Ayako Ono dazzles in National Ballet of Japan’s Nutcracker

Ayako Ono as Clara and Yudai Fukuoka as Nutcracker in Eagling's The Nutcracker and the Mouse King

National Ballet of Japan in Wayne Eagling's The Nutcracker and the Mouse King

National Ballet of Japan in the Waltz of the Flowers in The Nutcracker and the Mouse King

National Ballet of Japan in the Snow Scene in The Nutcracker and the Mouse King

Ayako Ono as Clara and Yudai Fukuoka as the Prince in The Nutcracker and the Mouse King

By Naomi Mori, 29 December 2023

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“this onstage couple were showing the audience what ballet heaven should look like”

Reviewed at New National Theatre, Tokyo: Opera House, Tokyo on 25 December 2023

The Nutcracker (Wayne Eagling)

National Ballet of Japan

Alexei Baklan, Conductor

TBC, Conductor

Naoji Kawaguchi, Set Designer

Ayako Maeda, Costume Designer

Yuji Sawada, Lighting Designer

Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra

The Little Singers of Tokyo

Ayako Ono, Dancer

Yudai Fukuoka, Dancer

Keigo Fukuda, Dancer

Moeko Iino, Dancer

Yoshito Kinoshita, Dancer

Yuzuki Hanagata, Dancer

National Ballet of Japan: a breathtaking Beauty opens the season

Naomi Mori, 25th October

National Ballet of Japan opened their 2024/25 season with Eagling’s The Sleeping Beauty. Haruka Sassa's Aurora, guesting from Staatsballett Berlin, and prima ballerina, Yui Yonezawa, debuting as the Lilac Fairy, were highly impressive.

****1

ENB's Nutcracker: beautiful dancing but blurred narrative

Alexander Simpkins, 14th December

English National Ballet's current Nutcracker shows off the brilliance of the dancers across the ranks but after many years, the weaknesses in the plot and characterisation remain flawed.

***11

NEBT in Genesis Dance Project: a mixed set of offerings

Graham Watts, 2nd November

A curate's egg of dance.

***11

ENB's Nutcracker shows real strength throughout the ranks

Deborah Weiss, 15th December

Wayne Eagling's production for English National Ballet does not show any signs of waning popularity... audiences still want their yearly fix!

***11

English National Ballet's Nutcracker opens another festive run

Graham Watts, 16th December

Despite excellent performances, time needs to be called on Wayne Eagling's Nutcracker.

**111

Easter delights in Dutch National Ballet's Spring Special

Graham Watts, 5th April

A complete roster of principal dancers appear in a gala full of the joys of spring.

****1

More reviews...

Naomi Mori

Naomi is a blogger living in Tokyo and travels frequently to see ballet. She is a law graduate of Waseda University and a former film publicist, film critic and IT business researcher/strategist. She blogs at La Dolce Vita in Japanese. She tweets about ballet as @naomip_86. and takes ballet class regularly

Ayako Ono dazzles in National Ballet of Japan’s The Nutcracker and the Mouse King