Ballet’s ‘The Nutcracker’ whirlwind of grace, humor
Anyone who’s coached a team knows how hard it is to get people moving together purposefully. To get dozens of adults and children moving together musically, gracefully, humorously — that requires a few handfuls of Herr Drosselmeyer’s magic dust.
Artistic Director Michael Pink and his many collaborators have sprinkled that magic all over the Milwaukee Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker,” which opened this weekend at the Marcus Center.
This holiday chestnut is a traditional gateway to ballet not only for children seeing their first production but also for young dancers appearing on a big stage for the first time.
Four casts are rotating through the ballet’s performances, which continue through Dec. 26.
Sunday’s cast featured Patrick Howell as Drosselmeyer, the toymaker and magician who turns this holiday night into a fantasy adventure, Annia Hidalgo and Garrett Glassman as squabbling but loving siblings Clara and Karl, and Luz San Miguel as older sister Marie, being courted by Drosselmeyer’s nephew Karl (Davit Hovhannisyan).
These recognizable relationships give children watching the ballet threads to follow during the Act Two fantasy sequences.
Glassman is the rambunctious brother always making mischief; Hidalgo shows off her comic skills as the little sister interrupting her older sibling’s romantic moments.
San Miguel and Hovhannisyan have both romantic and athletic moments dancing together. As for Howell, he would make a fine addition to the Hogwarts faculty.
The Milwaukee Ballet calls on all of its reinforcements for “The Nutcracker,” including teenage dancers of the Nancy Einhorn Milwaukee Ballet II program and younger children from the Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy.
In some scenes, it’s astonishing how many people are onstage — dancing, watching, interacting with each other. The constant motion of Act One will keep any restless Fritzes in the audience engaged.
Of the many spotlight moments given other dancers, I’ll single out Barry Molina as the Jack Doll (i.e., clown) for love. Somehow he makes awkward bumbling look both funny and graceful. Molina and fellow clowns Justin Geiss and Wyatt Pendelton earned their enthusiastic ovation.
Conductor Pasquale Laurino and the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra brought their own grace to Tchaikovsky’s score, assisted by wordless vocals from the Milwaukee Children’s Choir.
The ballet will give a sensoryfriendly performance for children and adults with autism and sensory processing disorders at 6 p.m. Dec. 20.
And artistic director Pink will briefly unretire from dancing to perform the Drosselmeyer role Dec. 22. For info on all “Nutcracker” performances, visit www.milwaukeeballet.org.