Ballet West: The Nutcracker

I was delighted to attend the matinée of Ballet West’s The Nutcracker on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, the final day of this season’s production. Ballet West’s co-founder, Willam Christensen, originally choreographed this version of The Nutracker, the first full-length production in the United States, in 1944 during his tenure with the San Francisco Ballet. He subsequently brought the production to Utah in 1955 where it has become an annual holiday tradition and a beloved community favorite. While Ballet West continues to use “Mr. C’s” choreography, the company updated the production’s sets, costumes, and special effects in 2017. I have seen this production of The Nutcracker several times in recent years, so I questioned whether or not I should see it again. Wouldn’t it just be “the same?” However, once I arrived, Tchaikovsky’s music began, and the curtain rose on an enchanting 19th century street scene with snow falling on the stage, I remembered why I love Ballet West’s The Nutcracker and why it is worth seeing every year: it is a feast for the senses that sweeps you into its magic and treats you to a vibrant, beautiful world.

This production begins with Clara’s godfather, Dr. Drosselmeyer (Tyler Gum), picking up a special gift from a local shop on Christmas Eve. Upon acquiring the gift, he makes his way to the home of Clara’s parents — Herr Stahlbaum (Jake Preece) and Frau Stahlbaum (Lilian Casscells) — where elegantly dressed guests are arriving for a holiday party. The guests enter the Stahlbaum’s lavish living room and begin celebrating joyously. Drosselmeyer excites the children with gifts of toys — dolls for the girls and trumpets for the boys. He brings out a life-sized, windup doll (Olivia Gusti) and a life-sized, windup bear (Victor Galeana) who each take a turn dancing for the children. At the perfect moment, Drosselmeyer reveals the special gift he acquired to be a Nutcracker shaped like a soldier, and he presents it to Clara (Evey Leonard). Clara immediately falls in love with her Nutcracker. Later that night, after the party guests have left, Clara must look at her Nutcracker one more time before going to sleep. She returns to the living room to cradle her Nutcracker. The Christmas tree grows to an enormous size, and Clara, not certain whether she is dreaming, sees giant mice playing in front of the tree. The Nutcracker battles the Mouse King (Joseph Lynch), emerges victorious, and magically transforms into a handsome prince (Beau Chesivoir). Grateful to Clara for assisting him in his battle with the mice, the Nutcracker Prince leads her through the land of the Snow King (David Huffmire) and Queen (Kazlyn Neilsen) en route to the Kingdom of the Sugarplum Fairy (Victoria Vassos). Once there, the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier (Dominic Ballard) treat Clara and her Nutcracker Prince to a series of divertissements: Spanish dancers, Arabian dancers, Chinese warriors, Mirlitons, Russian dancers, Mother Buffoon with children who emerge from under her skirt, and waltzing flowers. The Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier dance an exquisite pas de deux followed by their own solos. Each of the aforementioned groups of dancers returns to dance a finale piece before Clara and her Nutcracker Prince take to the skies in a delicate sleigh, leaving behind the Sugar Plum Fairy’s magical kingdom.

From beginning to end, Ballet West’s production of The Nutcracker is a richly textured, colorful fairy tale that gives you permission to view the holiday — its warmth, sweetness, and fun — with the awe and wonder of a child. The choreography, sets, and costumes work together to create a show that is equal parts elegant and entertaining. The opening scene in which Dr. Drosselmeyer picks up the box containing a special gift draws you in and piques your curiosity about the tale that will unfold. Tyler Gum delivered an expressive, engaging performance as Drosselmeyer, and he carried this energy through each of his scenes. The Christmas party scene includes beautiful jewel-toned costumes and lively choreography that conveys a cheerful, festive mood for both the children and adults. Olivia Gusti as the doll and Victor Galeana as the bear were enjoyable highlights in this scene as their movements accurately portrayed life-sized toys. The conflict between the giant mice and the Nutcracker is particularly humorous because the Mouse King routinely over-exaggerates his movements for comic effect, and Jake Lynch rose to the occasion in his performance of this role. The land of the Snow King and Queen appears as a graceful winter wonderland with ethereal hues of blue and white, and David Huffmire and Kazlyn Neilsen danced their roles beautifully. Each of the divertissements in the Kingdom of the Sugar Plum Fairy offers something different to enjoy. I love them all, but my favorites this time included the Arabian dancers because of their flowing, deliberate movements; the Russian dancers because of their up-tempo, energetic squats and kicks; Mother Buffoon because the children who appear from under her skirt are dressed in fuzzy bee costumes, giving a nod to Utah’s nickname as the Beehive State; and the waltzing flowers because their colorful skirts resemble flower petals. Finally, the grand pas de deux between the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier is a much-anticipated highlight because Tchaikovsky’s music in this section is particularly moving, and the choreography entails challenging lifts followed by breathtaking drops. Victoria Vassos and Dominic Ballard executed this choreography superbly.

I am grateful to have seen Ballet West’s The Nutcracker this season and to have been reminded why it is a worthwhile holiday tradition. Its familiarity enhances rather than diminishes its magic, and I look forward to keeping it as part of my annual holiday traditions.

Ballet West continues its 60th anniversary season with Swan Lake which runs February 9-17, 2024. Click here for information and tickets.