Moscow on the LIE

For those afraid that the Stagehands’ strike will eliminate the holiday shows, there is a beacon of hope in Queens.
The world-renowned Moscow Ballet is celebrating its 15th anniversary with a 70-city tour for the 2007 season - and in New York City, they will perform at Queens College (QC).
The Kupferberg Center announced that there will be a full-length performance of “The Great Russian Nutcracker” on Sunday, December 9 at 3 p.m. in Colden Auditorium on the QC campus, 65-30 Kissena Boulevard in Flushing.
With its all-Russian cast, famed for exquisite dancing and choreography by Artistic Director Anatoli Emelianov and spectacular scenic design by Valentin Fedorov, the Great Russian Nutcracker has been called “the must-see production” of the season for ballet-lovers.
Tickets to the single performance at the 2100-seat Colden Auditorium are $24 and Kupferberg Center is pleased to offer half-price tickets for children 12 and under to this performance.
The Great Russian Nutcracker has been praised by critics for its setting of Act II in the “Land of Peace and Harmony” rather than the “Land of Sweets.”
To convey his message, Emelianov incorporates an ethereal Dove that leads Masha and the Nutcracker Prince to a land where there are no wars or suffering and all creatures live in harmony.
Despite the nod to modern sensibilities with the change in mythic locale, “the beloved music of Tchaikovsky is a special treat for children and adults,” according a spokesperson for the Center.
Principal dancers Dimitry Zavallishim, formerly with the Mariinsky Ballet, and Genadi Zhalo, formerly with the Kiev National Opera, will alternate in the role of the Enchanted Nutcracker Prince. Maria Makarenko, a soloist with the Mariinsky Ballet, will star as Masha (Clara).
There is free parking available for performances, the theater is wheelchair accessible and there are facilities for the hearing impaired.
Orders may be charged online at www.KupferbergCenterArts.org, by phone at 718-793-8080, or purchased at the Colden Auditorium box office.