The Flamenco Nutcracker © is a bilingual, family friendly performance that reimagines the classic story of the Nutcracker from a Flamenco perspective. This dynamic and fast paced performance with a run time of 75 minutes is suitable for all ages. The performance highlights Hispanic holiday traditions and is filled with rhythm, color and exuberance.

ACT I

Our story begins in an Andalusian home on Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) where the family is gathered to celebrate. You may recognize the opening guitar riffs from the original Tchaikovsky score but soon the flamenco rhythm takes over and the family sings and dances together. Clara and her old sister Lola are so excited to see Tío José, their Godfather who always brings wonderful gifts. This year he has a new book for Lola and a Matador doll for Clara. As the fiesta winds down, the girls go to their room to read Lola’s new book together.

The adults stay up to watch “el Gordo” the Christmas Eve national lottery drawing! Percussionist Diego Alvarez brings this tradition to life with his incredible solo on the ‘cajón’ a percussion instrument from Peru.

Tío José and the girls’ father sing a beautiful ‘Nana’ (lullaby) with a Christmas theme. The girls drift off to sleep and begin to dream of dancing roses, and the Raven Queen (Melissa Cruz). The dream continues and the Matador doll comes to life to battle the Raven Queen and her minions….

ACT II

With the Raven Queen defeated, our Matador Prince can finally return to the Enchanted Forest. The sky fills with Christmas stars and we meet the Sugar Plum Fairy who dances with the long train dress known as the ‘bata de cola’ and plays the castanets.

The performance winds through a suite of dances echoing the original Nutcracker story where we see dances from different countries in the Land of the Sweets. The Flamenco Nutcracker takes audiences on a journey of discovery to the roots of Flamenco highlighting the folkloric roots with an ensemble piece ‘Ole Andaluz’ the African and Middle Eastern influences with a ‘Tangos/Zambra'‘ the inclusion of the Sephardic song ‘Los Bilbilicos’ and the Latin American and Caribbean influences through the powerful presence of the cajón, and the bamberas..

The finale brings the whole cast to the stage in a celebratory ‘Fin de Fiesta’ where even the musicians take a turn dancing while every sings the chorus from a ‘villancico’ (Christmas Carol). You can find many of the lyrics from the performance as well as a digital program on the program page here