2009-11-05

Kick off holiday season with KPAS’ ‘Nutcracker in the Hills’

Contributed

There’s no better way to start out the Christmas holidays than a visit to the “Kingdom of Sweets” in the magical, mystical, production of the most popular ballet in the world, The Nutcracker! Every year the tradition of The Nutcracker comes to life and brings the magical tale of the holiday spirit to light.

The Kerrville Performing Arts Society is joining the Hill Country Holiday Round-Up, Main Street’s Holiday Lighted Parade, the Kerrville Christmas Lighting Corporation’s Lighting of the Courthouse and the arrival of Santa Claus in a fun-filled weekend celebrating the arrival of Christmas Season in Kerrville.

During the weekend of Nov. 21 and 22, KPAS will present San Diego Ballet in two performances of The Nutcracker ballet. Last season, over 1,700 concertgoers attended two sold-out performances by this prestigious dance company that included over 50 local students in the production.

Based on the story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” written by ETA Hoffmann in 1816, The Nutcracker was first performed in 1892 at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia. Illustrious composer, Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky arranged the music for the production while Marius Petipa choreographed the original production in great detail. The Nutcracker has since become an annual holiday tradition throughout the world.

Cecil Atkission Motors and the Floyd A. and Kathleen C. Cailloux Foundation will sponsor this year’s presentation, which is also supported in part by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts.

To purchase tickets for this exciting holiday classic, call the Cailloux Box Office at 830-896-9393. Ticket prices range from $10 to $35 for adults and $5 to $20 for students, and are available for both the 8 evening performance on Saturday, Nov. 21, and the 2 matinee performance on Sunday, Nov. 22.

“The Nutcracker truly is a holiday tradition and KPAS is pleased to present this special event to allow all area residents to become a part of this magic,” offered an event spokesman.