The Nutcracker was fabulous!
by Anonymous on 12/20/16Morrison Center for the Performing Arts - BoiseRating: 5 out of 5I've seen so many of the different productions of The Nutcracker by Ballet Idaho. I believe this was the best ever.
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The Nutcracker On Tour
Every adaptation of The Nutcracker is the same, yet each The Nutcracker is different from all others. Although it premiered in Saint Petersburg's Mariinsky Theatre on December 18, 1892, composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker wouldn't become the dependably magical holiday-season reaffirmation of Christmas joy we know and love until decades later.
Marius Petipa, who commissioned Tchaikovsky's music, and Lev Ivanov originally choreographed the world's most popular ballet. It was loosely based on Alexandre Dumas' The Story of a Nutcracker, the French writer's adaptation of The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, which was a fantastical story by German author E.T.A. Hoffmann. Mourning the recent death of his sister, Tchaikovsky was often unhappy while composing the work, which he nonetheless imbued with some of his most enduringly gorgeous music. (The descending melody in the adagio section of the "Grand Pas de Deux" is said to reflect his feelings.)
Russian ballet was flourishing at the time The Nutcracker debuted, and no expense was spared. In Petipa's production, 60 snowflakes wore long white tutus and matching crowns adorned with fluff balls. The battle scene's soldiers, meanwhile, were recruited from a military academy rather than ballet school, leading to a less-than-elegant confrontation.
The Nutcracker was fated to become more popular abroad than in its birthplace, and was subsequently tailored to suit its new audiences. Encouraged by local Russian émigrés, Willam Christensen mounted the first full American production in San Francisco in 1944. Ten years later, George Balanchine choreographed a landmark version for the New York City Ballet, imbuing it with what Nutcracker Nation author Jennifer Fisher calls its "familial feeling." Balanchine's version was broadcast on national television a few years later with narration by June Lockhart (of Lassie fame).
While nearly every subsequent version of The Nutcracker contains falling snow, fighting mice, dancing candy, and a growing tree (asked to produce it without the tree, Balanchine reportedly replied, "No, the ballet is the tree"), some intriguing mutations have emerged. These include Nutcrackers on ice, the animated adaptation Walt Disney included in the 1940 movie Fantasia, and The Harlem Nutcracker, a swinging jazz revision by choreographer Donald Byrd.
A remarkably resilient blend of complex classical ballet, popular imagery, and holiday nostalgia, The Nutcracker has taken on a life of its own since it first appeared one cold Russian winter over 100 years ago.
Highlight of my holiday
by Debdecr8s on 12/20/16Murat Theatre at Old National Centre - IndianapolisRating: 5 out of 5A great girls night out activity. Dinner at The Rathskeller first, then The Nutcracker...perfect!
Gets you in christmas spirit
by tarheelfan92 on 12/20/16Murat Theatre at Old National Centre - IndianapolisRating: 4 out of 5Great show. Very well done. Great visual storytelling
- by Anonymous on 12/20/16Tilles Center Concert Hall - BrookvilleRating: 5 out of 5
Fabulous performance by Eglevsky Ballet. Would recommend and definitely go back next year
- by heather316 on 12/20/16Tilles Center Concert Hall - BrookvilleRating: 3 out of 5
Dissapointing...thought it was a professional ballet troupe
Nutcracker was unforgettable
by Rene54 on 12/20/16Tilles Center Concert Hall - BrookvilleRating: 5 out of 5It was an amazing ballet and we will make it a yearly family tradition
2016 Nutcracker
by Docndee on 12/19/16Peoria Civic Center - PeoriaRating: 5 out of 5We totally enjoyed the performance from opening all the way thru, have to admit we really missed the tall beautiful Egyptian dancer, but loved the backdrops and the beauty of it all
Nutcracker
by ShempShady on 12/19/16Royce Hall - UCLA - Los AngelesRating: 5 out of 5First time, as far as I remember, that I've ever been to a ballet. And very much enjoyed the overall performance of this Holiday classic (esp. the Tchaikovsky score)!
