Gone are the days of haunting holiday choreography. This year, a new Nutcracker takes the stage.
For the last 31 years, the Pacific Northwest Ballet has performed a unique and magical annual holiday production conceived children’s book illustrator Maurice Sendak and artistic directors Kent Stowell and Francia Russell. Many aspects of PNB’s previous production set it apart from other Nutcracker productions. For starters, the previous version was truer to the original German 1816 E.T.A. Hoffman tale The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, which is darker story than the more commonly referenced Alexander Dumas 1892 adaptation. In Act II, there weren’t any fairies or sugar-coated towns. Instead, there was a Turkish palace with servants and a glamorous peacock. Sendak even alluded to his story Where the Wild Things Are, by sneaking a lovable monster in to the background of a few scenes. The entire production was created to have a creepy and slightly scary feeling to it, as opposed to a typical fantastical sense.
This year, the beloved show will be retired and PNB returns to a more traditional interpretation of the Tchaikovsky ballet, with choreographer by George Balanchine’s and art by illustrator Ian Falconer (of Olivia book fame). This year’s ballet is the eleventh version ever preformed by the PNB. Audiences will be treated to new costumes, new sets, new choreography, new Mother Ginger and one the Nutcracker’s most iconic figures, a new Sugar Plum Fairy. According to PNB Executive Director, Ellen Walker, “Seattle as a market loves new.”
Many of the dancers miss the old show, but there is no shortage of excitement for the Balanchine Nutcracker. Mia Griff ’19, is dancing in her eighth PNB Nutcracker this year, and is looking forward to a new twist this holiday season. “I am excited to see how the general public likes the show. PNB has put so much time and effort into creating it. Even though I’m sad that the original is gone, I hope that the people of Seattle will make the Balanchine nutcracker a new holiday tradition.”