Magic in Tulsa Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” takes many forms.
Some of this magic is inherent in the music, which includes some of Piotr Tchaikovsky’s most familiar and beautiful melodies. These range from the bright, bouncing melody that begins the overture, with skipping strings that embody all the childlike wonder and anticipation of the holiday season, to the descending eight-note motif upon which the score for the ballet’s climactic pas de deux is built.
The ballet’s story itself has its own sort of magic, something its creators — former company resident choreographers Val Caniparoli and Ma Cong — emphasize in their setting.
In their version the character of the toymaker Drosselmeyer (embodied by Alfonso Martin), usually a comic cameo part, is given more of a leading role, equal parts comedian and magus.
He is shown as the person responsible for such illusions as having the life-sized automatons Columbine (Haley Mae Wilson) and Harlequin (Daniele Arrivabene) erupt out of impossibly small containers, as well as the one who guides his goddaughter Marie (Regina Montgomery) on her dream-like journey through a land of snow and sweets.
And there is that magic that comes from creating a dream world, which in this case is one where comestibles such as coffee, tea, marzipan and chocolate take on human form in high-spirited divertissements, where flowers are able to dance, where simple gestures can have spectacular results (courtesy of Shawn Boyle’s projections), where family members reappear in new guises, and where a young girl in 19th-century Germany might conjure up Golden Drillers, the likes of which would become a century later the symbol of a far-off place called Tulsa.
But the real magic is when all these elements — story, music, choreography, stagecraft — come together to create the unique experience that is “The Nutcracker.”
And this “Nutcracker” remains a unique — and uniquely Tulsa — experience, not simply because it contains dancing Golden Drillers. Throughout its history, Tulsa Ballet has sought to pursue and present excellence, both in regards to the ballets the company performs and in the artistry and integrity with which those ballets are presented.
That includes “The Nutcracker,” which artistic director Marcello Angelini has often said should be as much a challenge for the dancers to perform as it is entertaining for the audience.
The performance I attended — the Dec. 13 matinee — was all those things. Principal dancer Nao Ota danced the Sugar Plum Fairy role with the steely grace and fearlessness that audiences have come to expect from her, while soloist Edward Truelove brought a refreshing zest to the role of the Cavalier, full of high energy and casual elan.
Montgomery was excellent as Marie, taking in and responding to everything around her with wide-eyed wonder and enthusiasm. Teague Applegate, as Drosselmeyer’s nephew who becomes the Nutcracker Prince, brought an understated elegance to these characters.
Principal dancer Jaimi Cullen morphed from Marie’s carefully composed Mother to a regal Snow Queen to the sinuous object of Carlos de Miguel’s attention in the “Coffee” divertissement, and Audrey Williamson led a cadre of adorable candies in the “Mrs. Ginger Rodgers” section.
The Tulsa Symphony Orchestra gave a stately, controlled and nuanced performance of Tchaikovsky’s score under the direction of guest conductor Neal Gittleman, making his debut with Tulsa Ballet. Gittleman may not have brought the same level of energy and exuberance that others have, but he was very sensitive to tempi and ensured the score’s array of tonal colors were bright and distinct.
Tulsa Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” continues with performances through Dec. 21, at the Tulsa PAC, 101 E. Third St. For tickets, call 918-749-6030 or visit tulsaballet.org.
James Watts is a freelance contributor to the Tulsa Flyer.
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