"The Nutcracker"
Royal Danish Ballet
December 3 2011
First two casts
For some odd reason the ballet have been singled out among the Royal Theatre's ensembles to carry the obligation of catering for the family audience. Not only does the season include Thomas Lund's childrens ballet on a popular Danish television character and Esther Lee Wilkinson's youth oriented "The Neglected Spring". The obligation also includes producing a Christmas run of family oriented productions. Last year it was Christopher Wheeldon's "Sleeping Beauty". The year's December's repertoire consist of 16 performances of "The Nutcracker". Financially it make sense. The season is sold out in advance with no marketing support. Artistically, bending and boxing classical ballets to fit two daily matinees comes with a price tag.