Delta Festival Ballet Nutcracker Returns To New Orleans December 22 & 23, 2006
Delta Festival Ballet of New Orleans is excited to announce that its annual "Nutcracker" will be presented once again in the Crescent City. Last year, because of the devastation to the area, all performances were cancelled. Since that was to be the 25th anniversary of DFB's "Nutcracker," the company will celebrate its anniversary in 2006.
The 2006 production will be different for a number of reasons. Currently none of the major performing arts facilities are open. Almost every venue in the city is closed indefinitely. So Delta Festival Ballet's three performances will be held at Dixon Hall on the Tulane University Campus. Previous productions were held at the Mahalia Jackson Theatre of the Performing Arts - a state-of-the-art facility with a very large stage and seating capacity of 2,200. Dixon Hall is a smaller theatre with a much smaller stage, and a seating capacity of only 978. In order to stage Delta's production, the orchestra pit at Dixon Hall must be raised and used for the dancing. To accommodate the musicians of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, another solution had to be found. Artistic Director, Joseph Giacobbe, suggested that the musicians play from the balcony. A unique idea, but that is how it will be done. Chris Kim will conduct.
Because the company's warehouse flooded during the storm with over two feet of water, the scenery for "Nutcracker," which was designed by award-winning Robert O'Hearn, was severely damaged and must be restored or replaced, a large expense. Since the stage at Dixon Hall cannot accommodate the large sets, it will not be repaired and repainted for this season. For 2006 the company will use scenery it uses for touring productions, scenery it can rent, and scenery that has been graciously offered from directors in surrounding areas. People from throughout the country are offering to help. When it was learned that many costumes were lost in the storm, assistance to help replenish the wardrobe was received from Susi at the Costume Lady, Mona Rose Lujano, Primadonna Tutus, and Betti Jane Robinson in Boston.
All in all, there will be new challenges to confront in staging the holiday classic this season. But, the artistic directors, with the artistic and technical staff members have been thinking "out of the box" for workable solutions. They are determined that the Company's production will be maintained with the same quality and excellence for which it is known.
This year's Sugar Plum Fairy will be native New Orleanian, Janessa Touchet, a principal dancer with the Cincinnati Ballet who trained at the company school, Giacobbe Academy of Dance, since the age of three. She will be joined by fellow Cincinnati Ballet principal, Cervilio Amador. Both Janessa and Cervilio were finalists in the 2006 International Ballet Competition in Jackson, MS. Ms. Touchet, 24 years old, is an incredible dancer with a strong technique and engaging stage personality. Delta Festival Ballet thought it would be a wonderful gesture of respect and encouragement for our community to have a "home town artist" return and show her support.
In addition to the New Orleans performances, Delta Festival Ballet will perform the full length "Nutcracker" in Slidell, Louisiana with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra on Sunday, December 3rd. This performance, at newly constructed Northshore Harbor Center, was scheduled for 2005, but was also cancelled because of Hurricane Katrina. DFB will also present three student performances, the Children's Concert Series, in New Orleans on December 8th and in Slidell on December 12th.
Delta Festival Ballet, under the artistic direction of brother and sister Joseph Giacobbe and Maria Giacobbe, began as a community ballet in the late sixties. Professional since 1981, the company has become a valued member of the arts community in New Orleans and throughout Louisiana. The company returned to the stage on April 24 & 25, 2006 with a "homecoming concert" - A Time To Dance at Loyola University. Former dancers who are now with major ballet companies, such as the American Ballet Theatre, returned to their hometown to perform and support the rebuilding of New Orleans.