© berlin staatsballett Berlin 'Nutcracker' reviews 'Nutcracker' reviews Saidakova in reviews Savkovic in reviews recent Berlin reviews more Margaret Willis reviews

In such an historic cultural centre with its past close relationship with Russia, one would naturally assume that the company’s Christmas fare of ‘The Nutcracker’ would be as traditional as Father Frost or Saint Nicholas. However, the Staatsballett Berlin, today under the guidance of Vladimir Malakhov, performs the anomalous production that Patrice Bart created for the company in 1999. Yes, it follows the skeletal plot with many of the usual fairy-tale characters and growing Christmas tree, but it also includes dark overtones of kidnap, neurosis and bewilderment.

The ballet opens, not to gentle snow falling on hurrying party guests, but to a shadow battle where Saracens savagely brandish scimitars behind the backcloth. In the room a well-dressed mother — a grand duchess- and her little girl clutching her Nutcracker doll) cling to each other in fear. The enemy finally enters, threatens them and runs off with the kicking child who drops the doll. Then we get snow and the party and discover that the child, Maria, now seventeen, was adopted by the Stahlbaum family. But she is a still mentally a child and very much a loner, teased by her two annoying ‘siblings’ and picked on by her step-mother as the trouble maker. The party follows tradition with children, adults and grandparents all jollily participating in the activities, wearing beautiful gowns and costumes and pointing feet to perfection. A young Herr Drosselmeyer drops in Mary Poppins style via an umbrella/balloon and performs his magic tricks for the delighted children. The role is this production has been extended and the dancer gets many solos and duets throughout the evening. It was danced elegantly and impressively by a young Turkish dancer Ibrahim Onal who has the dark brooding looks of a young Mukhamedov, showed excellent jumps and turns, and satisfyingly soaring jetes. Having apparently viewed the child’s abduction in his crystal ball all those years ago, he gives Maria the toy Nutcracker, watching her reactions as she is taken back to her childhood and has to face up to her nightmares. He puts her into a trance where she relives the battle between her father’s army and the Saracens (rather than mice and tin soldiers) and her abduction. The action is hot-paced and certainly appealed to the young boys in the audience. Maria throws her doll at the Chief Saracen, the stage clears and the Nutcracker appears as a handsome Prince much to Maria’s delight. Then Drosselmeyer joins the couple in a pas de trois before the somewhat noisy Snowflakes lead the way to Act 2 as the Staatskappelle Berlin orchestra under the baton of Peter Ernst Lassen surge to Tchaikovsky’s wonderful score.

So far, so good but here after the interval, the curtains roll back to show, not the Land of Sweets but a fashionably elegant room where the Grand Duchess dressed in red, sits reading before executing a sad solo of heartfelt longings. Drosselmeyer’s balloon drops down and Maria and Mother are reunited once more. An ugly metal football stand is erected at the back of the stage for viewing the procedures of the ball she has organized, and guests and soloists pour up and down it en route to perform. Ambassadors bring in their dancers: the Chinese with long painted nails and geta (wooden heeled shoes) presents his couple; the Spanish, his two and the Arabian, a band of slinky bare midriffed girls. A golden replica of St Basil’s is wheeled in for the Russian duet, a folk dance rather than the usual bravura male epic. The Waltz of the Flowers reminded of the ball in Onegin — elegant and exacting with imperial poses. The corps de ballet showed fine coaching throughout the evening with good pliable upper bodies and fluid movements. Drosselmeyer partners the mother, the Staatsballet’s senior ballerina Bettina Thiel who still evidences great poise and grace.

And then, the Grand Pas with Maria and her Prince. Nadja Saidakova is a pretty and pleasing young Russian ballerina. She is light and graceful, delicate and accurate in execution of her steps and looks every part the young heroine. As her prince, Ronald Savkovic is a true professional who knows how to use both the stage and the audience well. He matched Saidakova in technique, jumping high, showing excellent brises and pointed feet, and the couple complemented each other well. At the end of the ball, all the guests suddenly turn into dolls and depart with wooden movements while Maria flies off in a cloud of gossamer with her prince. But the programme notes indicate that this is not the finale stating, “But will Drosselmeyer allow the story to end thus?” suggesting that perhaps he has other plans for Maria.

Overall it was an interesting production—but I have to confess that I like mice and tin soldiers in my annual Nutcracker!