Highlights from

The Nutcracker

Sponsored in part by Retina Health Center

December 5 & 6

Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at FSW

2020-2021 Season Sponsor: Gunterberg Charitable Foundation – Culliton Family

Conductor

Dr. Andrew M. Kurtz

guest artists

gulfshore ballet

Synopsis

As our story begins, it is Christmas Eve. The Godfather Drosselmeyer, a skilled toy maker and full of surprises, arrives with a toy for Marie, a wooden Nutcracker. Drosselmeyer’s arrival draws Marie’s attention as he presents a Columbine Doll and Toy Soldier.

 

During the night, Marie returns to the parlor to check on her beloved Nutcracker, suddenly, the Christmas tree begins to grow to dizzying heights. Marie’s Nutcracker also come to life. The Mouse King corners the Nutcracker and battles him one by one, when the Nutcracker is in danger, Marie saves his life by hitting the Mouse King on its head. The Nutcracker stabs him and the Mouse King runs out of the room. The Nutcracker Prince becomes a human prince and he leads Marie on a journey to the land of snow, an enchanted forest wonderland where they are welcomed by dancing snowflakes.

 

Marie and the Prince travel to the beautiful land of the sweets, ruled by the Sugar Plum Fairy. In honor of the young heroine, a celebration of sweets from around the world is produced: Chocolate from Spain, Tea from China, Candy Canes from Russia, Coffee from Arabia, Marzipan from Denmark, sweets from the bakers, and a string of beautiful waltzing Flowers led by the Dewdrop. To conclude the night, the Sugar Plum Fairy and Drosselmeyer perform a Pas de Deux.

A final waltz is performed by all of the Sweets, after which the Sugar Plum Fairy ushers Marie and everyone comes together on the court and bids Marie farewell. They leave the stage signaling the end of the magical story

GulfShore Ballet

Gulfshore Ballet is Southwest Florida’s premier not-for-profit school of Classical Ballet. The school has an internationally acclaimed teaching faculty and offers area students the unique opportunity to study with professional instructors of the highest caliber. The training at Gulfshore Ballet combines Cuban, American, and Russian technique and brings a quality of excellence not normally found outside major metropolitan cities. 

ACT I

Herr Drosselmeyer

Franklin Gamero

Marie

Katie Shipp

Fritz

Parrish Danesh

Marie’s Friends

Nina Colls, Sarah Kate Feiock, Audrey Galloway, Isabela Pinto, Emarie Ramsay-Moroti

Fritz’s Friends

Michael Boutsan, Aiden Gonzalez, Alexander Redman

Columbine Doll

Alivia Ban

Soldier/Nutcracker

Zachary Yoshida

Mouse King

Alan Rudd

Snow Queen

Carly Anderson

Mini Snowflakes

Alana Almodovar, Melia Brockington, Skye Buchanan, Isabell Donato, Elizabeth Eaton, Elana Gorny, Ana Ortega, Kai Perkins, Kayla Rathur, Madelena Urban

Snowflakes

Alivia Ban, Annette Gorny, Courtney Laplatte, Nicole Lezcano, Ella Litvak, Savannah Redman, Sabrina Ruff, Chloe Sierra

ACT II

The Sugar Plum Fairy

Annalisse Van Zanten

Lead Spanish

Annette Gorny

Spanish Dancers

Alana Almodovar, Melia Brockington, Elizabeth Eaton, Ana Ortega,  Madelena Urban

Lead Chinese

Savannah Redman

Lead Candy Canes

Kai Perkins, Zachary Yoshida

Candy Canes

Skye Buchanan, Isabell Donato, Elana Gorny, Kayla Rathur

Lead Arabian

Sabrina Ruff

Arabians

Alivia Ban, Kate Karen, Nicole Lezcano, Ella Litvak

Lead Marzipan

Chloe Sierra

Marzipans

Savannah Redman, Katie Shipp

Lead Chefs

Sarah Kate Feiock, Isabela Pinto, Emarie Ramsay-Moroti

Bakers

Michael Boutsan, Nina Colls, Parrish Danesh, Audrey Galloway

Cooks

Isabell Garvey, Aiden Gonzalez, Abigail Lagergren, Madelyn Roe, Mya Scerbo

Dewdrop

Courtney LaPlatte

Demi Flowers

Carly Anderson, Sabrina Ruff

Flowers

Alivia Ban, Elizabeth Eaton, Annette Gorny, Nicole Lezcano, Ella Litvak, Savannah Redman, Renee Rodriguez, Chloe Sierra

