Customer Reviews

The Nutcracker

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

In 1954, Russian-born choreographer George Balanchine staged a new version of "The Nutcracker" for his New York City Ballet. What sets Balanchine's version apart from the subsequent incarnations that would emerge in Soviet Russia and Europe is that it utilizes the original 1892 libretto. In fact, Balanchine's may be as close as one can ever get to seeing the original Maryinsky production by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. Most notably, he preserved Petipa's emphasis on narrative over dance (used to great success in 1890's "The Sleeping Beauty"), especially in the Act I party and battle scenes and the Nutcracker Prince's pantomime in Act II. We also get conventions that were eventually weeded out in other productions such as a distinctly German setting for Act I, and Act II divertissement representing actual confections as opposed to just geographic regions. This is a very pure version of the ballet: no strange Freudian undertones as with Maurice Bejart's or Rudolf Nureyev's versions, no oppressive Soviet realism as with Vasily Vainonen's production (or with productions influenced by it, such as Mikhail Baryshnikov's version for the American Ballet Theatre), and no adults playing the children's roles as with all of the above. Here, we get a simple story of childhood whimsy culminating in some spectacular visions of Christmastime including a giant Christmas tree, a torrential snowstorm, and a magnificent Land of Sweets.

Here we have the 1993 film version of the Balanchine production, some forty years after its premiere; and a very fine film it is. It is directed by Emile Ardolino whose influence on the filming of American dance cannot be underestimated. For years, he racked up Emmy Awards (seventeen in total!) for his work profiling dance on PBS's programs "Dance in America" and "Live from Lincoln Center." It is Ardolino's finesse in guiding Ralph Bode's cinematography that sets this "Nutcracker" apart from others - in particular Carroll Ballard's 1986 film of Pacific Northwest Ballet's version and the recent San Francisco Ballet release (which, though beautiful in its own right, is marred by insensitive camera angles). Ardolino understands ballet and understands what a dance audience looks for. As a result, we get some gorgeous shots that are perfectly framed that maintain a respectful distance from the dancers. Oftentimes in dance films, we get so many close ups and odd camera angles it is impossible to get a holistic feel for the dance. Not so in this case.

The actual production has never looked better. Rouben Ter-Arutunian's set designs are absolutely stunning up close and, although Barbara Karinska's costumes are somewhat old-fashioned (including some rather heavy tutus for the Waltz of the Snowflakes scene), they have a nostalgic, stately charm. Jessica Lynn-Cohen is a surprisingly mature Marie. Her performance is nuanced and fully conceived. I wish I could say the same for her co-star, Macauley Culkin as the Nutcracker, in an odd example of stunt-casting. His performance is comparatively stilted and awkward. This would be perfectly serviceable in a stage production, but up close on film, it doesn't pass muster. Thankfully, his time on screen is relatively limited.

This production was filmed just before the New York City Ballet's status as a "Balanchine company" began to wane somewhere in the mid-1990s (although some would attest this happened earlier). Thus, we get to see some performances that represent the zenith of the company's potential. Darcy Kistler exhibits fleet, elegant precision as the Sugar Plum Fairy. Her Pas de Deux with Damian Woetzel (who has since gone on to become a formidable dance director and lecturer) is breathtaking. Kyra Nichols gives an exhilarating, powerful performance as the Dew Drop leading the Waltz of the Flowers. Bart Robinson Cook plays a delightful Drosselmeyer (a role which Balanchine played himself in the early years). Likewise, the way the corps throw themselves into numbers like the Waltz of the Snowflakes and Waltz of the Flowers is unparalleled.

All that said, the true star of the show is still Balanchine's sensitive choreography. With the libretto being so bare bones, it is up to the choreographer to make or break this ballet. Here, we get an atmosphere of warmth and love in the Act I party scene, a detailed master class in expressive movement. Utilizing only mime and gesture, Balanchine imbues every character onstage with a distinct personality and place in the action. (Credit must also be given to the talented students of the School of American Ballet.) Also palpable is the familial air of the Stahlbaum household, exemplified in a brilliant and sweet entr'acte that Balanchine interpolates between the party and battle scenes (utilizing music cut from Tchaikovsky's "The Sleeping Beauty") in which Marie's worried mother (played by the lovely Heather Watts) comes looking for her daughter who has fallen asleep by the Christmas tree. After the narrative subsides and the dancing takes over, the corps numbers become organic extensions of Tchaikovsky's brilliant music. In fact, with Balanchine, the dancers become embodiments of the music - this is especially the case with the Waltz of the Flowers closing the divertissement of Act II. Just seeing the melodic patterns work themselves out through the dancers is breathtaking. Speaking of the music, Tchaikovsky's score gets a wonderful, sensitive performance here from David Zinman and the New York City Ballet Orchestra.

Seeing this "Nutcracker" after so many other incarnations always feels like returning "home." It is a lovingly constructed rendition that I am glad has been preserved on film.

My daughter loves the Nutcracker and she was glued to this as soon as we got it in the mail. I appreciate that there is not JUST music - there is some narration. Very pleased with this purchase!

