"The Nutcracker"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
New York, NY
November 27, 2009
by Mary Cargill
Copyright © 2009 by Mary Cargill
For many New Yorkers, black Friday is also white Friday, when the wonderful Balanchine version of "The Nutcracker" makes its first appearance. This perennial is a cash cow, yes, but it is also a heartwarming salute to innocence and childhood and to the Maryinsky Ballet of Balanchine's youth. The first act brims with good cheer, as the wealthy Staulbaums meet and entertain their equally wealthy and well-behaved friends. The simplicity of the action is oddly moving--children dancing around a Christmas tree, a mother tucking her little girl in bed, a child cradling a broken doll, all perfectly matched to the rich Tchaikovsky score. In the middle of the warm hub-bub, Robert La Fosse's Herr Drosselmeier stood out for his imaginative and detailed characterization. He was a holdover from the more courtly 18th century, flourishing an imaginary handkerchief and in his old-fashioned knee breeches, he seemed to be slightly out of place in the more robust and forthright 19th century, and danced as if he were remembering minuets of long ago. It was a delicate and gentle performance.