George Balanchine's The Nutcracker
McCaw Hall, November 29, 2024

If you're like me and you're bummed out about the recent turn of events in our crazy politics, give yourself a happiness break and go see choreographer George Balanchine's The Nutcracker at McCaw Hall. Just hearing Tchaikovsky's gorgeous music played by a full orchestra will give you hope for the future, and when you see this year's crew of dancing children and the fabulous ballerinas and ballerinos, you'll forget your troubles. After all, if this great classic can return to us year after year — in spite of the turbulence in the world — we can rely on the arts to maintain our sanity and help carry us through to happier days.

Just walking through the lobby will lift your spirits: the fabulous Christmas tree reaching two stories high, the rascally mouse you can pose with, and Mother Ginger's big skirt you can pop out of, as if you were entering a new world of charm and goodness. Because, friends, when you come to McCaw Hall for this magical evening you are entering a better world: a place of beauty, talent, and music, balm for the soul.

Opening night was attended by a happy crowd of all ages ready to be delighted: children dressed up in their holiday best, grown-up friends and families, and dance lovers ready to see their favorites tackle the challenges of Dewdrop (Clara Ruf Maldonado), the Sugar Plum Fairy (Angelica Generosa) and the Cavalier (Jonathan Batista). The skill and bravura required to execute these demanding roles is literally breathtaking. What a joy to see Generosa and Batista in the duet that brings the curtain down: the delicate and dangerous sequence of steps and leaps that defy imagination. I've seen this couple in these roles before and look forward to it every year.

Special in another way was an unusual but successful string of substitutions, with stars being born by taking on larger roles. Elle Macy (may she be well) was replaced in the challenging Dewdrop role by Maldonado, who performed it with admirable skill and precision. On this opening night, the lead Marzipan dancer (normally Maldonado) was covered by Yuki Takahashi in a charming performance. Amanda Morgan, who had been the lead Hot Chocolate dancer substituted beautifully for Leta Biasucci in the role of Coffee, and Juliet Prine, who is one of the magical Snowflakes, stepped into the lead Hot Chocolate role. I was fascinated to see how deeply talented all the dancers are, and how seamlessly they can substitute for one another.

For those of you who think you don't like ballet but are willing to go to the symphony, remember that Emil de Cou is one of the finest conductors in the nation, whose orchestral conducting brings out the best of Tchaikovsky while meeting the additional demands of accommodating the dancers' speed. (In my opinion, too many conductors play too fast — much faster than classical composers could have imagined, given the resources of their day.) De Cou shows us the best of the dance and the musical world, and has done so for many years at PNB.

This year — of all years — is the time to give yourself a lift and see this wonderful production of music, love, and hope. Now is the time to take advantage of living in a city large enough and generous enough to support an organization like the Pacific Northwest Ballet. If you've never attended PNB, George Balanchine's The Nutcracker is the best starter show. You'll discover an affirmation of what the holiday season is all about, as well as a life-affirming resource for the next four years.


Performances through December 28. For tickets and more information go to https://PNB.org or call the box office at 206-441-2424.