Ever since I was little, listening to Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Suite was a signal that Christmas was near. Watching The Nutcracker ballet has always put me in the Christmas spirit. I have such fond memories of this ballet, and it bring me such joy to see it in some form every year.
For the second year, I have had the privilege of being invited to see The Nutcracker ballet performed by the professional ballet company, Ballet Ouest de Montreal.
From the elegant costumes to the choreography and set design, to and talent of the ballet performers, it is magnificent to see this ballet come to life on stage. I especially love that the whole school participates in this ballet. The youngest of ballet performers also play a big part in the production. To see their little faces light up when they arrive center stage is priceless.
I remember when my sister and I took ballet so many years ago, the excitement and nervousness we had before a performance. I also remember my mother helping us with our hair and makeup…and I am sure these young children will remember these moments, like I do, forever.
Is The Nutcracker ok for Children?
I think The Nutcracker is a perfect first ballet for children. It has a clear story, interesting sets and set changes and there is mystery and magic right on stage for them to appreciate.
What’s more, if you have never taken your children to a ballet, the Ballet Ouest de Montreal has a performance dedicated to young children. The production is slightly shorter than the regular performance with adjusted lighting, and the children have the chance to meet the dancer after the performance. It’s fantastic introduction to a live performance.
To prepare your child ahead of time, it would be great to read a book of The Nutcracker. This way, your children will know the story allowing them to be ready for all the twists and turns of the story. When the rat King (in this case, Queen) battles the Nutcracker, your child will know the outcome, and that can help them enjoy the ballet even more.
I have seen their production with my children when they were younger as well, and every time, it is a treasure.
What To Expect – The Details
The full runtime of the Ballet Ouest de Montreal Nutcracker ballet is two hours including an intermission. The location in Montreal is at the Pierre-Péladeau Center, in the Pierre-Mercure theater. This is located on boulevard de Maisonneuve East in Montreal. Parking is tricky around the area, as there is construction, so gauge some extra time for that. In this theater, every seat is a great view. I was in one of the last rows and it was beautiful to see everything from there.
The Nutcracker will be performed December 7 & 8 with matinees as well as evening shows. After this Montreal location, the ballet will tour in two other Quebec locations.
The price of the tickets is affordable for families which I deeply appreciate. As a family of five, it was not possible to take our children to many ballets and concerts because of the price of tickets. Tickets for the ballet start at $33 for children under 12 years old, $48 for students and $58 for regular tickets.
To reserve your tickets, visit their website: BalletOuest.com
Congratulations to Claude Caron, the choreographer and staging director, as well as all the teachers, staff, sets and multimedia team, costume designers, and last but certainly not least, the ballet students for creating a beautiful ballet for Montreal to see!
I hope you have the chance to see the Ballet Ouest de Montreal perform The Nutcracker, it is a magical experience!
1 comment
Always a great Christmas tradition every year to see this show in it’s many incarnations around the city!