‘Nutcracker’

From Page D1

“As technology moves on, artists develop new skills. Technology inspires creatives to explore new borders of their imagination onstage. Yuri is a master of this. The projections and visual enhancements will only help him bring the dancers up front,” says Nedvigin.

At a press conference in May, Finn spoke highly of Possokhov’s creative vision. “He describes what he wants to do, and you think, ‘My God, there’s no way we can put that on stage!’ But I’ve worked with him before and he always succeeds. It’s brilliant what he can do on a rehearsal room and a stage.”

The new production takes inspiration from “The Nutcracker’s” source, the children’s story by German author E.T.A. Hoffmann, by being set in a small German town. The show features more than 250 costumes designed by Sandra Woodall to evoke the fashion of the Regency period in the early 1800s, as well as sugar plum fairies, rodent soldiers and more.

During “The Nutcracker’s” run from Saturday through Dec. 24, the production features four different casts, with lead roles including Airi Igarashi, Jessica Assef, Emily Carrico and Darian Kane as Marie, and Sergio Masero-Olarte, Igor Leushin, Moises Martin and Nikolas Gaifullin as the Nutcracker Prince.

A favorite tradition of the Atlanta Ballet’s production will stay in place, as the show will include performances from dozens of young dancers from local schools. With 42 children’s roles per show across four different casts, a total of 168 young dancers will perform with the professionals.

Nedvigin acknowledges the challenges of the Atlanta Ballet’s show, which includes live music from the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra. “The Fox Theatre is not a large theater, and we do have a large cast. It’s larger than the previous version. We’ve been looking at the way they did it in the past — what we call ‘backstage choreography’ — to make it efficient and safe for everyone.”

The choreography onstage, however, promises to blend Russian artistry with holiday performance traditions.

CONTRIBUTED BY KIM KENNEY The new version of Atlanta Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” features more than 250 costumes designed by Sandra Woodall.