The Imperial Ice Stars' NUTCRACKER ON ICE Tours Australia, Now thru Aug 12

The international ice dance sensation The Imperial Ice Stars make a triumphant return to Australia with a dazzling new production of The Nutcracker on Ice touring nationally from today, 6 June to 12 August 2012.

Over the last eight years, The Imperial Ice Stars have performed to almost four million people across five continents, at some of the world’s most prestigious venues – London’s Royal Albert Hall and Sadler’s Wells, Singapore’s new Marina Bay Sands casino and theatre complex, Montreal’s Place des Arts and Moscow’s Red Square.

This award-winning troupe comes to Australia direct from a performance in May of Swan Lake on Ice at the Royal Albert Hall, and a best-ever sell-out tour of The Nutcracker on Ice in South Africa earlier this year.

The Imperial Ice Stars have built a worldwide following and established an unrivalled reputation for their sophisticated portrayals of classic works, and for executing the most complex and daring manoeuvres on the ice. Their previous world tours (Sleeping Beauty on Ice, Swan Lake on Ice and Cinderella on Ice) have been greeted with nightly standing ovations. Visit imperialicestars.com for more information.

For their latest production, The Nutcracker on Ice, acclaimed Artistic Director Tony Mercer – the world’s leading creator of Contemporary Theatre-on-ice – has once again teamed with four-time figure skating World Champion and dual Olympic gold medallist Evgeny Platov, and dual World Champion Maxim Staviski to create choreography that further raises the bar, with ever more breathtaking high-speed leaps and throws, and awe- inspiring acrobatics, coupled with the most graceful and sublime ice dancing.

To Tchaikovsky’s memorable score, the 26-strong cast of Olympic, World, European and National Championship skaters will astound and mesmerise audiences with their adrenaline-rich, dramatic performance, in the intimate setting of a frozen theatre stage.

Set in early 1900s St Petersburg, The Nutcracker on Ice boasts sumptuous sets by leading Australian scenic designer Eamon D’Arcy in this his fourth Imperial Ice Stars show, with opulent and stylish costumes from Elena Predvodeteleva, a renowned Russian designer of costumes for theatre, film and circus as well as couture.

This brand new production follows the classic Russian tale of Marie, the little girl whose love brings to life her cherished Nutcracker doll – a magical Christmas gift from her mysterious godfather – leading to adventures with the Mouse King, the enchanted Prince, and the Sugar Plum Fairy.

The story was originally penned nearly two centuries ago, in 1816, by the German author E T A Hoffman, and was later adapted by the French writer Alexandre Dumas in 1847. From this adaptation, the Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and choreographer Lev Ivanov created their ballet, The Nutcracker, which was first performed in St Petersburg in 1892 and has since become a perennial Christmas favourite the world over.

The Imperial Ice Stars’ Artistic Director, Tony Mercer, explains “The art form of ice dance lends itself beautifully to this well-loved tale. Not only does the story entail some beautiful romantic ‘adagios’ with lifts and jumps, but the exotic ‘divertissements’ from Spain, China, Arabia
and Russia allow us to introduce some gymnastics, flying, acrobatics, magic and special effects.”

TOUR VENUES AND DATES:

Sydney, Capitol Theatre
Wednesday 6 to Sunday 10 June, 2012
Tickets from $59 to $109
Ticketmaster 1300 723 038 or ticketmaster.com.au

Canberra, Canberra Theatre Centre
Wednesday 13 to Sunday 17 June, 2012
Tickets from $59 to $109
Canberra Theatre Centre 02 6275 2700 or canberratheatre.com.au

Brisbane, Lyric Theatre, QPAC
Wednesday 20 to Sunday 24 June, 2012
Tickets from $49 to $109
136 246 or QPAC.com.au

Adelaide, Adelaide Festival Centre
Thursday 19 to Sunday 22 July, 2012
Tickets from $49 to $109
131 246 or bass.net.au

Melbourne, The Arts Centre
Wednesday 25 to Sunday 29 July, 2012
Tickets from $49 to $109
The Arts Centre 1300 182 183 or theartscentre.com.au

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