- by Anonymous on 12/19/16Lila Cockrell Theater - San AntonioRating: 3 out of 5
It was OK, but not worth the money I paid. I believe there are far better ballet performances of this Holiday Classic.
Nutcracker was amazing
by HappyGm on 12/19/16Lila Cockrell Theater - San AntonioRating: 5 out of 5It's the first time I had seen this Russian company performance. I took my eight year old granddaughter and she was enthralled. The costumes and stage sets were colorful and appealing. Obviously lots of money behind them and we enjoyed the results. They've got a good thing going by traveling with the main characters and then using local ballet students. And this gives those students an opportunity to perform. The music is recorded (they are NOT traveling with a full orchestra) but very good sound so you wouldn't notice except that obviously there's no orchestra pit. So this does not replace our own symphonies and SA Ballet's excellent performance of The Nutcracker. I will probably alternate between the two types of performances in taking granddaughters in the future.
Beautiful
by Anonymous on 12/16/16California Theatre of the Performing Arts - San BernardinoRating: 5 out of 5I absolutely loved it! The professional dancers were phenomenal and the kids were adorable!
A magical night
by MelTyson on 12/15/16Michigan Theater - Ann ArborRating: 5 out of 5It was an excellent show. Given the choice between these seats and the center stage, but twice as far back, I'm happy with where I was.
Nutcracker
by jpg68 on 12/15/16Adler Theatre - DavenportRating: 4 out of 5Second time to see the Adler's Nutcracker. The dancers are completely professional in their skills and performance. Very impressed with this local company. The children are marvelous and missed them in the final bows! There were additions and changes that assure it isn't identical to other performances of this well-known production. The music by Orchestra Iowa was outstanding. Especially grateful that the theater allowed extra time for those of us delayed by weather and parking waits.
- by Anonymous on 12/15/16The Orpheum Theatre Memphis - MemphisRating: 5 out of 5
Great experience! We loved the performance and our seats were great!
The Nutcracker was inspiring!
by MaryK22 on 12/14/16McMorran Place Sports and Entertainment Center - Port HuronRating: 5 out of 5I took my niece and great niece to see the show. We loved it. At intermission my niece was on her phone looking for dance classes for my great niece. She wants to go back to dance. I loved the theater. It's a more intimate setting than the larger theaters and productions. The performance was perfect and we really caught the spirit of the season. I will definitely go again.
- by Anonymous on 12/14/16Lexington Opera House - LexingtonRating: 5 out of 5
What a wonderful performance! From the gorgeous costumes to the graceful and amazing dancing the show was stellar from beginning to end. One of our group was seeing the Nutcracker for the first time, while another was seeing it for perhaps the 15th time and we were all enchanted.
Nutcracker was magical!!!
by Nonnietoo on 12/14/16The Orpheum Theatre Memphis - MemphisRating: 5 out of 5So proud of Memphis Ballet and the Orchestra and their stellar performance. A must-see before Christmas.
"User-friendly" for cultural dummies!
by GeneseeJ on 12/14/16Genesee Theatre - WaukeganRating: 4 out of 5We are not ballet or Tschaikovsky people but enjoyed it vey much!
Great but a bit tacky
by Sixthyear on 12/14/16Adler Theatre - DavenportRating: 3 out of 5The nutcracker performance was wonderful as it is every year for the past six years we have gone. Unfortunately, the story line included one of the guests flirting it up with another man other than her spouse and acting drunk. Completely tacky and tasteless I wanted to get up and leave. Fortunately, the remaining interpretations of the remaining part of the nutcracker was great.
Best Nutcracker in San Diego
by jdrinca on 12/14/16Spreckels Theatre - San DiegoRating: 4 out of 5I have been to a few different productions of the Nutcracker in San Diego and this is the best one. Live orchestra, live chorus, good dancers. Lovely theater.