Fine Show Alberta Ballet Presents Beautiful Stage Set, Costumes And Dance In The ‘Nutcracker’

Sat., Dec. 5, 1998

By Susan English susane@spokesman.com

“The Nutcracker” By Alberta Ballet and the Spokane Symphony Thursday, Dec. 3, Spokane Opera House

As a veteran “Nutcracker” watcher, I’m always on the alert for the aspects that are new each year, curious as to how this traditional Christmas-time ballet has been updated. And consistently, Alberta Ballet offers up a few new twists when the company joins the Spokane Symphony Orchestra and members of the Symphony Chorale to stage the ballet in Spokane.

Thursday night at the Opera House, Alberta Ballet arrived on stage with a closetful of sumptuous and glittery new costumes - from the party gowns in the opening scene to the angel dresses in the second act. With layer upon layer of detailing, beading and lace, the costumes are one of the strongest aspects of Alberta Ballet’s “Nutcracker.”

This version of “The Nutcracker” also maintains a high level of action, which ensures rapt attention from the younger members of the audience, of which there were many on Thursday night. During the party scene, small clumps of children played with dolls and rode hobbyhorses in several areas of the stage; the grown-ups danced or admired the Christmas tree, or worked to keep rambunctious children contained and calm. And no one was more delightful to watch than the aged Grandfather at the party, performed by Michel Faigaux. At many points the audience’s eyes were focused on him.

In deference to the youngest spectators, the violence of the soldier-rat battle has been toned down and the very small cute mice in past productions have grown truly rat-size now. The sight of soldiers running swords through these small mice in past productions upset some children. Now, the rats are up to the battle, and with cannon blasts, smoke and much gunfire, the skirmish brings the production to a crescendo.

While the Alberta Ballet “Nutcracker” remains essentially true to the E.T.A. Hoffmann version of this story, it is in the spots where it deviates that the production is weakest.

Regardless of the bumps in the storyline, though, Alberta Ballet’s “Nutcracker” offers many strong points in addition to the costumes. It would be difficult to imagine sets more beautiful than these. Again, attention to detail is apparent. And the choreographer found many places to showcase the dancing in this production, which is not always the case. Usually the first half is strong on drama and short on dancing with the second half reserved for ballet. At no time did this ballet seem tedious with extended play-acting while we waited to see the Snow King and Queen dance in the Kingdom of Magic.

The playing of the Spokane Symphony Orchestra should not go unnoted. Under the baton of new associate conductor Elizabeth Stoyanovich, the symphony produced music as beautiful as the production on stage.

PERFORMANCES “The Nutcracker” will be staged today at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Opera House; tickets are available through G&B.

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