The Nutcracker - Ballet Hawaii Tickets

This is my annual ritual to go see Nutcracker for years and this is the first time at the arena. So I wasn't sure how everything will be done. First impression when I got there was disorganization. People didn't seem to know where to go. The performance didn't start on time. The orchestra was hidden in the corner and the audio was used to enhance the sound which totally eliminated the "live"music. There was no Mama Moana who is the highlight of the end of performance and it was on the program. It was just disappointing.

Beautiful dancers and musicians, however the change in venue to the Blaisdell arena made the ambience too casual. People were loud and rude compared to when the event is at the concert hall. The seats in the rafters were so far back, few details could be seen.

The seats in Loge 5 should NEVER have been sold! After paying hundreds of dollars for my family members to experience their first Nutcracker ballet, all seven of us had a view of barely HALF of the stage and missed seeing the full staging experience! It was sadly a terrible experience. The Honolulu Symphony was the best part of the show. We should been given refunds when we complained.

The Nutcracker performance by Ballet Hawaii did not fail to impress, as usual! TOP NOTCH professional performance on stage! We have not attended their holiday performance since before the pandemic and was really looking forward to returning! Unfortunately, the Blaisdell Arena was a disappointment. Going to The Nutcracker was a Christmas gift when it was held at the Blaisdell Concert Hall! It was a perfect holiday experience! The Arena was cold, less comfortable, crowded seats, noisy, people arrived late and really blocked the view several times as the ushers brought them to their seats, people eating during the performance and the smell of garlic fries spoiled the mood too. We purchased the most expensive seats on the floor but it just was a disappointing experience and we will probably not return if it is held in the Arena again. If the location can't be changed, and we have no choice in future years, I guess we could consider purchasing the least expensive seats. I'm hoping it can move back to its old home.

Attending the Nutcracker ballet was an anticipated experience, having secured what seemed to be prime seats in the middle section of the second row. Unfortunately, the reality fell short of expectations, as our view was hindered throughout the performance. The placement of the seats made it challenging to capture the entire stage without awkwardly leaning over neighbors, and at times, it was outright impossible to see past the heads of those seated in front of us. This proved to be a significant disappointment, especially considering the intricate and captivating dance moves we were unable to witness due to our restricted view. The experience left me feeling that a refund should be considered for all attendees on the floor, as we missed out on the essence of the ballet – the enchanting display of dancers' movements.

First this has nothing to do with the performance. This has to do with the seating. Why did the blaisdell decide to have this in the arena? We did $400 to not be able to see anything. Floor seats weren’t elevated so no one could see. Literally people kept shuffling in there seats to try and get a glance of the stage. During intermission, everyone moved to the outer seats. Couldn’t see the performance during the first half. Stick with the cheap seats.

We enjoy the Nutcracker every year at the theatre. This year they de used to have it at the concert hall and floor seats were the worst. I could see the people on stage from chest height up. Whoever thought to have this event on the same day as the craft fair did not think this through. We parked with 5 mins of the show starting. Very unhappy we paid for these as we also had littles ages 7 and 9 who sat on our laps and they could hardly see show as well.

Paid for premium lodge seating to find the stage was set up in a manner that blocked a portion of our view. Very disappointing!

The orchestra played brilliantly. Uncomfortable and unsuitable rooms for orchestra, ballet dancers and audience. The stage was too far, it was difficult to see the dancers. It was a money making activity. Too expensive for this quality. The show didn't start on time because there were too many people standing in a long line, including us. It flatted our holiday mood. There was no space in our parking lot. We were stuck in traffic for an hour before parking. We found a parking spot next to the high school. We will not go to the ballet next year because do not want the same expierance.

The Hawaiian inspired Nutcracker was a joy to watch. There were differences from the traditional story but that made it interesting. Costumes were stunning and the performance was truly beautiful.