International Mexican-based ballet star in The Nutcracker
Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without the tale of The Nutcracker. Catch a fantastic rendition of the classic story performed by the Joburg Ballet at the State Theatre.
Ballet audiences are in store for a treat when the young, Mexican-based ballet star Jonhal Fernández visits SA to partner with prima ballerina Burnise Silvius in Joburg Ballet’s The Nutcracker, coming to the South African State Theatre for a limited engagement.
Cuban-born Fernández graduated from the National Ballet School, Havana, in 2010 and danced with the National Ballet of Cuba and Pro Danza as a principal dancer.
In 2011 he danced in the Dominican Republic, Peru and Ecuador before joining the Ballet de Monterrey, Mexico.
Other appearances of his on the international stage include Italy and South Africa and his repertoire features leading roles in Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Dracula, Giselle, Cinderella, The Sleeping Beauty as well as Diana and Actaeon Pas de Deux, Le Corsaire Pas de Deux and Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux. He has won several gold and silver medals at international ballet competitions.
Fernández will dance the Nutcracker Prince opposite Burnise Silvius’ Sugar Plum Fairy at the South African State Theatre, Pretoria, on 22 November at 19:30, 24 November at 15:00 and 1 December at 11:00.
Other partnerships to look forward to are Shannon Glover and Ramiro Sámon on 23 and 30 November at 11:00; Lindé Wessels and Jonathan Rodrigues on 28 November at 11:00; Angela Maree and Javier Monier on 27 November at 11:00; Shannon Glover and Michael Revie on 29 November at 19:30; and Angela Maree and Michael Revie on 30 November at 11:00.
Joburg Ballet’s The Nutcracker is based on the traditional classic created more than a century ago and was developed for the stage by artistic director Iain MacDonald and ballet mistresses Angela Malan and Lauren Dixon-Seager.
A jewellery box of delights, with sugar plum fairies, Nutcracker princes, Christmas tree fairies, Chinese, Russian and Spanish dancers, waltzing stars, dancing snowflakes and much more, The Nutcracker will be performed by the Joburg Ballet at the South African State Theatre in Pretoria from Friday, 22 November to Sunday, 1 December.
