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Thursday, February 13, 2025

A sunny West Coast Christmas in Los Angeles Ballet’s The Nutcracker – Seen and Heard Worldwide


United KingdomUnited KingdomUnited Kingdom Los Angeles Ballet’s The Nutcracker: Dancers and Orchestra of Los Angeles Ballet / Jeffery Meyer (conductor). Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, 22.12.2024. (JRo)

Los Angeles Ballet’s The Nutcracker © Cheryl Mann Images

When December rolls round in america, performances of The Nutcracker are ubiquitous, from native ballet faculties to skilled corporations to that supreme model: George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, danced by New York Metropolis Ballet.

Right here in LA, the annual Los Angeles Ballet manufacturing was choreographed by co-founders Colleen Neary and Thordal Christensen. Christensen was principal dancer with the Royal Danish Ballet and its former creative director. Neary was a NYCB soloist and répétiteur for The George Balanchine Belief.

Given Neary’s pedigree, one would look forward to finding extra references to Balanchine’s Nutcracker. As a substitute, the Act I setting is transferred from the Staulbaum’s stately German house to a Los Angeles Craftsman type home. Act II’s ‘Land of Sweets’ has been reconfigured because the ‘Palace of the Dolls’ by the ocean. This can be a sunny Nutcracker, the darkish edges of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s unique story put aside.

Whether or not Nuremberg or Los Angeles, the Dolby Theater in Hollywood was alive with Tchaikovsky’s evocative wintry rating. Although a pared down ensemble, the Los Angeles Ballet Orchestra did justice to the music, ably performed by Jeffery Meyer.

The occasion on the Staulbaum’s is in full swing replete with tipsy waiters and flirty maids, when Uncle Drosselmeyer, danced by Evan Swenson, bursts into the lounge carrying a megawatt smile and big fur coat (winter in LA can drop to a cold 56). Extra the 1920’s Hollywood mogul than the mysterious toymaker of most productions, he offers Clara a life-sized Nutcracker quite than a small wood model. Although this leaves no risk for the Nutcracker to magically develop together with the Christmas tree, toy troopers and mice on the finish of Act I, it does permit for some humorous stage enterprise. When Fritz, Clara’s rowdy brother, pokes him, he receives an offhanded, mechanical slap in retaliation.

If units by Catherine Kanner are muted, the motion isn’t. Fritz, danced with apparent relish by 13-year-old Dylan Von Halle, retains issues full of life, careening across the stage adopted by a troop of exuberant baby dancers. The excessive degree of the youngsters’s forged was spectacular.

Of specific word had been the Harlequin and Columbine dolls of Act I who return in Act II. They had been danced with charming directness by Simon Costello and Poppy Coleman. Marcos Ramirez, previously of the Nationwide Ballet of Cuba, danced the position of the Cossack Doll (returning in Act II as a part of a trio of Russian dancers). He blended superlative approach and musicality with infectious gaiety.

There have been some humorous however perplexing moments within the dream scene on the finish of the primary act. The Christmas tree grows after the life-sized mice collect round Clara’s mattress, the mice want disco to ballet, the Mouse King is extra mafia godfather than horrifying rodent and the battle itself loses focus and so feels overlong. That mentioned, there was greater than sufficient to entertain the little ones within the viewers.

The twelve dancing snowflakes sparkle – this system notes reveal the motion has been rerouted to the mountains – after which the sled bearing Clara and the Nutcracker (now the Prince) lands in Venice Seashore. There they’re greeted by turbaned heralds and pages, and as an alternative of the Sugar Plum Fairy they’re welcomed by a ballerina doll referred to as Marie. Within the Hoffmann model, the kid Clara Staulbaum is known as Marie and within the later retelling by Alexandre Dumas, she is known as Clara. It’s complicated, however if one ignores this system notes and focuses on the stage, Aviva Gelfer-Mundi offers a stunning, and serene efficiency as Marie. Her prince, Jonas Tutaj, partnered her with dexterity and assurance.

Los Angeles Ballet’s The Nutcracker © Cheryl Mann Images

The Arabian dance with the willowy Paige Wilkey was reliably slinky, the Rose amidst the Sunflowers was danced with delicacy by Kate Inoue. Clara and her Nutcracker Prince (Sarah-Ashley Chicola and Jacob Soltero) had been appropriately enthusiastic and Mom Ginger didn’t disappoint. Lilly Leech, poking out of a gingerbread chimney atop a large sweet home (sweets ultimately!), disgorged little Hansels and Gretels in an impressed sequence.

I’m completely satisfied to report, my five-year-old granddaughter liked the present, although personally, I missed the ‘Grandparents’ Dance,’ absent from Act I. Nonetheless, enjoyable was had by all on this West Coast The Nutcracker. In any case, the place would the vacation season be with out Tchaikovsky and that little (or huge) wood fellow.

Jane Rosenberg

Manufacturing:
Music – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreography – Colleen Neary and Thordal Christensen
Units – Catherine Kanner
Costumes – Mikael Melbye
Lighting – Penny Jacobus & Nathan Scheuer

Forged:
Clara – Sarah-Ashley Chicola
Fritz – Dylan Von Halle
Mrs Staulbaum – Julianne Kinasiewicz
Mr Staulbaum – Shintaro Akana
Uncle Drosselmeyer – Evan Swenson
Harlequin & Columbine – Simon Costello, Poppy Coleman
Cossack Doll – Marco Ramirez
The Nutcracker – Jacob Soltero
Mouse King – Jake Ray
Marie – Aviva Gelfer-Mundl
The Prince – Jonas Tutaj
Spanish – Abigail Gross, Anna Jacobs, Bryce Broedell, John Dekle
Arabian – Paige Wilkey, Jake Ray
Russian – Marco Ramirez, Barco Biella, Cesar Ramirez Castellano
Mom Ginger – Lilly Leech
Rose – Kate Inoue

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