For the second year HNMCS Christmas Concert was delivered through the magical Christmas digital waves. The theme was Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker". Clara, Herr Drosselmeyer, The Nutcracker with her Soldiers, The Mouse King with his Mice Army, The Tropak Trio, The Sugarplum Fairy and her Fairies took us on a magical journey. The showcase featured HNMCS’s Middle, Intermediate, Senior School and Liturgical Choirs, the Grade 8 Dance Club, the Grade 7 and 8 classes, and the Grade 5 Drama class. The performance was directed by Ms. Anne Morrone and Ms. Christa Sealey. The Grade 8 class helped with the filming, backstage and prop design and Christina Racco helped Ms. Morrone with the video editing. A very special thank you to Ms. Christa and her mum, Carol Sealey, who made the beautiful costumes.

The story, and the performance, began with Clara (Kathleen Worthington) along with her party friends (Apolonija Banovic and Luna (Shujun) Chen) decorating the Christmas tree and inviting the audience into the beautiful HNMCS Chapel to hear the Intermediate Choir sing a stunning version of “O Night Divine” adapted by D.M.

After Clara's godfather, Herr Drosselmeyer (Nicole Le Donne) presented her with The Nutcracker, Clara excitedly invited everyone to another party full of all kinds of different Nutty characters. “The Nuttycracker Suite”, performed by the Middle School Choir, was a fun filled mini musical with seven(!) movements. It sure did “crack” us and Tchaikovsky up!

This was followed by a performance by the Nutcracker (Dream Tuitt-Barnes), the Liturgical Choir performing a beautiful version of “Silent Night”, proclaiming the night of Christ’s birth, and The Battle of all battles where the Mouse King (Jessika Vitins) and her Mice Army (Sarah Unsworth, Zara Kheiriddin-MacDonald, Isabella Cole) took on The Nutcracker with her Toy Soldiers (Gabriella Magnotta, Kateri Gingras). Winning the battle our Senior School Robotics Club presents The Nut-Cracker followed by an epic dance remix with our famous and talented Grade 8 Dance Club! After this performance it was hard to keep our feet from moving!

From there Clara and the Prince entered the Kingdom of Sweets and we were treated to the Senior School Choir perform an exciting version of “God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen” with Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, Arranged by L. Shackley and accompanied by our very own Beatrice Carcao.

We then had the beautiful and artistic Tropak dancers (lead by Julia Martin and sisters Larysa and Olena Grod), followed by the Dance of the Reed Pipes (Marianna Attardo and Karina Mak), a hilarious Pantomime skit by the Grade 5 Drama Class which left the audience in stitches and the Waltz of the Flowers by the Grade 7 and 8 Classes performing “Nutcracker Jingles”

The grand finale Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy with Marianna Attardo and her Fairies (Apolonija Banovic and Luna Chen) welcomed in the Senior School Choir singing an a cappella version of “Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy”, Arranged by J. Funk, leaving the viewer wanting something sweet!

All the HNMCS Choirs culminated on the steps of the Felician Convent to wish the Felician Sisters and viewers a Very Merry and Blessed Christmas performing “O Come All Ye Faithful”.

To all the amazing HNMCS students who worked tirelessly to make this performance possible, BRAVO! “Stars don’t shine because they want to be seen; they shine because they are stars.” - Alexander Den Heijer. Ladies, you truly are our HNMCS Stars!