By Kathryn Olsen
There are many cherished traditions surrounding the holiday season and, at the Covey Center for the Arts in Provo, Utah Metropolitan Ballet is contributing significantly to the spirit with its dazzling production of The Nutcracker. The 1892 ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky follows a story by Alexandre Dumas, who in turn adapted it from E.T.A. Hoffman’s 1816 novel The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. I have been a fan of ballet since childhood because of this ballet and was delighted to come on opening night with a young friend who has found a similar love for the work.
As the work opens, it is Christmas Eve in 1850 and the Stahlbaum family is preparing for a party. As guests arrive, games are played and gifts are distributed and young and old alike enjoy the excitement of the evening. Herr Drosselmeyer (Eric Ascione) arrives with dancing, life-sized dolls who entertain the children, but his special gift is for his goddaughter. To Clara (Sydney Lee/Josie Denosky/Ellie Maddox), he gives a nutcracker doll who looks like a soldier. That night, while looking after her nutcracker, she is accosted by the mice of the household and, as the toys and dolls of the household become larger-than-life, Clara and her nutcracker (Ryan Hatch/Cyrus Shaskan/Stephen Kessler) join forces to defeat the dastardly Mouse King (Cyrus Shaskan/Matteo Garattoni). The nutcracker becomes a handsome prince (Matteo Garattoni/Stephen Kessler/Sebastian Vinet), who takes Clara to his own kingdom so his subjects can show her their gratitude and respect in various dances.
The Stahlbaums must be considered as a group, as the three siblings create a strong sense of authentic sibling bonds. Fritz (Hayden Harris/Charles Bennett) is an engaging, if slightly annoying younger brother whose antics during the party are both comical and relatable for anyone who has known a child with a natural mischievous streak. Harris dances the part with an authenticity and glee that are a delight to watch as well as skillfully-executed. Clara’s older sister, Louise (Madison Lonsdale/Katherine Gal/Ashlyn Duckwitz) is caught somewhere between childhood and maturity and is sometimes overlooked. What Lonsdale brings to the role is a poise and affection that clearly set her up as someone Clara imitates at times and who is a stabilizing influence on her siblings. Dr. Stahlbaum (Matteo Garattoni/Cyrus Shaskan) and Mrs. Stahlbaum (Shelbi Yagi/Emeline Terranova) preside over all with a delightful balance between necessary discipline for children and servants alike and loving chemistry between husband and wife in some genuinely darling moments.
Lee is simply winsome as Clara from the start and tackles complex choreography with budding artistry that seems to be a natural byproduct of the joy that she takes in the role. She is both protagonist and hero, as her boldness in the battle demands.
Hatch similarly shines as the first act’s nutcracker who is the fierce and agile defender of the Stahlbaum household. When the role of Nutcracker Prince is assumed by Garattoni, a gentler and more intuitive version of the nutcracker emerges through his friendship with Clara. He then strikes a contrast within his kingdom, becoming a commanding figure who nevertheless has a kindness and authority blended into his performance. The fact that characters take on multiple roles means that Clara’s father is also the dancer for the Nutcracker Prince and there is a subtlety to the companion roles that Garattoni masters to great effect.
Herr Drosselmeyer’s role in the ballet varies from production to production and Ascione’s version brings to mind the idea that a godfather is the originator of a movement or school of thought. While the journey is Clara’s, his hand is clear in how she travels it. Ascione commands the stage with surety as well as wit. He is shadowed and assisted by his nephew (Theo Squires/Zeke Bennett), whose charisma certainly makes him a performer to watch in the coming years.
The Sugar Plum Fairy (Jennifer Christie/Hallie Jo Johnson/Amy Cook/Sylvie Squires) is wonderfully interpreted in this production. Christie takes on a mentor role with as much effectiveness as Clara’s blood relations and her performance with Garattoni displays a level of trust and unity of purpose.
There are a number of duos throughout the performance that are worth mentioning. Drosselmeyer’s dolls, the Columbine (Jesyca Chugg/Aria Staker/Sydney Lee/Lily Stephenson) and the Harlequin (Ryan Hatch/Stephen Kessler) have the challenge of enthralling the children of the cast as toys while also displaying great technical skill and the respective dancers humorously inspired childlike wonder. The Mouse King and Mouse Queen (Zhenya Stoddard/Reese Kirkham) spend little time together on stage, but their guidance of the younger mice is an amusing contrast to the Stahlbaums. The Snow Queen (Emeline Terranova/Lily Stephenson/Jennifer Christie/Hallie Jo Johnson/Amy Cook) and the Snow Prince (Stephen Kessler/Ryan Hatch/Matteo Garattoni/Alexey Minkin) provide a transition between the two worlds that exposes some of the coming magic with a dazzling pas de deux that is full of enthusiasm and skill. The soloists for the Waltz of the Flowers, Amy Cook (Hallie Jo Johnson/Lily Stephenson) and Cyrus Shaskan (Stephen Kessler/Ryan Hatch/Matteo Garattoni), add to the intricacy of that famous number, but stand out in brief moments. Shaskan’s athleticism of movement matches well with his artistry, while Cook displays moments of leadership as well as lovely times in which she is a serene port in a storm. The Grand Pas de Deux is thrilling to experience for its drama and power and soloists Jennifer Christie (Amy Cook/Sylvie Squires) and Matteo Garattoni (Stephen Kessler/Sebastian Vinet) bring the final act to its emotional high.
Of course, The Nutcracker is famous for its national dances, represented as visitors from lands of different sweets. In this production, my personal favorites were the friendly Custard Tarts and the flourishing energy of the English Tea soloist (Emeline Terranova/Lily Stephenson/Amy Cook). Madam Ginger (Paul Richardson/Ryan Richardson) and her children are a comedic moment in which some of the younger dancers are featured and this production makes the children’s dynamic more complex in moments that enhanced the comedy of the situation..
This production makes full use of its young dancers, from the unbridled giddiness of party children to more poised and attentive attendants in the Land of the Sweets. The entire cadre of student dancers is to be praised for the variety of their contributions as well as their teachers and whoever has been keeping them in dance education.
The choreography by Artistic Director Jacqueline P. Colledge is always wonderful to watch and evolves to meet the skill of the dancers associated with the company, as well as letting the performers of all ages find their cadence within the ballet. Scenic and Costume Designer Cassandra Barney has designed a world that seems too grand to fit onto one stage, which is awe-inspiring, but what stood out even more were the costumes. In the battle with the Mouse King, Clara’s dolls become larger-than-life and the audience realizes that each of the dolls is costumed as one of the dancers from the kingdom that Clara journeys to. It is an intriguing tie between the two acts and stands out among the variety of costumes that delineate the ordinary from the extraordinary on-stage. Orchestra Conductor Bryce Ritting and Associate Conductor Marcel Bowman work tirelessly and masterfully with the skilled musicians whose performance drives the plot.
The Stahlbaums’ fateful Christmas party will only be around until December 21, so hurry to get tickets before it’s too late to join in the fun. Audiences of all ages will find connection and exhilaration in the journey they take.
Utah Metropolitan Ballet Presents The Nutcracker; Story by Alexandre Dumas, based on the book by E.T.A. Hoffman, music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
The Covey Center for the Arts, 425 W Center St, Provo, UT 84601
Dec 10-21, 7:30 PM; see the site for individual dates and matinee performances.
Tickets: $25-45
Contact: ballet@umballet.org
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