The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker, both as a story and a ballet, is one of my favourites and always has been as a child. This is not my favourite Nutcracker, I do much prefer the Kirov, Royal Ballet, San Francissco and Baryschnikov performances. However, it is still good. visually, especially in the first act, it could have done with more magic. The second act is much more theatrical and colourful, but there are one too many times in the performances where the sets are rather drab and the lighting too dark. There are times also when the stage is too overcrowded especially in the scene with the mice, and I also didn't care for the powdered wigs of the Snow Fairies. However, Tchaikovsky's music is just gorgeous and done justice by the sparkling orchestral playing and brisk conducting. The choreography is generally very good, the Waltz, Dance of the Snow Fairies and especially the Pas De Deux show a lot of artistic flair, and the Cossack dance is a lot of fun. Only the scene with the mice comes across as rather muddled. There are some neat stage ideas like the Nutcracker before and when he turns into the Prince. The dancing is just wonderful, for what she may lack in authentic youthfulness, Yekaterina Maximova more than makes up for it by dancing like an angel. Vladimir Vasilev is everything the Nutcracker/Prince ought to be, masculine, strong and very handsome. The Pas De Deux is exquisite. Vladimir Levashev is a commanding Drosselmeyer, and Sergei Radchenko does his best to make the Mouse King as sinister as possible. Overall, a good production but could have been much more with better production values,a better choreographed Mice scene, and those wigs have to go. As well as some rather distant sound at times. However, the choreography in general, a more colourful second act, musical values and dancing more than make up for things. 7.5/10 Bethany Cox

The original Nutcracker was choreographed by M Petipa in Mariinsky theater. There have been a lot of revisions made all over the world. This one is done by Y Grigorovich in the Bolshoi theater in 1966. Ekaterina Maximova and Vladimir Vasiliev were the first interpreters for this version. Grigorovich managed to fuse the old Russian tradition with modern choreography. The Pas de deux technically is much more difficult than in other revisions in famous ballet companies. The most traditional ones of London Royal Ballet and Berlin ballet are good in their own way, but most revisions simplified choreography and do not look as impressive as this one. The only thing is that it was filmed in the theater and sometimes is dark. Highly recommend it.

A wonderful example of Russian Ballet. The film is a little dark and the technology of the time does not treat the solid red costume well. It does however leave the viewer with a feeling that they attended the performance at it's home theater. Even the Russian applause that to some western ears sounds a little like the "slow hand clap" just adds to the sense of being in Tchaikovsky's home land.

It is interesting to see that the curtains show the now defunct CCCP and hammer and sickle motif woven into the fabric.

The data base shows Yelena Macheret as the director but maybe it is more important to note that it was Yuri Grigorovich who was the Director and Choreographer.