Though “The Nutcracker” was first performed in St. Petersburg in 1892, the Carolina Ballet has kept the holiday favorite interesting more than a century later.
This weekend’s performance at Memorial Hall balanced the classic and the modern.
The lack of plot in the first scene, “The Party,” was dull and drawn-out, but overall, the show boasted impressive sets, live music and dancing which made up for a lackluster beginning.
The lavish sets, like a quaint and colorful toymaker’s workshop, a Victorian parlor with a dazzling Christmas tree, a quiet snowy forest and a bright sugary palace, were realistic yet still imaginative.
Jeff Jones, who redesigned the sets this year, said he wanted the set to be lush and beautiful. He succeeded, with sceneries that encompassed the entire stage and brought the audience into the story.
But the story itself was less captivating.
There was little development in the hour-long first act. The action was often bland and repetitive. Besides children excitedly receiving presents — with liberal use of jazz hands — and parents dancing in circles, nothing much happened. The last two scenes of the act were well done but felt disproportionately short.
Zalman Raffael, who played the grandfather, had a brief, monkey-like dance solo. While it showed the character’s quirks, the purpose of his sporadic hops and gesticulations was unclear.
Drosselmeyer’s revitalized magic tricks — new additions to this year’s performance — were impressive on a ballet stage but didn’t live up to the hype.
