The Nutcracker

Nutcracker 1

Have you ever been to the theatre to watch a dance company perform a classical story ballet? If so, was your first, The Nutcracker? Mine was, at age three. My memory of that performance is understandably sketchy but I clearly remember being wowed. It was my first of many magical and fantastical ballet moments.

It’s the 2022 Nutcracker season, and all over the world young ballet newbies will be sitting in audiences, watching their first performances, all agog, and enjoying their own “wow” moments. Many of them will go to bed afterwards, dreaming of dancing the role of the Prince or the Sugar Plum Fairy themselves. I sure did.

From as early as I can remember, Mum and Dad took me to see the National Ballet of Canada’s Nutcracker every Christmas. In the earliest years (when I was 3 and 4), the performances were in the auditorium at Eatons, College Street Store. Then they moved to the O’Keefe Centre (which became the Hummingbird Centre, now the Meridian Centre) and, since 2006, at the purpose-built Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

The first few years, my Nutcracker experiences were all matinées but they became ever so much more exciting when I graduated to evening performances. The lights on the marquee at the O'Keefe Centre were pure magic to me in those early years. Walking beneath them into the theatre emphasised what a very special occasion it was. We’d check our coats and then sit in the upper lobby to watch the arrival of the patrons which, honestly, was a show unto itself. In those days, folks dressed to the nines to go to the theatre (and don't you miss that, just a little?). Mum, Dad and I were no different; Mum would lovingly deck me out in my Sunday-best (usually a velvet-trimmed wool tartan dress made by Nana), my shoes would be freshly polished (by Dad), my hair curled (tied with velvet ribbons matching my dress), and with my wee silver locket secured around my neck.

Then the lights would flash, signalling it was time to take our seats and that was always an oooooh moment. Dad loved (to the exclusion of all others) the mezzanine seats and our tickets were always for the front row, as close to the centre as he was able to obtain. Walking through the doors, onto the walkway between the mezzanine and balcony, the magnitude of that grand theatre never failed to amaze me (even years later as an adult).

Watching the orchestra warm up was always exciting and the various orchestra members playing snippets of Tchaikovsky’s beautiful music was the perfect pre-performance tease. Then the lights would dim and a single spot light would illuminate the conductor as he walked out, baton in hand, to take his place and we’d all applaud like mad.

At last! The curtain rises to reveal the drawing room with the magical Christmas tree. Of course the dancing is absolutely my favourite part of the performance, but watching the tree grow was always a tantalising indication that the dream and the wizardry had begun.

In any full-length ballet, but especially a story ballet, there is “room” for many different dancers. Besides the regular company, The Nutcracker features some retired and beloved dancers, plenty of young and very young dancers and, of course, some local celebrities - two different stars at each performance - who play the parts of the Petrouchka or Cannon Dolls, who fire their cannon into the audience.

The current version of the beloved ballet performed by The National Ballet was choreographed by the amazing James Kudelka, who has made some absolutely wonderful dances for the company. I love his version, it’s like watching my imagination come to life right before my very eyes. He’s brilliant! In the early years, though, we watched a version choreographed by Celia Franca, the key founder and first artistic director of the company.

And yes, while I’ve been writing, I’ve been humming the Waltz of the Flowers (aka John Bradshaw music), probably Mr. Tchaikovsky’s most well-known composition.

’Til next time, y’all…

Nutcracker 2 (Clara with her Nutcracker.)