Ballet West’s beloved “Nutcracker” remains spirited and delightful at 80
Ballet West’s Nutcracker marks the beginning of the holiday season for many Utahns, and this year the company is celebrating the 80th anniversary of Willam Christensen’s historic production. Christensen’s The Nutcracker premiered in 1944 with San Francisco Ballet and was the first full-length production in America. Christensen brought his version to Ballet West in 1955, where it has been performed ever since.
The story of The Nutcracker opens at a Christmas Eve party at the Stahlbaum house, and the opening-night energy for the ensemble was palpable. The children’s cast was focused and unified in their party celebrations, with Peri Lewis as an elegant and charming Clara and Cameron Spencer as a mischievous Fritz. The choreography ensures that the parents have multi-layered stories, and each corner of the stage had a different family with interactions to explore.
Dominic Ballard was an engaging Dr. Drosselmeyer, and his theatrical nature emphasized the magic of Clara’s dream, making the transformation come to life. The antics of the mice during the battle scene were delightful, and Tyler Gum added to his pop-dancing Mouse King interpretation with a surprise moonwalk. Vinicius Lima was one of the most enchanting Nutcracker Prince’s one will ever see—his joy at being freed from the curse and turned back into a prince was luminous.
Amy Potter and Jordan Veit were an adept Snow Queen and Cavalier. Their pairing was precise, and that precision led to expansive lines, nuanced gestures, and a lyric musicality. Their pas de deux refleceted the feeling of snow, with a lightness and ease in all their lifts. The corps of artists as snowflakes had an uneven start, but quickly recovered for an idyllic snow scene.
In the second act, Clara and the Nutcracker Prince are transported to the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy, and inhabitants from all over come to dance in celebration. The Arabian Dance with Victoria Vassos and Dominic Ballard was mesmerizing, with a very broad contrast between extensions and contractions. Their partnering added a constant feeling of dynamic motion to this slower movement. Rylee Ann Rogers and the other Mirlitons were dazzling with accomplished coordination and playful nimbleness.
Katlyn Addison and Adrian Fry were a pleasure as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier. They have partnered in these roles in The Nutcracker for many years, but this time has given them more opportunity to explore and refine the subtleties of the choreography and their performance. Their pas de deux was confident and energetic, with unhurried balances and turns and beautifully executed lifts. In his solo, Fry had exuberant momentum in his jetés that propelled him around the stage. Addison showcased a light and expressive port de bras that truly felt fairy-like.
The Ballet West Orchestra performed the Tchaikovsky score under music director Jared Oaks. While the harp and strings at the beginning of the Sugar Plum Fairy pas de deux were a lush complement to Fry and Addison’s performance, the opening night performance was sometimes uneven, with tempos and entrances that took time to settle comfortably in the ensemble.
Ballet West’s The Nutcracker continues through December 28. balletwest.org
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