If youre still wondering whether or not its OK to start feeling festive, think no more: Christmas officially starts with the opening night of Birmingham Royal Ballets The Nutcracker.
Attending the yearly rendition is a tradition every family should fit into their advent calender dressing in your winter best for a nippy trip to the bustling Hippodrome to be greeted by Birmingham school choirs singing carols cannot fail to fill you with warmth and excitement.
Carol-Anne Millar as Clara; Photo Bill Cooper
Friday nights performance was another example of how Birminghams much-loved ballet company consistently deliver a production which can both delight ballet newcomers and keep young families gripped, while adding new twists and stage antics to please the ballet veterans.
The choreography based on Sir Peter Wrights production with the company nearly 20 years ago just after it had moved from Sadlers Wells, is light-footed and peppered with enchanting duets the crisp movements and large corps de ballet pieces are visual treats which the company dance with effortless precision and ease.
This years designs by John Macfarlane are moody in luxe rouges and Victorian styles giving a darker edge to the story of a magician who takes young Clara from her family Christmas to an unknown world of international sweets and dreamy illusion. The opening scene feels a little dated and drab, but this lack of exuberance is a deliberate precursor to The Transformation scene.
The audience needs to leave the dull reality of the living room and be transported to the Drosselmeyers world of imaginary wonder this is marked famously on stage by the growth of the Christmas tree to 50ft to make Clara appear Borrower-sized executed superbly by the 50-strong team backstage in a crescendo of objects being magnified. Finally, the fireplace looms as a huge burning furnace and the comedy motorised rats are replaced by human-sized hairy menaces dressed exquisitely in court armour. The transformation is complete, and as the cannonball cracks to the musical climax to audience erupts in excited applause.
The production capitalises on the audiences hunger for acrobatic tricks and visual pyrotechnics. After the interval, the curtain rises to Clara flying 60ft through the air on the back of a goose, greeted by another wave of applause. Carol-Anne Miller dances Clara with vitality and verve portraying the child in love as a woman in awe of Dr Drosselmeyers creations. The darker side to the story is revealed by Robert Parker as the suave magician, adding a layer of potential love for the girl, who when stripped of her nightgown by the rats reveals the vulnerability of her virgin innocence. This deeper insight into the story injects the production with human detail to turn the Christmas classic into an all-rounded ballet which not only pleases the eye but the mind.
Nao Sakuma as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Chi Cao as the Prince; photo: Steve Hanson
Every little girl will long to be the Sugar Plum Fairy, the grand pas de deux danced to perfection by Nao Sukuma and princely Chi Cao (above). Accompanied by the magical score by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker is the must-see show of the season and a festive treat for all generations.
The Nutcracker returns to its home theatre, Birmingham Hippodrome, for 22 performances only, from Friday 27 November to Sunday 13 December 2009. To book tickets or to find out more visit Birmingham Royal Ballets website orwww.birminghamhippodrome.com.
If you love the Nut Cracker as much as I do you might be fascinated to read the Q&A that Mom Culture (www.momcultureonline.com) did with Kaitlyn Galliland who danced as the Sugar Plum Fairy with the New York City BalletI loved how she answered the question of how to watch ballet and her comment on all the reality dance shows.
Thanks for the link Michael it was a very interesting article and you can read it here http://momcultureonline.com/2009/11/20/new-york-city-ballet-kaitlyn-gilliland/
Kaitlyn Gilliland, when asked how someone should watch a ballet, said:
Because each ballet you see is different, there arent really any guidelines to follow when watching a ballet. If theres a story involved, like in The Nutcracker, some may prefer to read the story before watching the ballet. On the other hand, although I know the story very well, I like to watch it as though the dancers are telling me the story for the first time.
Even though abstract ballets dont typically have stories, I find that I like to come up with my own interpretation of whats happening, or simply allow myself to be part of the mood that the music and the steps create. Because each dancer is unique, the same ballet can look completely different when danced by two different people.
I dont think, however, that there is a best way to watch ballet. There are many aspects of any ballet that could appeal to someone the music, the choreography, the dancers, the costumes and thats the beauty of our art form.
Tips from the professional. The Nutcracker is definitely a story ballet and though the plot is very simple, I think its worth reading a bit of background first, although its not essential.