Article content
There’s no shortage of sparkling, twinkly magic at this time of year, but of all the ways to spend an unseasonably balmy winter evening, watching Alberta Ballet’s The Nutcracker is an excellent choice.
While some ballets, such as Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Botero, draw a crowd because they are exciting and cutting-edge, The Nutcracker holds the opposite appeal. The classic ballet, set to Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky’s original score, which is beautifully performed by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, represents tradition and reliability.
Article content
Choreographer Edmund Stripe has insisted he knows people who see it not just every year, but sometimes up to three or four times annually. “If you don’t go to The Nutcracker, it’s not Christmas or it’s not the holiday season,” he said of these patrons while being interviewed last year.
Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, his last of three ballets including Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty, debuted in 1892. It was based on Alexandre Dumas’s The Story of a Nutcracker, which was a lighter take on The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E. T. A. Hoffman. Oh, the layers — is it a nutcracker or a nesting doll?
For those unfamiliar with the story, it takes place at a bustling Christmas party hosted by young Klara’s parents. Guests don an array of colourful, flouncy and fancy party attire, with one notable exception: Klara’s godfather, Drosselmeyer, clad in a black cloak and top hat. If this isn’t damning enough, and his creepy demeanour isn’t obvious, an eyepatch signals his wickedness. (Do only villains have vision issues?)
Naturally, Drosselmeyer is something of a magician — never trust a magician, folks — as well as a toymaker. Bringing us back to the nesting doll metaphor, Drosselmeyer brings along mechanical dolls that perform a skit in which a ballerina saves a nutcracker from a Rat Tsar. He then gives Klara her own nutcracker doll and you may be able to imagine what happens next. However, you might not guess there’s a rat army, played adorably by Alberta Ballet’s youngest dancers, who are a joy to watch in the show. While the first act is packed with narrative, action and incredible animal costumes, the second is pure performance, with all the classics, starting with the Sugar Plum Fairy.
Article content
The Nutcracker is traditional, but it is not impermeable to change. Last year, Alberta Ballet’s rendition received its first major updates in 15 years. After a great deal of deliberation and consultation, Stripe eschewed the traditional international dances of Act 2 and introduced new confection-themed costumes and choreography. For any newcomers to the ballet, the changes are subtle enough to go undetected, with the stunning new costumes blending in seamlessly with the old — not surprising, since Stripe brought original costume designer Zack Brown out of retirement for the updates.
And speaking of new additions, dozens of newcomers to Canada have been given the opportunity to attend The Nutcracker at no cost. On Thursday in Edmonton and Dec. 21 in Calgary, 180 people saw or will see the classic ballet through the Welcoming Newcomers Program. While the holidays are often a merry period of togetherness, they can also be painfully isolating and lonely for some, especially those who are far from loved ones, or navigating language barriers and cultural intricacies. With the support of donors and sponsors, Alberta Ballet has given away almost 3,000 free tickets to performances since 2019, working alongside agencies that serve newcomers to distribute the tickets.
Share this article in your social network