A Nutcracker Christmas Celebration – Program Notes

Arizona Philharmonic
Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet

With Special Guests Unblanche, Voci Sorella, Una Voce Women’s Choir, and Lessons by Lexe

Saturday & Sunday
December 17 & 18, 2022 @ 3:00 pm
Yavapai College Performing Arts Center

Presented by the James Family Trust

Special Thanks to Sponsors, The James Family Trust

Christmas Memories, Gifts, and Donations

Before heading home take time to visit the AZ Phil, Yavapai Youth Choir, and MFAB booths in the lobby; purchase ballet shoes, an autograph from the ballet dancers, nutcracker ornament gifts and snap a photograph with the Sugar Plum Fairy and Prince. We are always looking for your support, sign up as a volunteer and become our next donor.

Arizona Philharmonic and Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet are proud and excited to present to you our first collaboration, A Nutcracker Christmas Celebration.

This afternoon’s performance begins with the voices of young girls: Voci Sorella from Yavapai Youth Choirs. They will be joined in the second half by the Una Voce Womens Choir. The remainder of this program is taken up by two ballets danced by guests of the Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet and members of Lessons by Lexe dance studio. The first is a tribute to the ballet Le Patineurs (The Skaters), a lighthearted and lively ice skating party, danced to music by Giacomo Meyerbeer. We close with selections from the most beloved of all ballets, The Nutcracker, with its colorful and expressive score by Tchaikovsky.

This production has been a long time in planning and execution. Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet is an international organization, drawing students and dancers from across the world. Arizona Philharmonic is a regional professional orchestra, drawing musicians from across the southwest. Voci Sorella, Una Voce, and Lessons by Lexe are local, drawing youth and adults from within our community. Each group contributes their magic to create the beautiful experience unfolding here, in Prescott.

Arizona Philharmonic wishes to offer a special thank you to Ken Ludden, Artistic Director of Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet. Long before the Academys fall reopening in its new home in Prescott, he imagined what you are about to see and hear. We are grateful for his vision and honored to help realize it.

Henry Flurry,  Laura and Ron James

ARIZONA PHILHARMONIC

Executive Director – Henry Flurry

PROGRAM

ACT I

Noel Nouvelet (arr. Michael McGlynn) with Voci Sorella

Pat-a-Pan (arr. Kirke Mechem) with Voci Sorella

Il est né le divin enfant (arr. John Rutter) with Voci Sorella

Skaters Holiday (by Giacomo Meyerbeer)

  • An homage to Sir Frederick Ashton, to the music of Les Patineurs
    with dancers Cassidy Blake, Chloe Fitchette, Kaishi Fugita, Lungani Gwala, Alix Henning, Mataji Prevolnik

INTERMISSION

ACT II

O Come All Ye Faithful (arr. Dan Forrest) with Una Voce

Ding Dong Merrily on High (arr. Kirke Mechem) with Voci Sorella

Silent Night (arr. Dan Forrest) with Voci Sorella

“The Nutcracker Suite” (by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky)

  • Overture
    Narration by Ken Ludden
  • Snow Scene
    Tricia Albertson and Eric Trope
  • Spanish
    Anbi Ono
  • Arabian
    Mao Hayashi
  • Chinese
    Kanade Yamamura
  • Reed Flutes “Danse des mirlitons”
    Ako Omiya

  • Trepak (traditional Ukrainian dance) “Danse des Bouffons”
    Lungani Gwala
  • Mother Ginger “La mere Gigogne et les polichinelles”
    Kanami Yaginuma
  • Waltz of the Flowers “Grand Ballabile”
    Kio Sagae
  • Grand Pas de Deux
    “Adage” – Tricia Albertson and Eric Trope
    “Male Variation” – Eric Trope
    “Sugar Plum Fairy Variation” – Tricia Albertson
    “Coda” – Tricia Albertson and Eric Trope
  • Finale
    Full Ensemble

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Program Notes

Program notes by J. Michael Allsen

Performers