Announcing the opening production at the new
Ian McKellen Theatre at Saint Stephens
A Christmas season of ‘The Nutcracker’
to Tchaikovsky’s wonderful music
by Olivier Award-winning director Peter Schaufuss
The Ian McKellen Theatre at Saint Stephens in Edinburgh will open in December with a stunning new ballet production of ‘The Nutcracker’ to Tchaikovsky’s wonderful music by Olivier Award-winning director Peter Schaufuss.
The only ‘Nutcracker’ performances in Edinburgh this Christmas will star Johan Christensen as the Prince and Katie Rose, leading a company from Edinburgh Festival Ballet.
Danish ballet star Johan shared the role of Hamlet with Sir Ian McKellen and Katie Rose was Ophelia in Peter Schaufuss’s record-breaking production of ‘Hamlet’, that proved to be the hottest ticket at the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe seen by a capacity audience of 13,000.
Named Best Event Theatre at the Fringe by Theatre Weekly, the dance version of ‘Hamlet’ launched the 450-seat Ashton Hall at Saint Stephens Edinburgh, a new all-year performance venue in the Scottish capital from the legendary dance producer, director and choreographer, Peter Schaufuss, and named after the famous choreographer, the late Sir Frederick Ashton.
Schaufuss, who directed and choreographed ‘Hamlet, said: “Since the Fringe we have created a second 300-seat theatre at St Stephens, underneath the Ashton Hall, and I am delighted that Ian has accepted our offer to name the venue in his honour.
Tickets go on sale today for the ‘The Nutcracker’ ballet, which runs from 16 – 23 December.
Johan Christensen (The Prince in ‘The Nutcracker’)
Johan Christensen was born in West Jutland in Denmark and joined the prestigious Royal Danish Ballet School as a child prodigy. He performed many of the children’s roles on stage, including the title role Peter in Sergei Prokofiev’s much loved ‘Peter and the Wolf’ and the Prince in the magical ‘Nutcracker’ production by Alexei Ratmansky.
During his schooling Johan was trained in the unique, to the Royal Danish Ballet, style of August Bournonville and participated in the 200th anniversary of the choreographers birth in 2005,
appearing in all the important children’s roles in the ballets presented during this the 3rd Bournonville Festival celebrations. After further extending his education at the world renowned choreographer John Neumeier’s school in Hamburg he joined Peter Schaufuss Ballet at only 16 as a dancer in 2008.
In the following years Johan developed and danced in the whole company repertoire including many leading roles such as the prince in Tchaikovsky’s ‘Swan Lake’, ‘Sleeping Beauty’ and ‘The Nutcracker’ with great acclaim.
In 2012 he danced the title role in Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ to Sir John Gielgud’s famous soliloquies and Tybalt in Sir Frederick Ashton’s legendary production of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ with Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev in performances in London.
However, in 2019 his career turned full circle as he returned working with Peter Schaufuss as the founding Principal of Edinburgh Festival Ballet School.
At the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe he shared the role of ‘Hamlet’ with Ian McKellen to great acclaim.
Peter Schaufuss
Peter Schaufuss was quite literally brought up in the theatre and is an Olivier, Evening Standard and Edinburgh Critic’s Award-winning choreographer, teacher, director and widely recognized as one of the most talented male dancers on the international stage.
In a stellar career he has performed with the most celebrated ballerinas of his time at all major ballet companies, and staged upwards of 100 productions worldwide. He has had ballets and choreography specifically created for him by the likes of Sir Kenneth McMillan, George Balanchine, Roland Petit, Sir Frederick Ashton, among others.
Peter has also been the director of ‘English National Ballet’, ‘Berlin Ballet’ at the German Opera Berlin and ‘Royal Danish Ballet’. He is the Founder of the ‘English National Ballet School’, the ‘Peter Schaufuss Ballet & School’ and the ‘Royal Danish Ballet School in Holstebro’.
Peter has had his own Emmy Award nominated television programme ‘Dancer’ for the BBC as well as built ‘Black Box Theatre’ to his design, in Denmark, which is his native country.
LISTINGS INFO
The Nutcracker
a ballet for all the family
by Tchaikovsky
by Olivier Award-winning
director Peter Schaufuss
A Christmas treat for the whole family
The only Nutcracker performances in Edinburgh this Christmas!
with
Johan Christensen as the Prince
16 – 23 December
at 4pm and 7pm
Ian McKellen Theatre at
Saint Stephens
105 St Stephen Street,
Edinburgh
EH3 5AB
Tickets:
General Seating
This ticket is for an unreserved seat for the performance
£27.22 each
£25.00 + £2.22 booking fee
Children (under 12)
£13.82 each
£12.50 + £1.32 booking fee
Family Ticket
Includes 2 adults & 2 children
£64.74 each
£60.00 + £4.74 booking fee
Priority Ticket
This ticket is for a reserved seat for the performance
£34.72 each
£32.00 + £2.72 booking fee
Tickets can be booked here: https://www.citizenticket.co.uk/events/edinburgh-festival-ballet/nutcracker/