The Nutcracker

Artists of the Colorado Ballet Photo: Andrew Fassbender

Leah McFadden as Clara, Kevin Gaël Thomas as Fritz, and Gregory K. Gonzales as Herr Drosselmeyer Photo: Andrew Fassbender

No matter how many times you've seen this ballet (this is the 23rd time I've reviewed it), the magic comes alive every year, providing a fresh appreciation for the holiday season. The tale is, simply put, about an eccentric man with an eye patch (Herr Drosselmeyer) who gives his goddaughter a nutcracker doll for Christmas, precipitating a series of wondrous and dreamy events, filled with insightful psychological undertones. All this was written by E.T.A. Hoffmann, 81 years before Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams, as The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, by way of Alexander Dumas' adapted story, The Nutcracker.

During Tchaikovsky's delightful overture, there is a brief prologue in which the mysterious and somewhat absent-minded Drosselmeyer (Gregory K. Gonzales) introduces the audience to the magic trick he has prepared for his goddaughter, Clara Stahlbaum (Leah McFadden), and the other children at her family's Yuletide party. As always, Gonzales' pantomime is nonpareil, as he orchestrates the proceedings (although having him go through his presents more than once in the intro seems redundant, unless he is showing the Nutcracker and the dolls separately;however, if this is the case, it doesn't read sitting further back than mid-orchestra).

Christopher Mitchell as The Nutcracker Prince with Students of the Colorado Ballet Academy Photo: Andrew Fassbender

At the Stahlbaum's party, Drosselmeyer's manifestation of the Columbine doll and the Soldier doll amazes adults and children alike, and his conjuring of a gigantic Christmas tree and super-sized toys is another stunner, but it is his repair of the toy nutcracker (in waking life) and his raising of the Nutcracker Prince from the dead (in Clara's dream) that gives pause regarding the psychological insights Hoffmann has woven into the tale. Hoffman's sense of humor shines through in the parallel between the boys chasing Clara in waking life, and the mice chasing her in the dream, although the death-rattle of the Mouse King and his seconds seems less melodramatic this year and it is not obvious that the Nutcracker Prince has been struck as well.

Sarah Tryon as Clara and Christopher Mitchell as The Nutcracker Prince Photo: Andrew Fassbender

From the moment that the Nutcracker Prince transforms from the doll into a young man, McFadden (Clara) and Jonnathan Ramirez (Nutcracker Prince) bring a sweet chemistry to the budding romance of this coming-of-age dream sequence. After their first act pas de deux, we are transported to the land of snow, where the snowflakes come alive, and the snow flurries on stage increase in intensity, until Clara and her Prince sail away on a magic sleigh. This continues to be one of the most delightful scenes in the entire ballet canon, but the graduated insensity of the snowfall is missing this year.

The second act begins with Clara and the Nutcracker Prince arriving in the Land of Sweets, greeted by the Sugarplum Fairy (Jennifer Grace), her Cavalier (Christopher Moulton), and her retinue of earthly delights. Their costumes are a feast for the eyes! Following the Nutcracker Prince's explanation, via an athletic dance, of how Clara saved his life, the famous divertissements are performed in Clara's honor.

Spanish Chocolate (Alexandra Gilliom, Catherine McGregor, Tate Ryner)— quick steps to snappy castanets and a flourish of skirts;

Arabian Coffee (Ariel McCarty, Patrick Mihm)—seductive, intertwined pas de deux amidst exotic atmospherics, with a dazzling, one-arm lift as they exit;

Chinese Tea (Cato Berry)—exuberant, comedic antics of a clown who vaults over and the rises off with a playful dragon (Ryan Andrews, Nicolas Halstead, Horus Hudgins);

Danish Marzipan (Chloe Kinzler, Sara Thomas, Christopher Mitchell)—a merry, flirting flautist gets his comeuppance from two coquettes;

Russian Candy Canes (Catherine Aoki, Kenny Allen, Wyatt Mier) — thrilling, exuberant athleticism and stamina; and,

Mother Ginger (Cobin Tonsmeire and her children (Polichinelles)—a happy showcase for the Colorado Ballet Academy, with hilarious dance moves from the colossal, matriarchic red-head.

The delights of the Land of Sweets are capped off by Dew Drop (Ever Larson) and the Flowers that carries a metaphor of the breathtaking displays of a spring meadow abloom. Larson's grace highlights this wonderful set of dances and exquisite costumes.

Jessica Payne as the Sugarplum Fairy and Patrick Mihm as her Cavalier Photo: Andrew Fassbender

Finally, the Sugarplum Fairy (Grace) and her Cavalier (Moulton) perform an elegant, smooth-as-silk pas de deux, with impressive lifts, followed by Clara (McFadden) and the Nutcracker Prince (Ramirez) with their own fireworks, leading to good-byes from each of the divertissements, before we are brought back to Clara awakening from her dream, as Drosselmeyer, in the background, brings his orchestration of the story to a close.

Music Director & Principal Conductor Adam Flatt and the Colorado Ballet Orchestra perform wonders with Tchaikovsky's immortal score.

The Colorado Ballet's presentation of The Nutcracker, runs through December 28th. For tickets: http://tickets.coloradoballet.org.

Bob Bows