Westerly Sun Chronicle
A post-holiday looking-back at Festival Ballet’s The Nutcracker
by Johnette Rodriguez

Since Yugoslav native Mihailo (Misha) Djuric came to Rhode Island eight years ago to take over the helm of Festival Ballet, he’s brought in his own marvelous modern pieces, recruited professional dancers and teachers from around the world (Russia, Venezuela, Italy, Yugoslavia), polished production values (live orchestra, new costumes and sets) and given the company (and the community) something of which they can be justifiably proud.

That is nowhere more evident than in the annual presentation of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker,  with choreography by Djuric and with the orchestra under the direction of Edward Markward. The Nutcracker will be at the Providence Performing Arts Center December 15 at 7:30 p.m.; December 16 at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.; and December 17 at 1:00 and 6:30 p.m.

 From the opening street scene through the long party sequence, one of the delights of this production is the use of tiny dancers to embellish the whimsy and humor of the story. The wee ones play stragglers and mischief-makers, as the family groups make their way to the party, and once at the Silberhaus home, they convey a sense of jumping-up-and-down excitement and anticipation.

Three small children also portray the “candy dolls” that Herr Drosselmeyer (Piotr Ostaltsov) pulls from his bag of tricks, with costumes linked to the adult costumes in Act II, when the scene switches to the “Kingdom of Sweets.” The children in this particular Nutcracker  are neither self-conscious nor under-rehearsed—they know exactly what to do without trying to look at each other— and that grounds the rest of the show. We know we are in good hands when attention has been paid to small details (or children, as it were).

This is also true in the lovely dancing of Clara. Though the steps are not complicated, they are beautifully executed by Kirsten Evans and Katie Paquin, with a flourish of feeling that will captivate the audience.  Again, this role is crucial to all that follows in the ballet, and these alternating Claras are thoroughly accomplished.

The Nutcracker is played by Ilya Burov and Henry Montilla, both of whom have lithe bodies that can accomplish high leaps and quick-action whips of the legs or feet in the air. They make strong partners for the Claras, in their short pas de deux, which enhances the awakening-adolescent dimension in the relationship between Clara and her Nutcracker.

Heather O'Halloran and Jennifer Ricci alternate as the Columbine dolls and Burov and Montilla as the Harlequins. The three who share the Russian’s split-leaps and multiple turns are Davide Vittorino, Mark Harootian and Burov. Courtney Fraga and Lauren Menger split the role of the Queen of the Mice; both have very clean and expressive movements, especially in contrast to the sometimes deliberately awkward ones of the Nutcracker.

The “star” roles of Snow Queen will be elegantly presented by O'Halloran, Ricci and newcomer Vilia Putrius; the Snow King by Vittorino, Alexander Akulov and Maxime Podshevalenko. The Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier will by danced by Putrius, Halloran, Leticia Guerrero and Carolyn Dellinger and Vittorino, Akulov and  Gleb Lyamenkoff, respectively.  It’s obvious that Festival’s dancers are nothing if not versatile, moving gracefully from one role to the next, depending on day and time of performance.

The energy is also high in almost all of the dancers in the Kingdom of Sweets, from Chocolate and Marzipan to Tea and Coffee. The Dew Drop Fairy will be danced by Dellinger and Guerrero. As with the well-rehearsed children’s parts, the young corps de ballet as mice and soldiers, and the company corps as snowflakes and flowers are thoroughly enchanting. 

For enchantment is the key element to a successful Nutcracker.  If the pace lags or a phrase is forgotten the spell can be broken. But Festival Ballet Providence’s presentation has nary a pause nor a clunk, moving swiftly and smoothly to its wonderful conclusion. The audience will be left, as it should be, quite starry-eyed and glowing.

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