"The Nutcracker"
A Review
by Natalie Whitehair
by Natalie Whitehair
A personal staple of my holiday season is seeing “The Nutcracker” ballet at Kodak Hall in Eastman Theatre. While I haven’t always been able to go annually, it holds a special place in my heart; I remember being a little girl and staring up in awe of the ornate and ornamented theatre, feeling like I was just transported into a different land. Now, as I went back this year, I am reminded of the magnificence the place brings to the performance, with its glimmering golds and soft hues of blue and red, as well as the stories and mythology painted on the walls.
Whether it’s the large stage with tall, red curtains and snowflakes projected onto it, along with alternating gold smiling and frowning masks lining the top; or the huge chandelier casting light onto everything, your eyes never get bored while waiting for the ballet to start.
Finally, the lights dim and the curtains draw open. “The Nutcracker” begins with the main character, Clara, and her family along with the comical maid and butler preparing for a Christmas party. A short time later the guests started arriving; the costume design starts off with 19th century inspired clothes, the gowns and hairstyles for the girls caught my eye the most. It helped convey the time period and eased the watcher into the story of the ballet. The festivities ensue with happy revelers but are temporarily halted by the arrival of Uncle Drosselmeyer, a mysterious character with some ulterior motives. With his cape and eccentric eyebrows, he sets into motion the events of the entire ballet by giving Clara her nutcracker.
The party gradually dies down and late at night Clara comes back to the room to fetch her nutcracker, this time in a beautiful flowing nightgown. Unbeknownst to her, Uncle Drosselmeyer is there alongside “Christmas Spirit” to work their magic. She shrinks and the toys become larger, mice and toy soldiers beginning to battle.
The costumes of both the Mouse King and the Nutcracker as they engaged in their battle were well done, both with heads that fit their role: a giant mouse and a large nutcracker. Once the fight ends with the Nutcracker victorious, Clara is whisked away to magical lands with him. Despite the dancers wearing masks, it did not take away anything from the performance, everyone was still very expressive, especially the girl playing Clara, who conveyed her wonderstruck and amazement perfectly.
First the duo pass through a snowy forest and the snowflakes begin their dance along with the king and queen. I noticed that there were a variety of tutus, particularly for the different roles. The “snowflakes”, serving as a backdrop for the king and queen, had snowflake crowns and wore longer and layered skirts in hues of blue while the Queen wore a more regal style, as well as a more royal crown nestled in her top bun. The King had on a shirt which complimented the Queen, with icy geometric designs on it to represent winter. Although the “snowflakes” were in a group, they did have their moments to shine.
When the dance is over, the King and Queen bid them goodbye, and Clara with her Nutcracker continue on, after that act one comes to a close.
Eventually, act two starts and they come to see the Sugar Plum Fairy and her land, which has a most noticeable food theme. I noticed that her costume was different from past years, the usually prominent pinks and purples were used as accents instead. As the theme was food, all the dancers wore costumes which represented their respective foods. The most notable costume was the Gingerbread Mama one; it’s giant and reaches high into the air, displaying a wacky hairstyle and big spoon. The constructed skirt conceals the ginger babies until they emerge from the fabric in adorable gingerbread cookie onesies. Overall the costume design was gorgeous, each one was put together to suit the roles perfectly.
Of course it wouldn’t be a ballet without the dancing. It was enchanting, the grace and fluidity of the movements blew me away. The spins and twirls flowed together and the strength needed for the men to lift up the women multiple times during their performances captivated me. Each role and character was expressed through their dances very well. When the “snow” fell during the “Waltz of the Snowflakes” it added a lot to the dance and made it all the more magical. The backdrops created a sense of environment for the dancers to draw upon.
Lastly, I must mention the music, which was conducted by Tara Simoncic. The music flowed with the dances seamlessly, bringing the ballet further to life. The act one battle music between the nutcracker and the mouse king made it actually seem like toys were fighting. During “Waltz of the Snowflakes” the quieter side of the music brought out the soft side of snowflakes and the gradual build up towards a louder dynamic brought out the blizzard quality that snowflakes can often have. The children’s choir, although much smaller than previous years, was wonderful during their part in “Waltz of the Snowflakes”. They’re voices added an ethereal and gentleness to the piece. The music breathed life into “Sugarplum Fairy and Cavalier Pas de Deux”, the crescendos created a royal and powerful touch to the dance. The varying instrumentals of the orchestra and the dynamics of the accompanying music made the ballet all the more great.
I would highly recommend going to see “The Nutcracker” when it next performs if you are able to. It truly is a beautiful ballet to watch and listen to. Who knows, maybe it will become a staple of your holiday season as well.