(PARAMUS, NJ) -- The Adelphi Orchestra will join the members of the internationally renowned Donetsk Ballet, one of Eastern Europe’s foremost dance companies, and students of the Midland Park, NJ based Miss Patti's School of Dance in the 19th Annual production of Tchaikovsky’s universally timeless masterwork, The Nutcracker Ballet presented by JulieDance. Performances run Friday, December 7 at 7:30pm, Saturday, December 8 at 7:00pm and Sunday, December 9 at 2:00pm.  All performances take place at Paramus Catholic High School, 425 Paramus Road in Paramus, NJ. Tickets are $40-$45.

“We’re honored that this year represents the fifth consecutive season the Adelphi Orchestra will participate in the JulieDance Nutcracker - a tradition benefiting pediatric cancer research and treatment said Adelphi Orchestra Music Director, Richard Owen. “Because of audience support proceeds from Nutcracker productions have raised over a half million dollars to benefit childhood cancer research and care.” A surprising number of the Adelphi Orchestra members have lived through the challenges of having a child struck by cancer - and identify with the personal tragedy the founders of JulieDance, Patti and Darryl Vigon, experienced with the loss of their child, Julie. Since 1997 JulieDance’s production of Nutcracker has raised awareness and funds for childhood cancer research and through the beauty of art, created a message of hope.”

Over 185 lavishly costumed dancers bring to life the classic story of a young girl who dreams of dancing confections, soldiers marching into battle and her Nutcracker Prince on Christmas Eve. The ballet, which premiered one week before Christmas in 1892 at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg was choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov andbased on an adaptation of E.T.A. Hoffman’s story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by the French writer Alexander Dumas.

For two decades, the Bergen County holiday tradition has been presented by, JulieDance, a non-profit arts organization founded in 1997 by Patti and Darryl Vigon in memory of their beloved daughter, Julie. Julie succumbed to Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, at the age of 12. Julie was a promising young ballerina who distinguished herself as a student at the School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center and as a performer in the children’s repertoire of many New York City Ballet productions. JulieDance is dedicated to fostering participation in and appreciation for dance and music, and to supporting the research and treatment of childhood cancer. In nineteen years, JulieDance has raised over $500,000 for pediatric cancer organizations. JulieDance is a 501 (c)(3) organization.  

Donetsk Ballet, the resident company of Donetsk, Ukraine, has been regarded as one of Eastern Europe’s foremost dance companies, rivaling the Bolshoi and Kirov. The touring group of the Company features 18-20 National and Honored Artists of Ukraine. Since 1993, the Donetsk Ballet, performing The Nutcracker with students of regional ballet schools throughout the Eastern United States, has delighted audiences with their masterful artistry. Charmingly complementing the Donetsk Ballet professionals with youthful beauty, artistry and energy are 160 highly trained and choreographed ballet students of Miss Patti’s School of Dance,

The Adelphi Orchestra is a professional, non-profit orchestra performing symphonic, chamber, operatic and dance concerts. For the past 15 years the Adelphi Orchestra has sponsored a Young Artist Competition and Young Artist Concerts throughout New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area. The Adelphi Orchestra presents concerts with accomplished national and international guest soloists and distinguished conductors. Nominated by its peers for the past 3 years the Jersey Arts People's Choice Award in the Favorite Orchestra/Symphony Division, the Adelphi Orchestra is a member of the League of Orchestras. It is northern New Jersey's longest continuously performing orchestra and a member of the New Jersey cultural community for 64 years. The mission of the Adelphi Orchestra is to serve the musical and educational needs of the citizens of New Jersey, with special emphasis given to families with young children, seniors and those with limited financial means. To further this end, numerous concerts are offered free of admission charges. The Adelphi Orchestra strives to advance the orchestral arts through education, commissions, community partnerships and its robust young artist programing. Within the orchestra, the company fosters a challenging and enjoyable environment where artistic excellence can flourish.  

Richard Owen is celebrating his seventh season as conductor and is the music director of the Adelphi Orchestra. Combining a successful career as a conductor, entrepreneur, pianist and organist, Maestro Owen is also music director of Camerata NY Orchestra and St. Jean Baptiste Church (NYC). He was formerly on the conducting staff of the NY Philharmonic (cover conductor) as well as the Deutsche Oper am Rhein(Duessledorf).  Mo. Owen has made several conducting debuts including with the Little Opera Theater of New York (Gluck’s The Reformed Drunkard), with Rioult Dance (M. Torke’s Iphigenia) the Center for Contemporary Opera (Night of the Living Dead) and Carmina Burana with the Montreal Symphony, conducting alongside Mo. Kent Nagano. He has conducted symphony orchestras in Duisburg, Dusseldorf, Rzeszow, Jacksonville, Monterrey, Belgrade as well as the Staatskapelle Weimar, the Europa Symphony, the Silesian Philharmonic, the Baltic Opera and the Pacific Symphony. Mr. Owen graduated from Dartmouth College, where he was a recipient of a piano scholarship. He studied piano, accompanying and conducting at the Manhattan School of Music and at the University for Music and the Performing Arts in Vienna, Austria. A native New Yorker, Mr. Owen is committed to the cultural growth of the New York Metro/Northern New Jersey by presenting diverse repertoire to all generations.