet began a partnership with internationally renowned choreographer William Forsythe and presented his full-length Artifact in 2017, and the world premieres of his Playlist (EP) in 2019 and Blake Works III (The Barre Project) in 2022.
The Company performs its full Boston season of six programs at the historic, 2,500-seat Citizens Opera House. Under Mikko Nissinen’s directorship, Boston Ballet’s national and international touring engagements have included Paris, New York City’s Lincoln Center, Washington DC’s Kennedy Center, London Coliseum, Helsinki, Spain, Ottawa’s National Arts Center, and Seoul, Korea.
Boston Ballet’s second company, Boston Ballet II, gains experience performing with the Company and independently. Boston Ballet School provides exceptional dance training across three studios, reaching more than 5,000 students each year through its many core programs. Community education programs engage more than 4,000 individuals in Boston and surrounding regions.
For more information, please visit bostonballet.org.