Dance Reviews

Dec 14, 2002 - Nevada Ballet Theatre's sumptuous looking, gorgeously danced "Nutcracker"

By Jack Neal

Nothing says "Christmas is coming" like a sumptuous looking, gorgeously danced production of Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" ballet. Nevada Ballet Theatre, a Las Vegas based company, has transported its lavish "Nutcracker" presentation to Reno, where it opened Friday night (12/13/2002) at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts.

I can't say it's the best "Nutcracker" in town in a season swamped by all kinds of "Nutcracker" presentations, because I haven't seen the others. What can be said is this is the only "Nutcracker" game in town performed in collaboration with a live orchestra. Members of the Reno Philharmonic, conducted by Asher Raboy, are playing Tchaikovsky's enchanting score and they're doing it with grace and spectacular virtuosity. Raboy is an experienced ballet conductor who fits dance and music together like a chic Gucci glove, which places the musical end of this splendid "Nutcracker" bargain is in very grand hands.

To this fresh, young, impeccably turned out company's credit the very good news doesn't end there.

The production looks devine. With gorgeous scenery and costumes by Russian designer Alexandre Vassiliev, rhapsodic, vibrant choreography by Bruce Steivel, all luminously enhanced by the radiant lighting designs of Mike Helms, Nevada Ballet Theatre's "Nutcracker" is Tchaikovsky's holiday fairy tale at its most delightful.

Clara's dream of a toy nutcracker turned handsome prince who sweeps her and brother Fritz away late Christmas Eve to the Kingdom of Sweets, could not be more charmingly told through dance. Morgan O'Brien is a fresh, glowing Clara and a dazzling young ballerina. The dashing Trent Gookin is Fritz, Clara's bothersome brother. He's a handsome, athletic youngster with the born-with natural physical talent to grow into a most appealing principal dancer.

Elena Shokhina is an impressive Snow Queen. Tall and regal, Miss Shokhina is as serene and lovely as quietly falling snow. Dereck Townsend is Shokhina's Snow King. Together they are a rapture of dance in white and very impressive. The Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier are magisterially handled by Tess Hooley and Zeb Nole. Their precise, superbly musical, prestinely executed grand pas de deux transcends mere tecnhique and moves their performance into that rarified world of expression that makes the collaboration of music and dance one of the exhaltant experiences of great art.

The imaginative diverstissements of Act II are loaded with inventive choreography, oodles of charm and lots of very special dancing. The Russian dance, always a crowd pleaser, is ripped through with enormous energy by Jordi Ribera, a terrific and magnetic performer with real star power. The supple Heather Harr's and the hunky Aragorn Berner and Steven Bretzlaf's Arabian adagio is suave, smooth and breathtaking. The superlatives of dance don't end there. There isn't a miscue of lovely costuming or thrilling dance to be seen anywhere in this most attractively cast Kingdom of Sweets.

Nevada Ballet Theatre's corps de ballet is exciting in its own right, making the Snow Flakes of Act I and the Flowers of Tchaikovsky's exquisite Act II waltz superb moments of elegant movement that is nothing less than ensemble dancing at its best. Gorgeous to see and splendid to hear, Nevada Ballet Theatre's "The Nutcracker" is a celebration of the finest in dance that enchants from start to finish. It's current, choice and shouldn't be missed.

Nevada Ballet Theatre's presentation of "The Nutcracker" can be seen at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, 100 South Virginia Street, Reno, Friday, Dec. 13, at 8 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 15, 2002 at 2 p.m. For information call 775-686-6600. NBT's "Nutcracker" can also be seen at the Samba Theatre in Las Vegas December 20-23, 2002. For information call 702 205-5851.