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Nutcracker 2014-15

abatt

By abatt
in New York City Ballet

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Razor

Razor

Posted
Posted

As for Act 2 Lauren Lovette was.....fine. Fine and only fine. Doing something midway between marking and dancing full out. Of course, from the moment she took her first reverence I knew Dewdrop (Sara Mearns) would outshine Sugarplum and that's exactly what happened. As for Chase, his solos were ok but (as in the fall) he struggled a bit during the partnering, particularly the difficulty he had with the shoulder sits. I did, however, love Sara (who I usually think of as a dramatic adagio dancer) as Dewdrop, Anthony Huxley in Candy Cane and Taylor Stanley in Hot Chocolate. Marzipan (led by Sara Adams) was also fine. I felt sorry for poor Claire Kretzschmer who had to dance Coffee at a ridiculously fast tempo that no one would find sexy.

In all, I was a little disappointed in tonight because I hoped for more from Lovette (really my husband was the one who insisted we go tonight). I look forward to Friday when close to my dream cast is performing.

wow....didn't sound like a fulfilling show ermm.gif & not surprised to read Sara creamed it as Dewdrop. didn't Lauren do Sugarplum & Chase do Cavalier before? sounded like an underwhelming performance from both.

I think they have but still "underwhelming" is exactly the right word to describe their performance. I think having a star (Sara) next to them only highlighted the deficiencies in their performance. And Chase (despite his obvious partnering problems) was better than Lauren. She was the real disappointment. I know they're grooming her for principal but IMO she's definitely not ready yet.

I don't get the feeling either.

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Amour

Amour

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Posted

Got home from tonight (the 12th) Nutcracker and I'm still on cloud nine. Tonight was like a masterclass in Nutcracker. The house was packed to the rafters (I think completely sold out) and the excitement in the air palpable. The dancers seemed to realize this from the moment the curtain went up as there was definitely an energy onstage you could feel. While Act 1 was fine but nothing really memorable (though Sean Suozzi was an improvement over David Protass as Drosselmeier) Act 2 was WOW! Tiler Peck was truly awe inspiring as Sugarplum. I've always thought her one of the most versatile and interesting dancers in NYCB but tonight she showed what a great artist she's become. She exuded warmth, graciousness and generosity of spirit as is so necessary to this role. And the dancing was spectacular. The quick bourrees across the floor, long held arabesques, lightening quick (almost like Osipova) chainee turns, and the small renversees with her charming smile and her wand, all were magical. She was matched by an equal in energy and virtuosity by her Cavalier, Joaquin De Luz. He was a great partner and made everything look effortless (and I sat dead center, row J of the orchestra which is close enough to see mistakes). The jump to a shoulder sit, which looked so labored with Lovette/Finlay, came off without a hitch and Tiler really went for it. It was also nice to see how well their onstage energies matched up. Really their pas looked flawless and so beautiful I wanted it to never end.

This cast also boasted a lot of stars in variations. Danny Ulbricht did a quick, virtuosic Candy Cane (though every time I see him in a role as small as that I feel he's being wasted) and Erica Pereira navigated all the hops on pointe (Marzipan) with dexterity and lightness. Tess was a tall, imposing Dewdrop, different than Sara the other night. I felt she used her height and long legs well, covering a lot of space and trying to get slightly ahead of the music in order to play with it. She did some great Italian fouettes towards the end and otherwise lifted her leg into a high second position. Tess is also a good jumper as demonstrated here (Sara needs to work on her jump) so every jete becomes something to watch. She also displayed personality, actually looking enthusiastic as if she were actually having fun dancing. Lauren King and Ashley Laracey were quite good as the demis. Gretchen Smith and Taylor Stanley were again terrific as Hot Chocolate while Megan LeCrone did a bit better with a very slightly slowed down version of Coffee.

However, tonight was really all about Tiler (at least for me) and I enthusiastically wait for winter casting to go up.

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Amour

Amour

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Posted

Does anyone have experience with standing room during Nutcracker? How often does it happen that they sell out and open standing room? I'm trying to find a way to go that's easy on the budget.

Last night (which was basically sold out) there were 2 young women sitting behind me. They said they had called for student rush tickets (there are none) at about 6 pm. They were told about the orchestra seats (they were dead center, row K) and got them for $155 each. I paid $260 (I was in row J) for my ticket about 3 weeks ago. So the pricing is a bit unpredictable.

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meunier fan

meunier fan

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Posted

I so love reading your reviews. Bless all for them. It allows me to live vicariously ... well, afar ... given that I now reside in London after having lived for 17.5 years in NYC.

NYCB is, I fear, -- or are perhaps proud to proclaim -- the only thing I REALLY miss about NYC.

What fills me with horror, however, is the prices and the fact that the fourth ring standing room seems only to be so rarely sold ... and indeed the fact that the fourth ring itself is sometimes not opened.

In the 80's and 90's I used to practically live on the grey concrete expanse of the Fourth Ring Standing area. (And, yes, I did usually get a seat in the last row ... sometimes centre .... my favourite seat in the house.) It was there that Balanchine (and Robbins) taught me to 'see the music; hear the dance'. I cannot conceive of a life without it now ... and the fact that these prices and limited access may be stripping that opportunity from so many other deserving NY's is - to my mind and HEART - criminal.

Enough said. Onwards with the continued joy that is Balanchine's Nutcracker and the replenished joy of the current throng of artistic interpreters at NYCB. Long may it and you thrive :)

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abatt

abatt

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Amour, you have kindly used the word unpredictable to describe the pricing. I would have used the word appalling. NYCB jacks up the prices to insanely high levels, and then dumps the remaining overpriced tickets by selling them at their initial, regular price to "students". This is not the first time I've heard of this phenomenon occurring at NYCB.

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cobweb

cobweb

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Posted

Wow -- I see Emilie Gerrity is now debuting in Nutcracker on Dec 28, replacing Ashly Isaacs. Fervently hoping Isaacs is well! I wish they didn't bunch all the debuts (and generally, junior dancers) into the final two weeks of the season, when I am usually away from NYC. I would love to see Isaacs (as originally scheduled), Gerrity, Adams, Ball, Stanley, Ashley Laracey again, etc.

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Drew

Drew

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I wish they didn't bunch all the debuts (and generally, junior dancers) into the final two weeks of the season, when I am usually away from NYC. I would love to see Isaacs (as originally scheduled), Gerrity, Adams, Ball, Stanley, Ashley Laracey again, etc.

Should anyone attend...I am especially interested in reading about Laracey's debut.

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nysusan

nysusan

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I saw the Nutcracker on Thursday night. It was a lovely performance with one exception: the dull, almost static Dew Drop of Megan LeCrone. Sure, she did all the steps correctly but there couldn't possibly have been less responsiveness to the musical surges, less of a sense of urgency or evanescence. I saw 3 Dew Drops this season. Sterling Hyltin was light & lovely, not really my taste in Dew Drops but still quite lovely. My favorite was Lauren King - certainly not the most technically proficient, but more than good enough and so joyous & musical, she really rode the crest of the music.

Back to Thursday night. Tyler Peck was simply one of the best Sugar Plums I've ever seen. Lush, musical, warm & welcoming and she and Garcia were gorgeous in the pas de deux. Anthony Huxely was very impressive as the Candy Cane leader and Emily Kitka did a great Arabian, very sensuous & mysterious. The nicest surprise came in the coda when she did the almost-extinct bent knee pirouettes. I couldn't believe my eyes!

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Amour

Amour

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Posted

I saw the Nutcracker on Thursday night. It was a lovely performance with one exception: the dull, almost static Dew Drop of Megan LeCrone. Sure, she did all the steps correctly but there couldn't possibly have been less responsiveness to the musical surges, less of a sense of urgency or evanescence. I saw 3 Dew Drops this season. Sterling Hyltin was light & lovely, not really my taste in Dew Drops but still quite lovely. My favorite was Lauren King - certainly not the most technically proficient, but more than good enough and so joyous & musical, she really rode the crest of the music.

Back to Thursday night. Tyler Peck was simply one of the best Sugar Plums I've ever seen. Lush, musical, warm & welcoming and she and Garcia were gorgeous in the pas de deux. Anthony Huxely was very impressive as the Candy Cane leader and Emily Kitka did a great Arabian, very sensuous & mysterious. The nicest surprise came in the coda when she did the almost-extinct bent knee pirouettes. I couldn't believe my eyes!

That's too bad about Megan. She hasn't really danced much this past fall,so maybe her stage presence is a little rusty or maybe she didn't get to rehearse a lot. As for Tiler, I saw her on Friday the 12th when she was subbing for Ashley. You can read the review I gave her up thread & I said the same as you. One of (if not THE best) Sugarplums I've ever seen. Perhaps Darci matches her but I'd have to sit down and watch it closely. Tiler is really a treasure; I pray if Little Dancer moves to Broadway Tiler'll only go in the summer or when the company is off. As for me I'm seeing lmy ast Nut on Saturdat evening, supposedly still w/Ashley (we'll see). After that I am eagerly awaiting the winter season especially January, when both Mariinsky, NYCB & Royal Danish principals are in town.

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Amour

Amour

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I saw the Nutcracker tonight. Act 1 was special again thanks to Sawyer Reo as Fritz. That little 8 year old has more acting ability than lots of adult dancers. Claire von Enck (class of 2013 at SAB) was again very good as the doll as was Olivia MacKinnon as Harlequin. Devin Alberda was the best soldier I've seen this season: perfect tours and pirouettes and great beats. Robbie LaFosse was Drosselmeier. Thank goodness for at least one age appropriate Drosselmeier. Interestingly, he played him as a very kindly grandfather. No sense of menace or disquiet, despite the eye patch. It's the first time I've seen such an unthreatening Drosselmeier, but since Robbie was around during Balanchine's time, I have to think he must have known how Mr.B wanted the character played. As an aside, Preston Chamblee, who was in the SAB workshop performance of Serenade, is now an apprentice and played the Mouse King.

In Act 2, Ashley danced. Hooray! I was worried we'd get a last minute replacement. I like Ashley very much and think she may be technically NYCB's best female dancer. Hers was an exciting, dynamic Sugarplum. She danced very fast; her pirouettes, pique turns (and the manège), and chainees were perfect. The promenade with her Cavalier (Joaquin de Luz) was flawless and every time they switched hands, Ashley held the arabesque a long time. The jumps to shoulder sits were perfect and the audience applauded like mad. My seat mate -an approximately 10 year old little girl- had seemed bored during Act 1. During Act 2 she squealed with the delight and bounced in her chair every time Ashley appeared. My only critique is that Ashley did not have the graciousness or warmth I generally associate with Sugarplum. That really is not a criticism of Ashley so much as I think Sugarplum is simply not a role most suited to her strengths. I would love to see Ashley as Dewdrop. I think that role probably really brings out her strengths as a dancer.

Speaking of Dewdrop, Sterling Hyltin performed tonight. Of the 3 Nuts I have seen, her Dewdrop was the weakest(I saw Sara and Tess before). She seemed to have difficulty with the fast tempo (Clotilde Otranto conducted) barely getting the steps in, and lacking in stamina. I noticed that in the finale she bailed on her last 2 Italian fouettes. She is not without charm but she is just not in the same league as Ashley, Tiler, Tess, Sara or Maria.

The other variations were done quite well. Despite the fast tempo, Rebecca Krohn was able to make Coffee sexy, a first for me this season. It just goes to show what the right dancer can do with a role. Anthony Huxley's agility and jumps again made him a great Candy Cane while Erica Pereira again deftly handled all the pointe work in Marzipan. Antonio Carmena was a virtuosic Tea (and just a nice change from Ralph Ippolito, who I saw twice) while Aaron Sanz was a sure footed Mother Ginger. I did miss Taylor Stanley and Brittany Pollack in Hot Chocolate (tonight we had Gwyneth Muller and Daniel Applebaum) but you can't expect them to dance it every performance. (And Brittany was one of flower demis tonight) All in all, it was a great night; perhaps not as perfect as a few weeks ago, but I came away happy. And I am relieved that, clearly, Ashley is healthy again.

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Kathleen O'Connell

Kathleen O'Connell

Posted
Posted

Not quite sure where to stick this, but here seems as good a place as any! (Moderators: please don't hesitate to move this reply to another thread if it seems appropriate.)

NYCB corps member Faye Arthurs started a lovely -- and very informative -- blog a few months back. (Thoughts from the Paint) She recently put up a series of posts about The Nutcracker, both Balanchine's and Ratmansky's as it happens. They're well worth your time.

Today's installment is a guest post by Troy Schumacher detailing a day's worth of prep for about two minutes on stage as the lead Candycane. Don't miss the high speed video of his pre-performance barre.

In this post, Arthurs talks about The Nutcracker experience generally from the dancers' perspective and her own roles in particular (Frau Stahlbaum, Arabian, and Spanish).

Finally, here are her thoughts on Ratmansky's Nutcracker for ABT, which she finally got to see for the wrong reason: an injury that took her out of some of NYCB's Nutcracker performances. (Get well soon!)

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Amour

Amour

Posted
Posted

Not quite sure where to stick this, but here seems as good a place as any! (Moderators: please don't hesitate to move this reply to another thread if it seems appropriate.)

NYCB corps member Faye Arthurs started a lovely -- and very informative -- blog a few months back. (Thoughts from the Paint) She recently put up a series of posts about The Nutcracker, both Balanchine's and Ratmansky's as it happens. They're well worth your time.

Today's installment is a guest post by Troy Schumacher detailing a day's worth of prep for about two minutes on stage as the lead Candycane. Don't miss the high speed video of his pre-performance barre.

In this post, Arthurs talks about The Nutcracker experience generally from the dancers' perspective and her own roles in particular (Frau Stahlbaum, Arabian, and Spanish).

Finally, here are her thoughts on Ratmansky's Nutcracker for ABT, which she finally got to see for the wrong reason: an injury that took her out of some of NYCB's Nutcracker performances. (Get well soon!)

What a wonderful Blog! Who knew all that prep was needed for Candy Cane (and that it's only just over 1 minute long)? Who knew Arabian could be improvised? Thank you, Kathleen for making us aware of Faye's blog.
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Amour

Amour

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Posted

If anyone saw the all-debut cast of December 28, or any of the debutants in subsequent performances, I'd love to hear about it -- Emilie Gerrity as Sugarplum, Ashley Hod as Dewdrop, Claire Von Enck leading Marzipan, and any others!

Not sure this is the right place to put this, but Brian Seibert reviewed the debuts here: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/02/arts/dance/in-city-ballets-nutcracker-an-ever-changing-menu.html?_r=0

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Razor

Razor

Posted
Posted

If anyone saw the all-debut cast of December 28, or any of the debutants in subsequent performances, I'd love to hear about it -- Emilie Gerrity as Sugarplum, Ashley Hod as Dewdrop, Claire Von Enck leading Marzipan, and any others!

Not sure this is the right place to put this, but Brian Seibert reviewed the debuts here: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/02/arts/dance/in-city-ballets-nutcracker-an-ever-changing-menu.html?_r=0

thanks flowers.gif

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