By Amy Metler
One of the best traditions of the holiday season is seeing The Nutcracker and Ballet West’s is definitely my favorite. The score by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky is performed by The Ballet West Orchestra, conducted by Jared Oaks, and is executed beautifully. The orchestra starts off the magic with the beautiful overture and amazing lighting effects designed by Mike Tutaj. The Nutcracker begins on Christmas Eve at the festivities of the Stahlbaum home. Clara Stahlbaum (Kyra Stafford) and her brother Fritz (Cannon Fox) join in games and dancing with the other children and are enthralled with the giant dancing doll (Sayaka Ohtaki) and giant dancing bear (Vinicius Lima) that Clara’s godfather, Dr. Drosselmeyer (Beau Pearson), and his nephew (Elliott Mumm) bring to the party. Dr. Drosselmeyer also gifts Clara a nutcracker and she immediately falls in love with the small soldier. After the party Clara sneaks down for one more glimpse of her beloved nutcracker and falls asleep with it in her arms. Unsure if she is dreaming, Clara sees huge mice engaged in battle with life size toy soldiers led by her nutcracker. As Clara watches the Mouse King (Tyler Gumm) fight her nutcracker, she takes off her slipper and hits him, allowing the nutcracker to stab the Mouse King with his saber. Magically, the nutcracker is transformed into a handsome prince (Alexander MacFarlan) and he invites Clara on a journey to the kingdom of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Along the way they pass through the picturesque land of the Snow Queen (Emily Adams) and Snow King (Adrian Fry). Once in the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Clara and her Prince are entertained by an array of dancers, and finally by the Sugar Plum Fairy (Beckanne Sisk) and her Cavalier (Chase O’Connell). Clara flies off into the night with her Prince, waving goodbye, until she sees her new friends again in her dreams.
Ogden Symphony Ballet Association hits a home run presenting this Christmas classic. I have never attended The Nutcracker in Ogden before but definitely will again. It’s so nice to have a designated parking lot, and I found the seats more comfortable and with better views of the stage, not to mention a more economically priced ticket. However, no expense has been spared, and the experience is just as rich as you would get in Salt Lake City. Audience members are greeted by a children’s string orchestra playing Christmas music in the lobby to help amp up the excitement, and a giant Christmas tree greets you inside the front doors.
Ballet West’s The Nutcracker, choreographed in 1944 by Willam F Christensen, is the longest running production in America. Part of the charm of The Nutcracker is the fact that it is the same, and I love that the steps are the same ones I’ve seen since I was a small child. Three of my siblings had the opportunity to perform with Ballet West and we can all still sing the steps that they practiced over and over at home.
Last year, Ballet West gave a facelift to The Nutcracker getting all new costumes, designed by David Heuvel and all new sets designed by John Wayne Cook with Dick and Belinda Bird. They were all new to me this year and I loved them. They were so fun and exciting, and added so much to the ballet. At the beginning of the ballet the girls all receive a doll; they are dressed to mirror the dancers Clara meets in the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy, and finally they are large enough so the audience members can see the dolls’ costumes. Some of my favorite costumes were those worn by the Snowflakes, as well as the Snow Queen and King. The Snowflakes carry odd snowball clusters, but when I learned they were a throwback to the original version I liked them a little better. Adams and Fry are thrilling to watch as they dance in the winter wonderland. The precision of the Snowflakes is likewise remarkable. Perhaps my favorite costume of the evening is worn in the Waltz of the Flowers. The tutus are bright and vibrant; I love that there are 4 colors and that they resemble the petals of a flower. I also like that the oriental servants are now monkeys; however, I did not quite understand why the little buffoons are now bumblebees, though bumblebee Kaysha Millet wowed the audience with her tumbling skills.
Lighting special effects have been added to the overture and the spell Dr. Drosselmeyer casts to make the tree, mice, toy soldiers, and nutcracker grow. I appreciate the added magic and it really brings a classic into 2018.
The talent within Ballet West is astonishing and the dancers were all exceptional. Christopher Sellers and the other Russian Dancers are always a crowd pleaser with their high jumps and leaps. Katlyn Addison and Ronald Tilton are another favorite with their magical, mystical, impressive Arabian dance. The Mirlitons are especially impressive with their exactness and precision as five dancers move together. Despite their different heights, their legs and arms were all level as they leaped and turned. The evening ends with the Grand Pas de Deux by Sisk and O’Connell. Sisk is my favorite ballerina with Ballet West and I was very excited she would be dancing the part of the Sugar Plum Fairy. This ending dance was beautiful and enchanting, and I enjoyed every step. Overall the evening was most delightful and the perfect way to kick off the holiday season. If you missed the show in Ogden, it plays at the Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre December 14-29. Tickets can be purchased on the Ballet West Website, balletwest.org.
Ogden Symphony Ballet Association Presents The Nutcracker by Ballet West choreographed by Willam F. Christensen
November 23, 2018, 7:00 pm; November 24, 2018, 2:00 pm, 7:00 pm
Val A. Browning Center, 1901 University Circle, Ogden, UT 84408
Tickets: $10-$45
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