Last night I attended Ballet West's production of
The Nutcracker. This is such a beautiful production (in fact, it is so amazing that Ballet West recently performed five sold-out shows in Washington, D.C. at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts) and it is one of my very favorite Christmas traditions. I look forward to it every year! No matter how many times I see it, I always feel like a child again anticipating those well-known opening notes of Tchaikovsky's magnificent Overture. I am just as excited as the children in the party scene as they await the unveiling of the Christmas tree and I marvel as the toy nutcracker is transformed into a handsome prince in the first act. In the second act, Clara and her prince travel to the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy and I definitely enjoy the divertissements she arranges for their pleasure. I love the Arabian dance, but my favorite is the Russian dance for the sheer athleticism of it! The Grand Pas de Deux between the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier gives me goosebumps every time and, tonight, Emily Adams and Beau Pearson danced it beautifully. I absolutely love Tchaikovsky's score for this dance! I think it is one of the most romantic pieces of music in the classical cannon and William Christensen's original choreography really complements it! I love everything about this ballet and it was such a wonderful way to start my Christmas vacation.
The Nutcracker will be performed at Capitol Theatre until Dec. 31 (with matinee and evening performances excluding Christmas Day) and I highly recommend it. Go
here for information and to purchase tickets. Whether it is your first time or, like me, you've been going for years, you're sure to be enchanted by this holiday classic!
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