The Nutcracker by Alberta Ballet, presented by Ballet BC at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre

We are extremely fortunate to have the caliber of ballet we do in this city and we were lucky to have not one but two presentations of The Nutcracker. A few weeks back, the Goh Ballet presented The Nutcracker, and this week, Ballet BC is presenting for a very short time (December 28-31 with three evening performances and two matinees), the Alberta Ballet‘s rendition of The Nutcracker, with music (as you should know) by Piotr Tchaikovsky with the absolutely sublime Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. I grew up as a dancer, and my family always listened to classical music, so the music from the abridged version of The Nutcracker (also known as The Nutcracker Suite) was part and parcel of my childhood training in the arts.

Photo credit: Darren Makowichuk

The Alberta Ballet performance is, in every single way, exquisite and worth listening to and admiring intently. I was fully mesmerized (and for someone like me who gets tired really easily, this is the result of amazing performances that combine spectacularly well designed sets (the backdrop to every scene changes frequently and it’s absolutely stunning), technically solid ballet elements and an outstanding cast of dancers that combine passion, sensibility and artistry with their physical and athletic prowess.

Taking a different approach from other versions of The Nutcracker, the inaugural scene looks a little bit more like musical theatre than classical, pure ballet. I think this innovative approach really works, because it leaves the spectator wondering what to expect. Alberta Ballet delivers, and in what form.

Photo credit: Darren Makowichuk

Alberta Ballet presented by Ballet BC with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra will have shows Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, December 28-30 at 7:30 pm, Friday & Saturday, December 30 & 31 at 2 pm. It’s definitely worth skipping work for a couple of hours on Friday if that’s your only chance to see it. I’m serious.

Choreographed by Edmund Stripe, with sets and costumes designed by Emmy Award-winning designer Zack Brown, The Nutcracker is set in turn of the 20th century Imperial Russia, an era of opulent grandeur.

The Nutcracker is the story of a young girl (Klara) who receives a gift from his godfather, Drosselmeyer, a nutcracker that has an interesting and magical back story. You can read the actual story line on the Wikipedia page, as I would like to pay more attention in my review to the actual performance. My respects to Akiko Ishii who is Klara on Dec 28 evening, the performance I saw), and I would LOVE to return to see Jennifer Gibson and Alexandra Gibson (whom if I am not mistaken are identical twins, at least they look like it from their photographs!) who are also Klara, Alexandra on Dec 30th evening and Jennifer on Dec 31st. Akiko is an extremely delightful Klara, and has a strength and physical delicacy in her movements that tell me she will be going places.

Photo credit: Darren Makowichuk

I was really impressed with the young dancers who took on the roles of mice, party girls, party boys, soldiers, rats, and page girls and boys. Several of these young dancers impressed me with the complexity of their movements and their artistic prowess, particularly during the dance of Mother Gigogne and the Bon Bons. I shed tears during the Lullaby (particularly because I could see the promise of these young artists at this tender age).

During the Grossvater dance, I felt immediately transported to my own childhood. And the little dancers are amazingly good at blending with the older cast. Obviously there are a number of dances that I’m more drawn to, like the Spanish and Arabian dances. The scene design and construction are quite impressive. The choreographic richness I perceived in every scene was astonishing, in fact. Obviously, I loved Klara and the Soldier’s Pas De Deux, but in general the whole production was really well done.

More information on Alberta Ballet:

Alberta Ballet is Canada’s third largest dance company and is in its 45th season. Alberta Ballet has developed a distinctive repertoire and performance quality that has brought it to the forefront of both its home and international stages. Established in 1966, Alberta Ballet operates and performs in both Calgary and Edmonton. The company invites leading conductors, choreographers and other guest artists to take part in its seasons, and presents the best of Canada’s ballet companies including the National Ballet of Canada, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal and Ballet BC.

Tickets for The Nutcracker can be purchased through Ticketmaster at 1-855-985-2787 (855-985ARTS or online at ticketmaster.ca and range in price from $70-$22.50 (excluding service charges). I can tell you that it’s definitely worth your money.

More info on Ballet BC:

Ballet BC, a company of 16 talented dancers from around the world, is committed to the ballet of today. Solidly grounded in the classical ballet lexicon but with more immediacy and connection to the 21stcentury, the company presents a diverse repertoire of Canadian and international contemporary ballet. Ballet BC continues its commitment to perform on multiple regional, national and international tours in addition to its regular performance season at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver.

For more information, visit balletbc.com, albertaballet.com or follow us on Twitter @balletbc

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