WITH Thanksgiving al ready the receding memory of an indigestion past, and Lincoln Center Plaza’s Christmas tree already alight, New York City Ballet is busying itself with its annual parade of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker.”
Like so many Yuletide activities, it’s a mingle of honest sentiment with crass commercialism – or, possibly, crass sentiment and honest commercialism.
The fact is that without its 45 or so performances of “The Nutcracker” every year, City Ballet would have a tough job balancing its books.
Ever since George Balanchine first produced it for the company in 1954, it has happily embedded itself into New York’s Christmas.
Nowadays, this production is not only the first ballet seen (and, with luck, enjoyed) by generations of middle-class kids, but it’s also provided a testing ground for hundreds of preteen students from the School of American Ballet, who join the company onstage.
Balanchine’s version of the ballet is as good as any – though I have a happy regard for Frederick Ashton’s dazzling 1951 staging, which did away with the entire story, Dr. Drosselmeyer, Christmas tree and all – and better than most.
Choreographically, it’s distinguished by the Snowflake dances in the first act, and the Waltz of the Flowers, led by the Dewdrop Fairy, in the second act.
Balanchine – helped by Jerome Robbins in the Battle of the Mice scene – also handles the children’s dances with the skill befitting a master.
To provide choreography that can interest adult and child alike is a gift worthy of any Christmas tree, even one growing the height of a theater, as this one does.
Over the season, there will be a multitude of castings – most significantly amid the various Sugar Plum Fairies, her nameless (even solo-less) Cavaliers, and the Dewdrop Fairy.
On Sunday night, I caught a classically poised Megan Fairchild as a Sugar Plum Fairy as delicate as spun sugar, staunchly partnered by company newcomer Gonzalo Garcia as her Cavalier, and with Sterling Hyltin glittering with clear-cut elegance as the Dewdrop.
The company is looking good – not least the children immaculately prepared and rehearsed, as usual, by Garielle Whittle. Congratulations also to solo violinist Kurt Nikkanen in the first act’s entr’acte.
THE NUTCRACKER
New York City Ballet, New York State Theater, Lincoln Center; (212) 870-5570. Through Dec. 30.