By Kimberlee St. Clair
Once again, Utah Metropolitan Ballet leaves the audience enamoured with its extraordinary production of The Nutcracker. UMB offers a beautiful telling of E.T.A. Hoffman’s story, The Nutcracker and the Mouse-King, with music by Peter I. Tchaikovsky. The two-act ballet brings to life the childhood story, delightfully choreographed by Jacqueline P. Colledge, UMB founder and artistic director. Dancers move easily around the stage and create beautiful moving portraits throughout. Under the direction of conductor Bryce Rytting (Utah Valley Symphony), the orchestra captivates the audience from the overture. All the numbers are expertly executed, and compliment the entire production beautifully.
True to form, the theater opens with splendid floor-to-ceiling curtains to set the scene inside the home of Herr Stahlbaum (Timothy Silver) and his lovely family, complete with an elaborately set dinner table and Christmas decorations throughout. The excitement builds as the guests begin to arrive for the celebration. Each family has exquisite costumes—little girls in ruffled pantaloons and layers of coordinating dresses. The little boys are well-versed in teasing the girls and fill the stage with their antics and horn blowing. Both the scenic and costume design is by the incredible Cassandra Barney.
Truly filling the stage with his larger-than-life toys, the powerful Herr Drosselmeyer (Christopher Young) and his nephew (Remington Squires) envelop the guests with the magic and mystery of his creations. The presentation of the Columbine (Emily Carlson/Hallie Jo Johnson) and the Harlequin (Filipe Aragao) are charming. As Herr Drosselmeyer gives Clara (Jesyca Chugg) her gift of the nutcracker, her face lights up and she lovingly cradles the doll. Fritz (Eli Fillmore), the typical brother, is jealous and tries to steal the doll away. After a brief struggle, the doll breaks and Clara is grief-stricken. And truly, this is where the magic begins.
As Clara falls asleep, she dreams of dancing dolls, all in beautiful costumes connecting them to the dances in Act II. A battle ensues between the horrible Mouse King (Silver) and his fellow mice, and the wooden nutcracker, who has become a lifelike soldier-Nutcracker (Albert Kim). Stealing the stage for a brief moment, the little baby mice dance tail to tail, creating more darling chaos. Chugg radiates graceful control as she glides, spins, and twirls in childhood innocence throughout the production. She shows the deepest expressions of concern and love throughout the battle and just when it seems all is lost, she strikes the Mouse King with her slipper and the battle is won.
As the clock strikes twelve, Herr Drosselmeyer magically appears and moves around the stage, bringing dreams to life. The beautiful Christmas tree grows tremendously taller, with huge ornaments and lights filling it. Colors seem more vivid and the Nutcracker is transformed into the handsome Nutcracker Prince (Colin Hathaway/ Aragao) as he brings Clara to safety inside a beautiful land of snow. The Snow Queen (Amy Cook/Elisabeth Eisenhut/Jennifer Christie) and Nutcracker Prince begin to dance. A quiet hush falls over the audience as they elegantly bring to life the beauty of winter, complete with falling snow. With incredible precision, they are joined by the Snowflakes, who create exquisite motion, and compliment the ease and beauty of the lifts and turns of Hathaway and Christie.
As the curtain rises on Act II, a dream world opens, complete with vivid, bright colors depicting the Kingdom of Sweets. Leaving the audience clapping, Hathaway and Christie entertain Clara with their leaps and lifts as they introduce sweets from all over the world to the stage. Every scene highlights the brilliance of the costumes and brings the confections to life in eloquent colors. Always a highlight, guest artist Nicholas Gili shows incredible strength and agility kicking both legs out at once and jumping far above the heads of the others as he dances with the Russian Tortes.
No show is ever complete without the amazing appearance of Madam Ginger (Paul Richardson/Ryan Richardson), towering above the stage on stilts with all her little Gingerbread Marionettes, who are seriously adorable. The Peppermint Twists are perfectly poised and their brightly-colored costumes accentuate their delicate beauty while on pointe. Sylvie Squires and e Aragao are incredibly agile and, along with the demi soloists, bring the Waltz of the Flowers to life.
A beloved Christmas classic, Utah Metropolitan Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker will complete your holiday season as it reminds everyone of the beauty of family and friends and the sweet dreams of children who anxiously await the magic of Christmas.
Appropriate for families.
Utah Metropolitan Ballet presents The Nutcracker, choreographed by Jacqueline P. Colledge.
Covey Center for the Arts, 425 W Center St., Provo, UT 84601
December 13-21, 2019, 7:30 PM, Saturday Matinee, 2:00 PM
Tickets: $24 – $35
Contact: 801- 852-7007
Utah Metropolitan Ballet Facebook Page
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