EN POINTE

Image courtesy of the Australian Ballet

Perhaps because we all danced as children, one of the favourite past times in our house is to get dressed up and head out to watch a ballet. This only happens once or twice a year, but this only makes us look forward to it that much more. 

On Saturday night my mum, sister and I were lucky enough to see Peter Wright's The Nutcracker at the Opera House, and boy were we all impressed! 

We arrived in the city early, hoping to find somewhere nice to eat beforehand. On a friend's recommendation, we ate at Young Alfred, an Italian restaurant situated at the front of Customs House. An easy distance from the Opera House, it was a great option for us as it was affordable, and had plenty of non-seafood options (one thing you'll soon learn about me is that I can't stand seafood!) We shared entrees, opting for bread with balsamic vinegar, polenta chips, and mushroom and spinach arancini. They were all nice, and not having tried polenta chips before I was quite impressed! 

For mains my mum and I had a pesto gnocchi, which we both agreed was the nicest gnocchi we have ever had. It was so tender and fresh - definitely worth a try. My less adventurous sister had a mushroom and ham pizza which she also enjoyed. After finishing with a coffee, it was time to head back to the Opera House, take the obligatory photo in front of the bridge, and head inside to take our seats. The atmosphere there was buzzing. It's a wonderful way to spend the evening, getting all dressed up and spending the night with people who appreciate the talent just as much as us. 

The ballet kicked off at 7:30, and although it went for a good couple of hours, felt like it was over in two minutes. In case you aren't familiar with the story of the nutcracker, the tale is set at Christmas time. A young girl, the main character, is first seen celebrating Christmas Eve with her family. A magician hands her a nutcracker doll at the party, and at midnight, the doll becomes a prince and the fun begins. The night is complete with evil rats, a flying goose, the Sugar Plum fairy and so much more. It was most fitting with Christmas planning well underway. 

The Nutcracker was one of the most beautiful ballets I have seen so far. The orchestra played wonderfully, the costumes were amazing, and the dancers did a wonderful job. I'm sure it's sold out by now, but as you can tell, I highly recommend. 

Next up is Swan Lake in February! 

For more information, or to see what ballets are coming up, head to the Australian Ballet website by clicking here. 

Our obligatory photo in front of the Opera House! 

Love from, 

Emma Lou