Pas de Deux

Franklin Gamero and Annalisse Van Zanten

Finale

All Cast

Andrew M. Kurtz

Music & Executive Director​

Gulf Coast Symphony founder Dr. Andrew M. Kurtz enters his twenty-sixth season as the Symphony’s Music & Executive Director, and conductor. His deep rooted commitment to new work, community and education, combined with a vibrant artistic vision has led to creating and nurturing one of the most dynamic arts organizations in the region. His conducting has been called “passionate, expansive, expert, and musical.” He was named the 2007 Performing Artist of the Year at Lee County’s Angel of the Arts Awards. Kurtz’s repertoire encompasses a wide range of music styles from baroque to contemporary, and multiple genres including symphonic, opera, ballet, musical theater, jazz, cantorial, and symphonic pops.

 

An avid arts educator, Maestro Kurtz was Resident Music Director at the Luzerne Music Center. Kurtz is a past-president of the board of the Lee County Alliance for the Arts. In 2001, he won First Prize in the Dell’Arte di Firenze International Conducting Competition, and made his European conducting debut in Florence. In 1995, Kurtz made his international operatic debut in Tel Aviv while working as a staff conductor at the Israel Vocal Arts Institute. In 1997, he conducted the Metropolitan Opera Guild’s educational tour production of The Best of Puccini. He was a scholarship conducting student at the prestigious Aspen Music Festival, and boasts numerous other conducting credits, including the Pennsylvania Opera Theater, the Pennsylvania Ballet, the Charlotte Symphony, Gonzaga Symphony, and the Ocean City Pops.

 

Kurtz completed his doctoral studies in conducting at the Peabody Conservatory and is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Virginia where he received his master’s degree in music history and a bachelor of arts in music and drama. A native of Philadelphia, Kurtz has called Southwest Florida home for more than 28 years, where he currently resides with his wife, Julie, and their son, Benjamin.

Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra Members

Violin 1

Sean O’Neil~

Clive Owens

Carlann Evans~

Ariel Eliot~

Erica Griswold

 

Violin 2

Rachel Cox

Margaret Nichols

John DiPuccio

Brenda Cali

Jonathan Lawrence

 

Viola

Alfonso Giordano

Ron Erickson~

Michael McClelland

 

Cello

Antonio Innaimo~

Scott Crowley~

Andreas Werle

 

Double Bass

Scott Davis~

Arthur Mooradian

John Wadsworth

Flute

Deb Handley

Sherrie Mangan

 

Oboe

Jonathan Gentry~

Kareema Colson

 

Clarinet

John Giacco

Nicholas Contreras

 

Bassoon

Scott Radloff

Stacey Gossmann

 

Horn

Dana Williams

Susan Oliver~

 

Trumpet

Cindy Klispie

Alan Klispie

Trombone

Kevin Devitt~

Rick Wallace

 

Timpani

Scott Crawford~

 

Percussion

Isaac Hernandez

 

Harp

Richard Fleisher

 

Celeste

Janet Carter

~ Denotes Gulf Coast Symphony Chamber Orchestra Member

Upcoming Concerts

Celebrate the season with your favorite holiday medleys.

12/12

Intimate evening of Sinatra’s Christmas hits!

Outdoor concert at the new Music & Arts Community Center.

12/16-17

Brian Duprey performs Frank’s greatest holiday classics.

12/19

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