There's a lengthy discussion of SFB Nutcracker over on 'Heads Up' relating mostly to the digital broadcast of one of the performances a couple of weeks ago. Since my comments are unrelated to the broadcast, I'll post this here, but please move if it would be more appropriate on the other thread.

SFB Nutcracker matinee performance on Friday, 12/28.


First act: Lovely sets and costumes; the Edwardian style is much more flattering to a dancer's body than the heavy, bulky Victorian costumes so often used.

Snowflakes: Always my favorite music and scene, and this production is lovely. The blizzard was a little startling, but the beautiful costumes glittered like crystal through the near whiteout conditions, although I do have to wonder how on earth the dancers were able to breathe! Plus, it's a little funny having a snow scene in snowless San Francisco!

King and Queen of the Snow: Performed by Brett Bauer and Courtney Wright (both members of the corps). I believe it was mentioned on another forum that Ms. Wright is ripe for promotion to soloist, and based on what I saw here, she certainly is! She has a lovely, clean style and wonderful stage presence.

Chinese: Corps member Daniel Deivison was a knockout.

Russian: Soloist James Sofranko, corps member Benjamin Stewart, and apprentice Jeremy Rucker got the biggest (and richly deserved) ovation. I'm assuming Sofranko was the one in the middle, but all three danced equally well and I really couldn't tell the soloist from the apprentice.

Waltz of the Flowers: Hideous costumes, boring choreography and I'm sick sick sick of that music. There, I feel better.

Sugar Plum Fairy: Maria Kochetkova is someone I'm really looking forward to seeing in the future. Despite her petite size, she has that big, Russian jump, and gorgeous pirouettes, perfectly placed and controlled.

Grand Pas de Deux: Katita Waldo and Mateo Klemmayer gave a warm and charming performance, although I thought those blue and gold costumes made them look like football cheerleaders.

Thank you for your review, PeggyR. This is the right place for it.

I'm glad we have your impressions of the live performance; those of us who saw the broadcast know that we had a different experience from those in the house, whose attention wasn't directed by the camera.

PeggyR, have you seen Luke Willis dance? He was my very favorite dancer with Aspen/Santa Fe ballet and he left the company last September for SFB.

I imagine he's in the corps still.

zerbinetta: No, I haven't seen Luke, but I'll keep an eye out for him.

Because I haven't been able to attend SFB regularly over the past several years, most of the dancers are unfamiliar to me. It's almost worth having missed out for so long just to have the fun of discovering so many new and exciting performers. Thanks for the 'heads up'!

Peggy

Just curious, have you seen any Waltz of Flowers you did like? I wasn't able to see the performance, but my daughter was in flowers that day, hope it wasn't too boring.