City Ballet of San Diego's The Nutcracker Review

It’s that time of year again! The holidays are around the corner, and with the favored winter season comes The Nutcracker. This year, I was fortunate enough to see City Ballet of San Diego’s performance of The Nutcracker on opening night in Spreckels Theatre. Without question, I can say that this show was one of the best Nutcracker performances I’ve seen in years. I would highly recommend this show to anyone and everyone who loves the theater; City Ballet's The Nutcracker is perfect for all ages.

The Nutcracker, at Its Core

I won’t beat around the bush: the dancing was incredible. The pointe work throughout the show was solid, and the dancers were all so graceful and moved in memorable ways. Even better, the choreography for this show was fresh and exciting. Choreographed and staged by Elizabeth Wistrich, City Ballet’s The Nutcracker featured strong, technically complex choreography in lieu of the often repetitive and simple choreography most Nutcracker productions are known for. Dances like The Kingdom of Snow and the Waltz of the Flowers were large production numbers that featured a flawless ballet corps weaving their way around the stage.

For those who don't know, City Ballet of San Diego’s The Nutcracker tells the classic story of Clara as she receives a Nutcracker for Christmas. She then proceeds to go on a whirlwind and fantastical adventure throughout a myriad of different lands and kingdoms. Set to Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s famous music, City Ballet’s production  managed to embody the classic feeling of The Nutcracker, while also being modern and exciting.

City Ballet implemented a few small changes to their production of The Nutcracker, and these changes made all the difference. For one thing, they cast older performers in the roles of Clara and her brother Fritz, allowing them to dance more and perform complicated choreography. Clara danced throughout both the first and second acts, and she performed as one of the dolls during the Christmas party. In addition, City Ballet's The Nutcracker features a rotating cast. The members of the City Ballet company play different characters every night, keeping each performance fresh.

The costumes were gorgeous with just the right amount of glitter and sparkle, and City Ballet utilized special effects that you’ll have to see to believe. The real highlight of the overall production, however, was the live music. The City Ballet Orchestra performed live in Spreckels Theatre. Conducted by John Nettles, the music sounded as though it were from a CD, it was that clean and well-performed. 

City Ballet of San Diego: Technically Sound

From a technical standpoint, City Ballet’s The Nutcracker was amazing, though there were a few fixable flaws. For example, some of the transitions were a little awkward—Mother Ginger and the Polichinelles were adorable, but it took the children a long time to get on and off the stage—and the leads in Spanish looked like they were underrehearsed. Other than that, however, this show was near-flawless. The pointe work was solid throughout. No one wobbled or cheated by not pressing forward completely onto their box. The dancers were graceful, and the choreography boasted a lot of technical skill that is often missing from other Nutcracker productions. 

The real standout aspect of the show, however, were the pas de deux. I’ve never seen a ballet before where every single pas de deux is stellar from start to finish. All three of the pas de deux performed were graceful and technically beautiful to watch. Karin Yamada and Adam Bloodgood as Clara and the Nutcracker danced well during the Kingdom of Snow pas de deux. Yamada was solidly balanced on her box throughout, and Bloodgood was a reliable partner. Similarly, in the Arabian dance, Andrea Jensen and Derek Lauer danced with a graceful sensuality that was breathtaking.

The grand pas de deux of the Sugar Plum Fairy, however, was the standout of the night. Danced by Erica Alvarado, the Sugar Plum Fairy’s grand pas de deux is known to be the climax of The Nutcracker, and Alvarado certainly delivered. Partnered by the strong Ryosuke Ogura, this grand pas de deux featured flawless technique. Alvarado stayed centered on her box throughout all of her adagios. Her pirouettes appeared quick and effortless, and her promenades exuded grace and poise. When Ogura lifted Alvarado as the music crescendoed, the audience erupted into cheers. As partners, Ogura and Alvarado had a strong connection and were an absolute joy to watch.

The other standout performance of the night—though not a pas de deux—was Ariana Gonzalez as Rose in the Waltz of the Flowers. Gonzalez gave a high-energy performance. Her lines were strong and fully extended, and her movements were graceful. Gonzalez’s firebird jumps were beautiful, but it was her fouette turns that truly dazzled. Gonzalez’s fouettes were perfectly centered, and she managed to stay on or near her mark throughout. Watching her dance in the Waltz of the Flowers is truly an incredible experience for any ballet lover.

Go See The Nutcracker!

Overall, City Ballet of San Diego’s The Nutcracker is great fun for all of the family. The dancing is gorgeous—one of the best San Diego The Nutcracker performances in years—and the overall entertainment value of the show is high. 

City Ballet of San Diego’s The Nutcracker is showing at Spreckels Theatre from December 11th to December 23rd on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The show offers both evening performances and matinees. Visit City Ballet of San Diego for more information about this incredible show, and how you can support City Ballet!