Nutcracker Season at New York City Ballet went by like a sleigh on jets — mostly because the tickets were so cost-prohibitive that much of the faithful core audience couldn’t afford to attend many performances, let alone binge like one might want. So it was best just to forget about it for most of the season. In fact, when the Mouse King waddled out in all his vainglorious macho, he boasted how he was going to make Nutcracker even greater again next year by charging $400 for every seat in the house and soaking parents double the amount for their kids to have their pictures taken in front of a picture of posing snowflake dancers of yesteryear. Apparently it was too risky to have a human snowflake dancer on hand engaging with the public but it was safe to have a real live cashier ringing up sales and intimately counseling folks on their choice of final photos. Ah, well. . .
But we did manage to buy a few performances early-on which turned out to be lucky in the Sugarplum Fairy category: both of Sterling Hyltin’s dates, a Tiler Peck evening, and a magical matinee with Mira Nadon.
The performances by Sterling Hyltin — her final ones before retiring — did not evoke the sadness that we anticipated. They felt less like events celebrating a retirement/goodbye and more like a graduation sendoff. That’s because we’ve always had a sense that Sterling’s contributions during her prime of life could overshadow her gifts to us during the prime of her performing career. It’s just a gut feeling. The company is lucky that she will remain close by. All that sensitivity on stage, the love of getting it right, the respect for her partners and colleagues, and the ability to adapt and achieve greatness within an imperfect system will be shared by her in the coming years with those who will indeed struggle to fill her shoes. In her last two performances as the Sugarplum Fairy, both opposite Andrew Veyette whose own performances were highly energized and polished, Sterling filled her dancing with the clarity, crispness, warmth and wonder that has always made her perfect for this role. It came as no surprise to see her express her gratitude with a bouquet and hug for Peter Martins who stood in the aisle by the stage’s apron at her Farewell performance. The audience instantly recognized him and gave him the extended warm reception that he so deserves.
Tiler Peck and Chun Wai Chan were stylish and dazzling as a couple in their performance. The Sugarplum Fairy role requires a lot of sustained arabesques. While Tiler always technically made her arabesques, they were generally modest. Chan threw impressive turns a la second and looked every inch the handsome Cavalier.
Christmas Eve’s matinee performance with Mira Nadon and Peter Walker got us into the holiday spirit. So many things make this ballerina a special gift including her extraordinary desire to communicate with everyone on stage and in the audience. The Angels adored her. These pint sized performers have the riskiest assignments among the children due to their stiff angel costumes under which they scurry smoothly around the stage in formations. It seems that almost every year, some tiny Angel face plants after tripping over the front hem of her costume. Any tiny lapse of concentration can yield a catastrophe. These Angels were so captivated by Mira Nadon’s attention toward each one of them that as they motored their little feet across the stage right in front of her, several of the Angels “took their eyes off the road” so to speak to look up at the ballerina hoping to catch her glance. There was a disaster begging to happen, but thankfully all of the Angels made it across the stage to their proper heavenly positions.
Mira went on to captivate all of the children and the audience with her graceful yet authoritative arabesques, piques that made their own statements, and confident pirouettes. An unscheduled exit during The Little Prince's mime solo -- apparently to fix a pointe shoe that went kerflooey -- caused some audience concern but Mira returned on cue to wave her wand right on the musical climax. Her pas de deux with Peter Walker was sublime. The jumps to his shoulder, the sliding arabesque, the step-over pirouette caught by the wrists, and the thrilling promenade that concluded with a sustained balance and daring drop into a fish position were all masterfully completed by the two.
At this performance, Isabella LaFreniere danced brilliantly as Dewdrop with absolute command of her long, articulate limbs. In the Peck/Chan performance Unity Phelan glistened beautifully in the role, and in both of the Hyltin/Veyette performances, Indiana Woodward combined authority with her lovely musicality. Christina Clark made an impressive debut as Coffee while Alexa Maxwell deepened her theatrical hold on the role. Daniel Ulbricht was perfection in Candy Cane; Harrison Coll’s CC was thrilling; Cainan Weber’s hulahoop was uncooperative at the performance we saw.
Our H.H. Pump Bump Award, which had to be scaled back due to the price of Nutcracker tickets, is bestowed upon Mira Nadon and Peter Walker for their exquisite pas de deux as the Sugarplum Fairy and Her Cavalier.
Yes, I was at the Sterling Hyltin farewell performance and had hoped to catch one or two more performances, esp with younger dancers,around Christmas and New Year's but between the cost and the total lack of tickets for some performances it just didn't happen.
Posted by: Allie Kenney | December 26, 2022 at 07:31 PM
I generally go to a performance of "George Balanchine's The Nutcracker" every few years; it's been about four now. I don't particularly like the production for two reasons: (1) too child-centric (2) his interpolation of the Entr'acte from Sleeping Beauty. For me, Tchaikovsky's score is perfect as is (unlike the original score for Swan Lake, his first ballet score almost 20 years earlier, which was over-composed). (I'm not wild about Balanchine's rearrangement of the score, either.) My favorite production has always been Baryshnikov's (even though he, too, rearranged the score) because it's not about kids. I did see Ratmansky's version for ABT a few weeks ago and had forgotten how wonderful it is, for much of the same reason I liked Baryshnikov's version: the emotional core is much more accessible, without which you don't get the full magnificence of the composer's work. Just my opinion, of course.
Posted by: Solor | December 26, 2022 at 10:25 PM
I love Baryshnikov's film version, too, but I suspect casts other than the one on film might not have been as magical. But then, who in the world would have been?
I wasn't crazy about Vainonen's Snow Scene. No matter what company dances it, it always looks heavy and sluggish.
Posted by: Haglund | December 26, 2022 at 10:36 PM
Ratmansky's snow scene is exquisite.
Posted by: Solor | December 26, 2022 at 10:47 PM
ITA.
Posted by: Haglund | December 26, 2022 at 10:50 PM
I was lucky to attend three different Nutcrackers. In my opinion, Ashley Hod deserved far more Sugar Plum performances than the two she received. Her stage presence was extraordinary and the way she used her arms during the Grans pas was magical. All in all she blew me and the rest of the audience away.
I also very much enjoyed Megan Lecrone's Dewdrop. I'm not that familiar with her dancing, but she glistened like the last snow before spring. Her dancing was expressive and delightful.
That said, from the Fourth Ring I was annoyed at this year's dolls. I get that they have to crawl into the boxes from behind...but that means crawling not sticking your head above the boxes so that the Fourth Ring can see you getting in. It was painfully obvious that there was a lot of rustling before and after their dances during the party scene.
I totally agree about the Balanchine Nutcracker being too child-centric. I also much preferred the older dancers from 2021. They all portrayed characters onstage and did never had the blank glare that this year's cohort had. The little ones are fun to watch, but it feels a little like attending a recital. That's totally fine, but at the prices NYCB charge I don't like that I only really watch the two hours for Snow, Waltz, Marzipan, and Grand Pas, ESPECIALLY when you compare it to the high entertainment/dance value of the party scene in Stanton Welch's Nutcracker for Houston Ballet. That choreography feels like it's worth every penny.
BUT I still love the Balanchine production, maybe paradoxically based on what I just said above, because it highlights the joy of Christmas from the child's perspective. No other Nutcracker captures that emotion quite as well.
Posted by: Zachary | December 26, 2022 at 11:32 PM
Unfortunately, I didn't see Ashley Hod's SPF but I totally agree with your observation about her extraordinary stage presence.
I have to point out that there are currently only six women principal dancers compared to thirteen men. The optics are truly offensive and have been offensive for quite some time.
Posted by: Haglund | December 27, 2022 at 06:38 AM
I am curious as to what Baryshnikov's Nutcracker would have looked like in person, onstage. I do adore it, all but for the constant creepy presence of Drosselmeyer. I'm never a fan of Nutcrackers where Drosselmeyer is lurking about in Act 2.
Posted by: pennsylvania | December 27, 2022 at 12:05 PM
Thanks for pointing out Ashley Hod's performance, Zachary. I thought she was a standout in some recent rep performances and would love to see her as Sugarplum in the future. Another dancer I heard was impressive as Sugarplum was Emma von Enck, and I think she got only one performance. I know Emilie Gerrity got quite a bit of stage time as I think she was filling in for both Sara Mearns and Ashley Bouder at various points. I had hoped to be able to catch at least one of these younger dancers during the last week, but hesitated too long for tickets (am at older end of age spectrum and still have some reservations about spending a couple hours crammed in with maskless children).
Posted by: Allie Kenney | December 27, 2022 at 02:40 PM
I did see Baryshnikov's version a number of times on stage. In fact, there was at least one season when it was done in the spring, either at the Met or in San Francisco or both - I don't recall which; however, it's significant because the production worked very well as part of a varied repertoire that was certainly not holiday-themed.
Posted by: Solor | December 27, 2022 at 05:18 PM
Zachary: There are some clips on You Tube of a Nutcracker performance 10 or 11 years ago. I think it may have been a Live from Lincoln Center performance; there were some quite senior dancers in featured roles more often done by soloists or corps members. One of these was Tiler Peck as Marzipan; she was terrific. One of the four other shepherdesses behind her was Megan LeCrone; I think she stood out because of her height and distinctive (at least to me) hairline. It is worth watching if you have the time. I have watched it several times since I discovered it. I wasn't sure who the other dancers were, though I thought one might be Ashley Laracey. I saw Megan LeCrone as Dewdrop maybe 4 years ago.
Posted by: Allie Kenney | December 28, 2022 at 05:31 AM
I saw LeCrone as Dewdrop a few years ago as well. Her dancing was wonderful, but it's hard to get past her menacing face in a light, cherry role like Dewdrop. Obviously her natural looks are unique and beautiful in the real world, but under harsh stage lighting they become very...hard. I always thought the same of Wendy Whelan's.
Posted by: Anna | December 28, 2022 at 11:06 AM
Megan was wonderful as Effie in Peter Martins' production of La Sylphide. Warm, funny, light, charming, refreshing. Her character was like someone right out of a storybook. Martins' did an excellent job of coaching her in the role.
Posted by: Haglund | December 28, 2022 at 11:13 AM
To add my 2 cents, I agree totally H, I am a yuge LeCrone fan,a Megan-ista! She has that presence that can take over the stage. I saw her do Hippolyta in MidSummer (this year? 3 years ago??) and she was absolutely commanding, even in the fog. (Who let those damn dogs out?!?!). But when she came out for her bow a huge grin came across her face. And I thought "Gurrrrl, smile more! You are lovely!" I agree with Anna, its very early WW. BTW, Phelan as DewDrop? Gorgeous. (AND, how long did we have to wait between HH posts? A month???? too long. Glad you are back.)
Posted by: GStavella | December 28, 2022 at 12:46 PM
My husband and I saw Paris Opera's Mayerling in the best available seats, and it was cheaper than NYCB's Nutcracker.
I'll give you one guess which was better.
Posted by: Sam | December 31, 2022 at 11:51 AM
Oh my, how I envy you. Mayerling...
Posted by: Haglund | December 31, 2022 at 12:00 PM