Best production of all. Superb ballet. This the NYC Ballet Group, and the Orchestra is conducted by David Zinnman---it doesn't get better than that.I have seen this ballet performed many times by the above group--its almost like being there.

This is a filmed version of George Balanchine's legendary Nutcracker. In Europe, many Nutcrackers had been influenced by Vassily Vainonen's Soviet staging which views the story as a young girl's romantic awakening. Balanchine closely followed the 1892 Petipa original and refocused the ballet on the kids. Each year the NYCB chooses children from the School of American Ballet to dance much of the Nutcracker. It's always been a success.

The film is a fairly successful recreation of the staged ballet which I've seen. The film doesn't really try to "open" up the ballet at all, and I like that. Macauley Culkin is the Nutcracker Prince, and he wears way too much lipstick and his hair is slicked back unattractively, but the Prince is pretty much a non-dancing part and I practically forgot he was there. Kevin Kline narrates the ballet, to make the storyline more understandable i guess. Otherwise the film sticks pretty closely to the stage. Jessica Lynn Cohen is a surprisingly serious Marie. The children in the party scene are all very fun to watch, and Balanchine charmingly choreographs the first act so the kids actually behave like kids, rather than dancing automatons. The fight scene is also wonderfully choreographed, and Balanchine in my opinion was wise in not making the mice overly scary. In some productions the mice are truly terrors, with red eyes and pointy faces and terrifying poses. Balanchine's Mouse Scene is funny, cute and clever. Basically, he has two groups of mice sitting in bleachers, watching the fight between the Mouse King and Prince, and cheering as if they were at a football game. By far the best Mouse choreography I've seen in all the Nutcrackers.

Balanchine's second act is bar none my favorite second act of all. I often find the second act of Nutcracker to be dull, but not Mr. B's. He revives the mime that he learned as a student in the Mariinsky ballet. The mime is probably taken directly from the Ivanov choreography. Other areas where Balanchine lovingly recreated the Nutcracker of his childhood: the mouse king really has seven heads, Marie throws her shoe at the mouse king and kills him, the candy cane hoops dance (he once danced the part in a Mariinsky performance), and Mother Ginger. In the grand pas de deux there are climactic jump to shoulder lifts and in the end the Sugar Plum Fairy is pulled across the stage while on pointe through a kind of metal slide. This was all in the original Ivanov notations. Throughout the ballet Balanchine shows just the right touch of humor, charm, and enchantment to make his Nutcracker the real gold standard.

Balanchine rearranged the pas de deux/dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy variation. In Balanchine's Nutcracker, the Sugar Plum Fairy variation occurs at the SPF's entrance, while the pas de deux with the Cavalier occurs at the end of Act 2. There is no variation for the Cavalier. Call me old-fashioned, but I like the traditional ballet arrangement of pas de deux/male variation/female variation/coda preserved.

The cast represents some of the best dancers of the post-Balanchine era at the New York City Ballet. Darci Kistler is the Sugar Plum Fairy, and I've never been particularly enchanted by this ballerina, but she dances very well here, and has the kind of gracious bearing that's needed for this role. Damian Woetzel is her Cavalier, and what a strong dancer for such a brief role! He and Darci pull off the tricky shoulder-jump lifts perfectly. I like Kyra Nichols as the Dewdrop, this is a whizbang allegro role and Nichols never stops moving. Wendy Whelan is shown in her sinewy, almost androgynous advantage in the Coffee (Arabian) solo. Watching the Mother Ginger number is always a treat, although I think in the theater it has more charm.

Balanchine's choreography is still the most crowdpleasing and charming of all the Nutcrackers. Everyone has his favorite moments (mine is the beginning sequence, when Marie and her brother Fritz are peeking through a doorway at the party) and the film is an accurate recreation of this holiday staple. Highly recommended for kids, IMO.

Don't buy from this seller. The menu system does not work right and the quality of the image is poor. It appears this version is a bootleg copy from Canada. You can see that the menu system is homemade and at the end of the film, you see digital artifacts that prove it's a copy of the original. Had I known this I would not have bought it. I wasted my money. Now I will go back and buy the 1997 version that's listed for $22+. By the way, the dating on this is also wrong. The film was made in 1993 and released on DVD in 1997. This DVD is dated 2008 - don't buy it, it's cheap for a reason.

A classic. Allows all to see the beauty of the ballet without spending the high ticket prices to see it in person.

The Ballenchine Nut is so beautiful and danced with all the expected grace.Our family (from 4 1/2 to 83) all were transfixed. We watched most of the others but only found some novelty but not the story we hoped for.

My daughter is a ballet dancer for numerous years and we absolutely love this version of The Nutcracker as it is the original one! We have been to the real live production several times every winter. Please do not hesitate to buy this!

My son kept on dancing to the music and tried to follow the moves. Did not expect it to be amazing. But the entire family enjoyed it. Get it, but save it for the month of December.

If you're not the type that can afford ballet tickets every Christmas, but still have an appreciation for the arts this is a must have. You get to experience the theater in your own home.