Studio Blog

Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker features the iconic Dove of Peace foreshadowed in Uncle Drosslemeyer’s workshop and as the centerpiece (center-peace!) of Act II’s opening scene. Throughout the world, the Dove of Peace is a symbol of love and harmony. The Dove of Peace evolved from the original conception as a solo performance into a stunning duet with show-stopping costuming designed by Arthur Oliver. For the 2017 25th Anniversary Tour, Moscow Ballet presents the new, life-like and mesmerizing puppetry of a flying dove designed by world recognized South African master puppeteer Roger Tilley. In Act II’s Land of Peace of Harmony the peaceful animal kingdom of puppets, reminiscent of such shows as The Lion King, comes alive to celebrate the arrival of Masha and the Nutcracker Prince. Moscow Ballet’s Sergey Chumakov and Elena Petrichenko together form the Dove of Peace with a 20-foot wingspan. In 2012, Sergey and Elena were inspired by the 1957 Carnegie Hall performance of Vlasov and Sabitova’s dramatic illusion of a soaring bird (during US Tour of the Bolshoi Ballet presented by legendary impresario Sol Hurok), and premiered Moscow Ballet’s two-person “Dove of Peace” to critical acclaim. Chumakov and Petrichenko were originally invited to perform as Masha and Nutcracker Prince in the 1994 production of the Great Russian Nutcracker. Twenty years later, New York Times Chief Dance Critic Alastair Macaulay wrote, “Knockout male dancer Sergey Chumakov…when partnering Elena Petrachenko …confers an unusual thrill,” of their performance at West Point Academy. Continuing Moscow Ballet’s tradition of seeking artistic freedom and cultural sharing, the touring company, who hail from the major Russian Ballet houses including Kazan, Mariinsky, Stanislavsky, Perm, Kiev, Bolshoi, Odessa and more, dedicate the 2017 25th Anniversary tour of the Great Russian Nutcracker to world peace.

Everyone is invited to celebrate the season with the Great Russian Nutcracker and to dream of ways to live in peace and harmony, whether it’s through a choreographing a dance, filling a blank canvas, or sharing clips of the beautiful Dove of Peace in all of its

forms! Celebrate with friends and family at the Great Russian Nutcracker in 130+ cities across the United States and Canada, and get your tickets by clicking here: