Jack Reed Posted November 24, 2018 Share Posted November 24, 2018 (edited) A look at the forum shows I've been commenting on this production for thirteen years now. It's a little different each time, and I won't know what changes to report about this year's until I catch up with it, which I surely will. Long story short, I was underwhelmed by the complicated and fussy new Wheeldon version for the Joffrey Ballet last season, and I looked forward to B.C.'s more dancey, more musical approach as an antidote - although to be fair it must be said that as B.C. is primarily a school, one of the best Balanchine-oriented ballet schools in the country, as far as I know, with slightly younger dancers than Joffrey, the seasoned strength in excellence of the professional Joffrey performers - from the top of the large cast right down to the smallest role (and on down into the orchestra pit) is not likely fully matched - B.C.'s values are considerable: This Nutcracker is about dance and music! (It's value for money, too, at $30 a ticket, for adults. They can do this because the dancers are the school's better students and alumni, and the music is from carefully-selected recordings.) And when they dance, they reveal that the line between student and professional can be pretty fuzzy. So check it out: Evening shows are on December 7, 8, 14, and 15 at 7:00, matinees on December 8, 9, 15 and 16 at 2:00, and the Athenaeum Theater is at the intersection of Lincoln, Wellington, and Southport Avenues in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood. Want more preview? Helene kindly posted some images here a few years ago, maybe even better, there are some clips up on Vimeo, and the whole first act is up on YouTube: The Party guests arrive: The KIngdom of Snow: https://vimeo.com/247428800 Mirlitons: Waltz of the Flowers: On Ballet Chicago's Nutcracker page there are yet more images (in no particular order). (If you want to control the slide show, click on an image.) Edited November 25, 2018 by Jack Reed Link to comment
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