It's about ten minutes until show time, when the first glorious strains of Tchaikovsky's familiar score will be heard and the curtain will rise. Despite this, the Wang Theatre is still abuzz with excitement and anticipation. Dolled up boys and girls are curiously peering into the orchestra pit, one of the evil mice who will later battle the Nutcracker is mingling with the audience, and parents are attempting to quiet their eager children.
The house lights gradually begin to dim, and last minute stragglers find their way to their seats as a hush falls over the theater. The conductor raises his baton, the orchestra begins to play, and the magical journey known as Boston Ballet's production of The Nutcracker has at last begun.
With audience members spanning three generations, it isn't hard to see that The Nutcracker has become a Christmas tradition since first being choreographed and staged in 1882 by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov in Russia. Based on E.T.A. Hoffmann's fairy tale The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, this classic ballet tells the story of Clara, her godfather Dr. Drosselmeyer, and a magical nutcracker. With battle scenes, enchanted forests, dancing snowflakes, and a palace of sweets, it is no surprise that The Nutcracker is a family favorite and one of the most anticipated events of the holiday season in Boston for grandparents and toddlers alike.
This year marks the Boston Ballet's 36th annual production of this classic ballet, and yet it is like no other Nutcracker you've seen before. Among the changes are a less superfluous prologue and new choreography in Act II by Daniel Pelzig, who reworked Act I in 1998. The result is a cohesive and elegant production that succeeds at being more grown-up than other versions while still capturing the essence of childhood fantasy that is at the heart of The Nutcracker.
The prologue, which depicts a snow-covered town and its villagers as they prepare for the holidays, flows seamlessly into the first scene of Act I. It is Christmas Eve, 1830, and the Silberhaus family is in the midst of preparations for an elaborate party. Guests begin to arrive, including the mysterious and magical Dr. Drosselmeyer, who is evidently a favorite among the children. He proceeds to entertain the guests with a variety of magic tricks, ranging from pulling a bouquet of flowers out of thin air to bringing dolls to life. Unlike other renditions which tend to be lacking in actual dancing, the Boston Ballet production infuses Scene I with elements of classical ballet technique that maintain the theatrics and storytelling aspects of mime. The choreography is fun and lively, and the scene doesn't seem to drag on for nearly as long as it usually does.
Later that evening, after the guests have departed and the rest of the family has gone to bed, Clara returns downstairs to find her nutcracker and falls asleep beneath the 16-foot Christmas tree. She awakes to find that everything in the room has grown to massive proportions - the tree now stands 40 feet high and the toy soldiers, whom the now-living Nutcracker is preparing for battle against the Mouse King and his army, are life-size. A battle ensues, and each attempt of the Mouse King to defeat the Nutcracker increases the tension and suspense of an audience that fears for Clara's beloved toy.
Worry not, kids - you know the good guy always wins in the end. Clara, danced by the delightful Elizabeth Schultz-McGuire, throws one of her ballet slippers at the Mouse King, disorienting him enough to allow the Nutcracker and his soldiers to triumph against the mice. The Nutcracker, played by Christopher Budzynski, is transformed into a handsome Prince. He and Clara are whisked away by Dr. Drosselmeyer to the Enchanted Forest where they meet the Snow Queen and King.
The snowflake scene is magical and enchanting - and the first and only scene of Act I that is more dancing than storytelling. It is a classic variation that is one of the most breathtaking of the entire ballet. The elaborate and complex choreography of the snow scene makes it the corps de ballet's chance to shine - and it does. Pollyana Ribeiro is fabulous as the Snow Queen, executing perfect piqu?© turns and double fouett?©s. The pas de deux scene with the Snow King (Viktor Polotnikov), in which there is both adagio and allegro choreography, exhibits the versatility of both dancers.
Clara and her Prince depart the enchanted forest in an elaborate hot air balloon, which transports them to the Palace of Sweets where all of Act II will take place. They are greeted by the Sugarplum Fairy and her bonbons - one of the changes made to the ballet by Pelzig this year. An elaborate ceremony is held to honor Clara - exotic sweets and spices perform for her in a series of divertissements.
One of the finest divertissements in Act II has always been "Coffee." Tchiakovsky's music in this variation is particularly exotic, and the choreography is traditionally a blend of ballet, gymnastics, and acrobatics. The technical prowess of dancers Erika Lambe, Michael Johnson, and Christopher Anderson is undeniable, yet hinders the divertissement in that they fail to achieve the light-footed ease that makes ballet so seemingly effortless and seamless. The audience could tell by their facial expressions that they were focused entirely on the movement, neglecting the artistic elements of the variation that make it so exotic and intriguing.
The Russian divertissement is a blend of enormous jumping combinations with the lithe movements of classical ballet. It is one of the few scenes in the entire ballet in which the male dancers are the focus - there is no traditional partnering in this scene, just a magnificent display of the power and grace of male dancers.
One of the most notable of Pelzig's changes to Act II is the replacement of the typically ostentatious Mother Ginger with the more elegant Mother Gigogne. Because she does not dance on stilts like the Mother Ginger of other productions of The Nutcracker, she has more freedom to move, allowing Pelzig to introduce elements of Russian folk and French court dancing to the choreography for Mother Gigogne and her polichinelles. It is a delightful change of pace from the tradition of watching Mother Ginger stumbling around stage.
Little girls dream of being Clara, but the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy is truly the most coveted role in all of Nutcracker. Also one of the most technically demanding, the role of queen of the Palace of Sweets is always given to one of the ballet company's best. Last Friday's Sugar Plum Fairy was danced beautifully by Marjorie Grundvig, a soloist with the Boston Ballet since 1998. She is the epitome of grace and elegance and effortlessly captured the mystery of ballet.
The crowning moment of Act II is the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier (Reagan Messer) pas de deux before the "Waltz Finale." It is technically demanding, not only because of the complicated choreography but also because of its length. Grundvig and Messer tackle the demands of the pas de deux beautifully with an evident grasp of the rapport necessary between two dancers that makes partnering in classical ballet so difficult and so awe inspiring.
The "Waltz Finale" is an exquisite farewell gesture to Clara and the Nutcracker Prince in which all the sweets and spices return to the stage to dance with the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. The effect of so many dancers in such spectacular costumes on stage all at once is tremendous, leaving the audience in a state of wonderment as Clara and her Prince climb back into the elaborate hot air balloon that will bring them home.
Boston Ballet's production of The Nutcracker is tremendous and impressive. It not only boasts a world-class company of dancers, but features scenery by Helen Pond and Herbert Senn and costumes by David Walker that contribute to the wonder and magic of this holiday ballet. The choreography by Pelzig, Artist Director Anna-Marie Holmes, Artistic Director Emeritus Bruce Marks, and Boston Ballet teacher Sydney Leonard differs greatly from that of companies such as New York City Ballet and Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, achieving an impeccable balance between dancing and storytelling.
Nowhere but the Wang will you find such magic and holiday spirit these days. Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker is one of the best in the country, and well worth a trip to the Wang - even for us tired and overworked Tufts students.
