Review: Nutcracker at Pacific Northwest Ballet
Like a performance of Miss Saigon or CATS, returning to see Sendak/Stowell’s version of this classic Christmas ballet is really as good as the first time.
The original production dates back over 100 years but this version by choreographer Kent Stowell and renowned children’s book author and illustrator Maurice Sendak first premiered in December 1983. This version incorporates some of the darker aspects of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s original story and since it is still not available on video, the only way you can experience it is with Pacific Northwest Ballet.
This year the performance is truly flawless. When you incorporate the talents of so many aspiring young dancers of all ages from PNB’s ballet school, right alongside the corps de ballet, you don’t expect such great execution like I witnessed in scene after scene. And Tchaikovsky’s classic score from the ballet is so familiar to audiences that the scenes and score seem to play out in my head even before they appear on the stage.
Nutcracker plays through December 30, 2009 so don’t miss this beautiful look into Clara’s dream fantasy as she and the Prince dance a romantic pas de deux, expressing their young love for each other. Tickets range from just $26 – $123. For more info, visit www.pnb.org.
