Royal NZ Ballet performs The Nutcracker at Wellington’s St James Theatre.
Photo: Stephen A’Court
A poignant moment on stage wasn’t the only thing that moved a ballet audience on Thursday night, with a short, sharp earthquake rocking Wellington.
The 4.9 magnitude earthquake in the Cook Strait struck shortly after 9pm during the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s (RNZB) performance of The Nutcracker – a Christmas fairytale classic about an enchanted doll.
Sitting in the stalls of St James Theatre in Wellington, Susan said she initially thought the rumbling and shaking was someone kicking the back of her seat.
Only when snow began to fall somewhat incongruously from the ceiling, did she realise it was an earthquake.
“I looked up and around, and thought, ‘Holy f***, if it happens again or goes longer, this is it!'”
She said being in an auditorium was quite full on during a significant shake, which she described as strong and loud, but quick.
“It was in the middle of a semi-romantic, people putting their hearts out scene… and that just made me laugh, like, ‘wow the earth moved’.”
Despite the rumbling, Susan said the performers on stage didn’t miss a trick and she thought the audience was also rather stoic.
“My son nudged me and said, ‘Did you feel that?’, but there was no sign of consternation at all, really.
“The ballet has quite a reverent audience – people don’t actually make a fuss when the ballet is on.”
Susan was intrigued by the Kiwi take on the classic Christmas tale, usually set in the northern hemisphere.
“It’s light, it’s a lovely intriguing story – it was beautiful. I love the ballet.”
RNZB artistic director and choreographer Ty King Wall said the quake struck during the Sugar Plum Fairy pas de deus – “one of the ballet’s most magical moments”.
“Everyone – dancers and orchestra alike – continued without missing a beat.”
Like Susan, he said the only sign of disturbance onstage were a few extra snowflakes drifting down.
King Wall said they were fortunate to perform in the seismically strengthened theatre and noted the ballet troupe had weathered a few earthquakes over the years, in 2013 and 2017.
“The show, however, always goes on.”
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