San Diego, California  - California Ballet

Sunny San Diego Celebrates

December 15, 2007 - By Brad Maxwell

Home to the largest naval fleet in the world, known as the "birthplace of naval aviation", and an area rich in the history of Spanish exploration and Christian Mission settlements.  San Diego is also rich in performance art and it's time to celebrate!   It's time to celebrate the holidays, celebrate history and celebrate The California Ballet's 40th season.  Celebrate with the Nutcracker at the San Diego Civic Theater, December 15th through December 23rd.

The California Ballet's Nutcracker is a classical presentation of this famous ballet including a magical Drosselmeyer with life -sized dancing dolls, Clara's dream visit to The Snow Kingdom and visit to the Kingdom of Sweets.  What really makes this ballet special is the brilliant costumes and staging that fills your heart and mind with the magnificence of its beauty and kaleidoscope of pastel colors.  In addition, The California Ballet celebrates and incorporates dancers of all ages including preschoolers in the super-cute Mother Ginger scene. 

Act I takes us to the Stalbaum's home with a party of guests centered around Drosselmeyer (Oscar Burciaga) and the funny Nurse Tilly (Jenny Boo Asseff), who stands on a stool and attempts to entertain Fritz (Aubrey Palhegyi) and his pack of wild buddies.   Drosselmeyer presents dancing Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, complete with orange hair and red cheeks.  The old gray grandfather with funny eyeglasses and checkered pants dances till he faints into the arms of the concerned guests.  

The Stalbaum's Christmas tree grows to an enormous size followed by a battle between the brave little red soldiers and the funny super-sized mice, who really just want to relax, eat cheese and have fun.   Clara (Nikki Fig) throws her shoe at the Mouse King, the Nutcracker Prince stabs him and it's off to The Snow Kingdom where Clara and the Prince are greeted by the Snow King and Queen, a dozen Snowflake dancers and some prancing reindeer.   The Snow Scene is very lovely with snow falling and a stage filled with a graceful corps of dancers in beautiful soft blue-white dresses. 

Act II is staged in the Kingdom of Sweets, a courtyard of pastel pink colored candy and sweets framed in giant pillars.   Clara and the Prince are presented with the dances by sweets including the stunning red and black dressed Spanish Chocolate, the exotic Arabian Coffee and the Chinese Tea dancers dressed in short brown kimonos with long black frizzy hair and bangs cut to their foreheads.  There were four Merlitons with flutes, Russians doing flips and a Mother Ginger with eight little children dressed in red and garnished with a puffy white fringe.

The Waltz of Flowers is a kaleidoscope of pastels with beautiful dancers filling the stage with fluffy soft dresses of pink, purple, orange and yellow.  A wonderful choreography with the Dew Drop (Cassadra Lund) dancing across the stage filled with flowers.  The Sugar Plum Fairy (Jennifer Curry) and Cavalier (Vadim Solomakha) dance an outstanding grand pas de deux with style and grace. 

It's a 40th season celebration in downtown San Diego with the California Ballet.  December 15 through December 23 at the San Diego Civic Theater.  Box Office 619-570-1100.