No child left bored: 40th annual ‘Nutcracker' is pretty sweet
The Boston Ballet officially opened its 40th annual production of "The Nutcracker" last weekend. The annual treat has grown from four performances in 1965, under the baton of the legendary Pops conductor Arthur Fiedler, to 36 performances this year.
One of the joys in watching the dancers from the Boston Ballet and the children from the many branches of the school perform is seeing the younger members of the company in solo roles, rather than lost in a line of sylphs or male peasants. Last Saturday's matinee performance was no exception.
Boyko Dossev, who joined the corps de ballet in 2006, was cast in the crucial role of Drosselmeier, the mysterious family friend and resident wizard. Rather than a fusty old man, absent-mindedly performing his enchantments, Dossev turned Drosselmeier into a sensual master-of-ceremonies, firmly in charge as character and actor.
He presented Drosselmeier as a believable charlatan, with the ulterior motive of effecting Clara's transition from child to young woman, starting with his first appearance in the prologue through his entrance at the Christmas party.
Thanks to artistic director Mikko Nissinen, who has stream-lined the choreography
to tell the story clearly, Drosselmeier stays on stage for both acts. He makes the transition in a thrilling Act I exit, as he soars into the air to follow the flying balloon that takes Clara and the Nutcracker Prince off to the Act II Palace of Sweets.
The spotlight also fell on Altankhuyag Dugaraa, new to the corps de ballet this season, in the sinewy, second act pas de deux called Arabian. Dugaraa partnered soloist Kathleen Breen Combes in a duet that is a take-off on the old Ballets Russes' works set in exotic lands.
Dressed in harem pants and tops with bare midriffs showing, the dancers were glued to each other as Combes slithered around and down Dugaraa's body, in a virtuoso performance by both of them.
And with Dossev and Dugaraa, the Boston Ballet continues its claim as the most multi-cultural group in town: Dossev hails from Sofia, Bulgaria, and Dugaraa from Mongolia where he trained with the Music and Dance College and performed with the Mongolian National Ballet Theatre for seven years.
Otherwise, the larger roles were taken by principal dancers such as the assuredly secure Romi Beppu in the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy, partnered by second soloist James Whiteside, who comes to life as the Nutcracker Prince. In Nissenen's version of the story, Prince Nutcracker leaves Clara's side to serve as Cavalier to the Sugar Plum Fairy, dashing any illusions that he might be Clara's first boyfriend.
Whiteside made a valiant swordsman in the Act I battle between the mice and the soldiers and a gracious partner to Beppu for the climatic pas de deux that ends the ballet.
Rie Ichikawa, born in Japan, and John Lam, a second soloist who is surely destined for promotion, made a well-matched pair as Snow Queen and King. Lia Cirio, another young dancer on the rise, was particularly crisp as Columbine, the dancing doll.
Brockton resident Jared Redick led the Russian divertissement to great applause as he executed jump after high-flying jump.
Happily, the roles of Clara and her naughty brother, Fritz, have reverted to children from the Boston Ballet School who will alternate with many others for most of the run.
The charming Bronwyn Wada-Gill as Clara and Xavier Ferreira as Fritz were convincing in their roles, especially when Ferreira stamped in disappointment on the book he received as a Christmas gift.
As always, the visual aspects of the production designed so many years ago by Helen Pond and Herbert Senn provided a sumptuous frame for the dancers within the extravagantly decorated, moving settings, complete with falling snow and the ever-growing Christmas trees.
The Act I color scheme of white and turquoise party dresses for the little girls and ball gowns for their mothers and Act II's exotic costumes completed the pageant-like decor.
The marvelous Boston Ballet orchestra, led at the matinee by Mark Churchill who alternates with principal conductor Jonathan McPhee, performed the Tchaikovsky score with delicacy and brio.
The beloved holiday season spectacle is expected to draw more than 80,000 people from all over New England before the run closes on Dec. 29.
More 'Nutcrackers'
Other important productions of "The Nutcracker" open this weekend: Jose Mateo's version at Brandeis, Dec. 7-16, touring to the Duxbury Performing Arts Center, Dec. 21-23; and Tony Williams' "Urban Nutcracker" at John Hancock Hall, Dec. 7-16.
The Nutcracker
Boston Ballet at The Opera House, with multiple changes of casts, through Dec. 29. Tickets $30-$155 by calling 617-931-2787, ticketmaster.com or bostonballet.org.