The miserly and cold-hearted Ebenezer Scrooge has no interest in Christmas or other people. At night, however, the spirits of Christmas take him to visit the past, the present, and the future. Will Scrooge come to understand the meaning of Christmas?
Charles Dickens’s Christmas tale of virtue and justice has enchanted theatre-goers for 180 years. Now the story set in 19th century London is seen as an affecting ballet, which premieres at the Finnish National Ballet in the festive season of 2023. The impactful visuals of the production recreate the industrialising Victorian city, showcasing the contrast between the upper middle classes’ Christmas finery and the wretched conditions of the urban poor.
Dickens’ story of the miserly, embittered Scrooge and his redemption through the ghostly visitations he receives over the course of one Christmas Eve, has an iconic status in the English speaking world. Almost two centuries after it was first published A Christmas Carol continues to proliferate not only in the printed form but in a multitude of theatrical and cinematic versions, it is in fact as much a part of Christmas as Christmas trees and Santa Claus.
David Bintley
The ballet premiere is being brought to Helsinki by an all-British creative team, for whom the story has been part of their Christmas tradition since childhood. Choreographer David Bintley, the former Artistic Director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, also created the Finnish National Ballet’s rendition of Cinderella a few years back. The new music for A Christmas Carol is the third full-length ballet score by the London-born composer Sally Beamish. The dazzling costumes and sets are by Anna Fleischle, a prolific designer who has contributed to a wide variety of productions in Europe and the United States.