David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Middle for the Performing Arts, New York, NY.
December 12, 2024.
The Nutcracker, one of the beloved ballets of all time, first premiered in 1892 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Since then, and particularly for the reason that Nineteen Sixties in North America, the ballet instructions sturdy audiences and accounts for roughly 40 % of corporations’ yearly income. The New York Metropolis Ballet (NYCB)’s manufacturing appeared to observe go well with, as a result of the big home on the David H. Koch Theater was practically full on a Thursday night time, two weeks earlier than Christmas.
The basic story is of a woman who receives a present of a nutcracker for Christmas, solely to have it damaged by her brother after which come to life after she nurses it again to well being. As compensation, the nutcracker turns right into a prince and takes her on a magical journey. It was NYCB’s first full-length ballet, premiering in 1954.
George Balanchine’s model differs from some productions within the second act – the Land of Sweets – however is enjoyable, whimsical, thrilling and extraordinary. Balanchine neatly used a sturdy solid of youngsters for his manufacturing, making it each engaging for fogeys and a relentless supply of goals for a lot of younger dancers.
So far as story ballets are involved, it’s a palatable fairy story with solely gentle forays into the paranormal – the rising Christmas tree, a ferocious battle between outsized mice and undersized troopers, and a random layover in a snowy location with dancing snowflakes en path to the Land of Sweets on a flying carriage. The recognizably acquainted music by Tchaikovsky carries us by way of all of it.
As somebody who has danced many a Nutcracker efficiency and (for higher or worse) has it embodied in my spirit, watching it once more was a nostalgic deal with – as I think about it’s for a lot of. The appeal of group throughout the holidays and the marvel of life seen by way of the eyes of youngsters is tough to argue towards.
This efficiency was made much more dazzling by the dancing of Tiler Peck because the Sugarplum Fairy, Roman Mejia as her Cavalier, and Ashley Hod because the Dewdrop Fairy. The women, specifically, danced with a readability and musicality each bit as shining as the ever present sparkles of their costumes. The choreography is way much less virtuosic than many different Balanchine works (maybe by design), however sure moments of technical brilliance prevail, reminding us why NYCB is likely one of the greatest on the planet and why the magic of Christmas nonetheless delights.
By Emily Sarkissian of Dance Informa.
