The house grows dark, and clara steals back into the room to look at her precious nutcracker. This ones set at the worlds fair choreographer christopher wheeldon has a fresh take on the classic christmas. If your tickets are at will call, it is best to be at the box office 45 minutes prior to the performance because the lines to pick up tickets can be long. Jennifer lopez stars as maya, a 40yearold woman struggling with frustrations from unfulfilled dreams. The nutcracker at arie crown theatre december 830 its sort of funnyif one stops to think of itthat the nutcracker should be a treasured allamerican christmas entertainment for the entire.
And then, in the second act, in maries imagination, its in her dream that her mom becomes a golden statue herself. Shchelkunchik listen help info is an 1892 two act ballet fairy ballet. The second act focuses much more on the dancing rather than the story. In its own way, the joffrey ballets highly original reimagining of the nutcracker which debuted in 2016, and is now in its fourth, monthlong, holiday season run at the auditorium theatre was a transformative event as well the joffrey ballet production of the nutcracker. You can also hear his knack for arranging, particularly in the dances in the second act. W hen ashley wheater took over as artistic director at the joffrey ballet in 2007, he was shocked to discover the state of sets for the companys longrunning production of the nutcracker. The last of his three ballets, it was first performed in december 1892. In february, chicagos joffrey ballet presents an evening of works. Choreographer george balanchines production of tchaikovskys ballet the nutcracker has become the most famous stage production of the ballet performed in the u. When joffrey ballets nutcracker was revised for chicago, artistic director. The nutcracker at the arie crown theatre december 79, 1216, 1823, 2630 in times as uncertain and threatening as ours, we must be doubly grateful for that most comforting standby, the nutcracker. Wheeldons nutcracker was envisioned specifically with chicago viewers in mind. Wheeldon says the worlds fair was a natural fit for the nutcrackers second act.
It uses the plot of the alexandre dumas, pere, version of e. General director of the mariinsky theatre, where the nutcracker had its. Houston ballets 2014 holiday season to debut with the. The second act, he said, was a childs fantasy of the worlds fair rather than of the land of the sweets, filled with pavilions. Not saying there is no chance for enjoyment, in my opinion ballet is just an acquired taste. The second act of the nutcracker, originally conceived for marius. Mikhail baryshnikovs production is the most famous television version, although it too originated onstage. Hoffmanns tale contains a long flashback story within its main plot titled the tale of the hard nut. The chicago sinfonietta will provide live musical accompaniment of tchaikovskys classic score. The second act of the nutcracker is a series of vignettes where various dance styles, cultures, and sweets are synthesized into a single aesthetic metaphor.
Check out the official second act trailer starring jennifer lopez. Inside christopher wheeldons workingclass nutcracker. As she falls back asleep on the couch, her thoughts are filled with exciting, happy memories of the christmas eve party and the dancing dolls. The story of the nutcracker ballet scene descriptions. The nutcracker is an 1892 twoact ballet originally choreographed by marius petipa and lev. And the second acts land of sweets sequence where the ballet features dances from arabia, china and spain is transformed into a showcase for global styles of percussive dance. Neighbor news the joffrey ballets the nutcracker magic. How the joffreys new nutcracker chose chicagos worlds fair for. The origin of the nutcracker, a classic christmas story, is a fairy tale ballet in two. The nutcracker performing arts sidebar chicago reader. Choreographer christopher wheeldon set the joffrey ballets nutcracker in chicago, as the city prepares for the opening of the 1893 worlds fair. A radiant moment in chicago history key to magic of. Joffrey cofounder gerald arpino choreographed the land of the snow scene, which closes act i, and the waltz of the flowers in act ii.
The second act focuses on the international specialty acts. Entering the auditorium theatre about 20 minutes before the performance should give you time to get to your seat and to have a look at your program book before the curtain goes up. History of nutcracker moscow ballets great russian nutcracker. The joffrey ballets the nutcracker magic brings the joy. Chicagos joffrey ballet looks to citys immigrant history. The nutcracker tells a story about a girl who befriends a nutcracker that comes to life on christmas eve and wages a battle against the evil mouse king. In the second act of the nutcracker, the main characters, clara and prince, arrive at the land of sweets where they are welcomed by the sugar plum fairy. The second act continues the fantasy as the story moves to the. Some found the transition between the mundane world of the first scene and the fantasy world of the second act too abrupt. Treat yourself to chicago festival ballets the nutcracker. Click here to view the nutcracker calendar of performance dates. If youre approaching a night at the ballet with a sense of dread or ennui. The nut tapper transforms nutcracker ballet into a.
The nutcracker runs approximately 2 hours including one 20minute intermission. Dripping with superfluous plot in the first act, the whole narrative is lost in the second for divertissements that, in 1893 when the ballet premiered, probably didnt seem as riddled with. Photo by cheryl mann choreographed by the tony awardwinning christopher wheeldon, and set to the. Hoffmanns tale contains a long flashback story within its main plot entitled the tale of the hard nut, which explains how the. The room is filled with the magical christmas spirit. Hoffmanns tale, the nutcracker and the mouse king 1816. Second act is a comedy in the vein of working girl and maid in manhattan.
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