NYCB Nutcracker High Steps & Glide Steps on Opening Night

On Thanksgiving Day, a dozen precision marching bands from across the country proudly advanced their inspiring music through the streets of New York in the Macy’s Parade while millions watched. No one seems to have been inspired more than our brave Bunny in last night’s opening performance of New York City Ballet’s The Nutcracker. The Bunny’s high-stepping and punctilious pivots, ramrod straight ears, perfect posture, dazzling drumming, and fearless confrontation with the Mouse King during the little soldiers’ battle against the mice all secured this Bunny’s place in history as one of the most magnificent that we have ever witnessed. Ever.

The soldiers for whom The Bunny beat the drum were outstanding as well - the mice never had a chance against them despite the fact that the rodents were clear favorites with the audience.

The Bunny and soldiers were but two of the highlights of last evening’s Act I that included an engaging Robert LaFosse as Herr Drosselmeier. Ask la Cour made the character of Dr. Stahlbaum pop with a little more drama and animation than we usually see; it made Haglund wonder what his Drosselmeier might look like one day. Kristen Segin and Sarah Villwock were delightful as the Toys: Harlequin and Columbine while Devin Alberda powered through the wooden Soldier variation with great precision and clarity.

The Snowflakes were lovely and everyone held onto their snowballs unlike at Wednesday night’s open rehearsal when they flew like missiles through the blizzard. The first quartet of flakes didn’t incorporate the corrections given to it by the ballet mistress on Wednesday night; consequently, their lines were messy. But overall, the Snow Scene was crisply danced and beautiful.

Natalie Glassie and F. Henry Berlin reprised their roles as Marie and The Nutcracker with great charm and professionalism. The young Berlin’s beaming stage presence during his transformation moment when his Nutcracker costume flew off of his body to reveal him as a little prince was one of the highlights of the evening. His mime was outstanding just as it was last year, and his feet now suggest fine form and flexibility.

Act II opened with a dozen Angels gliding smoothly through formations until a tiny one went down like a nine-pin. After a second or two of rolling around like a weeble, she ascended to her feet and completed all further Angel maneuvers with absolute perfection. The focus and professionalism of this little Angel no doubt has secured her a bid for Marie in the coming years. In fact, if Balanchine had witnessed it in his day, he might have kept the fallen Angel in the choreography as he once did in Serenade.

There was much fine dancing in Act II, most notably from Daniel Ulbricht’s bright Candy Cane, Ashley Laracey’s mysterious Coffee, and Georgina Pazcoguin's and Taylor Stanley’s zesty Hot Chocolate. It was fabulous to see Lauren Lovette on stage again (following a lengthy recovery from surgery) as the leader of the Marzipan Shepherdesses but our hearts skipped a few beats when her foot collapsed under her during the hops on pointe. She seemed fine, however, through the rest of the dance.

While watching our Sugarplum Fairy and Dewdrop, Sterling Hyltin and Sara Mearns, it seemed as though they had their roles reversed. Sara possessed the grandeur for SPF while Sterling had the bright energy for DD, not vice versa. Haglund was a little disappointed that Sterling’s SPF was not more informed by all the good classical work that she did in La Sylphide last year. Last night’s dancing was rowdy instead of elegant with crystalline beauty. Of course, there were no problems with the steps including that hazardous pique turn into a penche arabesque, but the quality of the dancing was fizzy and throwaway. Sara’s natural grandeur got in the way of the DD’s pristine clarity. In her defense, she doesn’t dance a lot of allegro comparable to what is in DD, but maybe that should change. Andrew Veyette as SPF’s Cavalier was in top form and delivered a blistering manege of coupe jete.

NYCB’s new music director, Andrew Litton, is conducting all of this week’s performances. The orchestra sounded wonderful last night, and the tempi were sufficiently brisk. In the coming weeks, we will welcome back Zachary Catazaro and Chase Finlay to the stage after their long layoffs. Let’s see if they can manage the role of Dr. Stahlbaum without getting injured again. Will they be able to navigate the ladder during the tree decorating scene without incident? Will they be able to pick up a kicking child without fracturing a bone? Geez Louise, these guys owe us a Swan Lake and we’re not happy about having to wait at least another year for it. So let’s get the ole Christmas train back on its rails and keep it there for a while. While it’s true that Zachary has done some quite enticing commercial work for MaxMara recently, it isn't Siegfried. Take a look as these two MaxMara commercials (here and here) which he and NYCB apprentice and knockout Miriam Miller completed recently. She, by the way, was functioning very well in Snow, Flowers, and the party scene in last night's Nutcracker.

The HH Pump Bump Award, a peppermint candy cane stiletto, is bestowed upon our Bunny, our fallen Angel, and the young F. Henry Berlin for their outstanding performances and professionalism on opening night of NYCB’s Nutcracker.

Comments

[Missy]

Per Sara's Instagram, her shoe blew out immediately after her entrance. Sounds like she kept it together!

[Haglund]

Thanks, Missy. That must have been more than a little distracting for her.