Review: The Boston Ballet's "The Nutcracker"

Daniella Cuencas ’16 / Emertainment Monthly Staff

The Boston Ballet’s new version of The Nutcracker could be described in one word, magical. From the beginning to end there was not one scene in which the entire audience was not captivated by the beautiful dancing, scenery, and music.
The dancers were a beautiful mix of young and old much like the audience present, and the story that these talented performers told was one that could be enjoyed by all ages. One of the main characters Clara, was wonderfully embodied by Eliza French. She was well chosen and danced the part with a hundred and ten percent worth of enthusiasm. The rest of the cast including the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Nutcracker Prince all performed with the grace and presence of what they represented. Yury Yanowsky, the Nutcracker Prince, as well as Mathew Pope, the Bear, and Artjom Maksakov, Mouse King, all performed with cumbersome costumes on and still managed to keep their dancing top notch. Seeing the large teddy bear come on stage to perform tumbles and rolls with the precision of a professional dancer was almost comical, but the end product was surprisingly impressive.
Something almost as amazing as the dancing was the scenery, the sets were elaborate and well detailed throughout the performance. The set that struck me the most was when the true story of the Nutcracker Prince came to life as the curtains closed, a sort of focus, to show the tree suddenly magnified. Watching this scene develop, it felt as if we were also toy sized. Another interesting set was the Nutcracker Prince kingdom. The throne room had an elaborate fresco painted above it that featured the cast. This fresco can also be seen in the playbill and involves an interactive game with the show.
Of course, what is ballet without the tutus and glittering costumes? The most exquisite part of the show was seeing the costumes. The variance, colors, and extreme detail given to this portion of the show were not disappointing. My favorite costume was the Sugar Plum Fairy costume. This leotard and tutu had glitter, sparkles, and the most perfect shade of pink. Watching Lorna Feijóo dance in this costume was like watching spun sugar come to life and perform a duet with the Nutcracker Prince. One other costume also held my eye; the children’s costumes ranging from mouse, to sheep, to the pages were adorable. Another thing thing I noticed was how unique Clara’s costume was in comparison to the other children. She was placed in costumes that held true to that of a child. Instead of placing her in an elaborate dress, she was in a simple nightgown that showed a modern take on the period she was from. Honestly, all of the costumes were amazing. From the snowflakes costumes to the costumes that are apart of the celebration for Clara, all were a perfect part of the contemporary performance that this show seemed to be about.
Overall I would suggest this show to anyone and everyone who would like to experience true magic. The combination of lighting, set design, and dancing all helped to make viewing this version of The Nutcracker a memorable experience.
For more information on the show, to find showtimes and/or purchase tickets, please visit http://boxoffice.bostonballet.org/storefront/c2013NUTCRACKER-p0.html.