Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY(1840-1893)
The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (1892) [108:00]
Clara Staalboom - Anna Tsygankova
Prince/Mr Drosselmeijer’s nephew - Matthew Golding
Nutcracker - James Stout
Mr Drosselmeijer - Wolfgang Tietze
Louise, Clara’s sister - Nadia Yanowsky
Frits, Clara’s brother - Rink Sliphorst
Mouse King - Alexander Zhembrovskyy
Mr Staalboom - Nicolas Rapaic
Mrs Staalboom - Rachel Beaujean
Young Clara - Amaljá Yuno
Young Frits - Giovanni van den Berg
Poet - Juanjo Arqués
Faun - Roman Artyushkin
Old Don Juan - Steven Etienne
Prince inside the magic lantern - Oleksey Smolyakov
Princess inside the magic lantern - Erica Horwood
Leading snowflakes - Maria Chugal and Sasha Mukamedov
Students from the Nationale Balletacademie Amsterdam
Children’s Choir ‘Waterland’
Holland Symfonia/Ermanno Florio
Directed, filmed and edited by Altin Kaftira
Choreography by Toer van Schayk and Wayne Eagling
rec. live, Amsterdam Music Theatre, 2011
Sound formats: PCM stereo, dts-HD Master Audio 5.1
Picture format: 16:9
Region code: worldwide
Resolution: 1080i High Definition
Blu-ray disc 25 GB (single layer)
ARTHAUS MUSIK 108087 BLU-RAY [108:00 + over 150:00 (bonus)]
Rob Maynard reviewed this - here - on an earlier blu-ray release in August
2012 (Arthaus 108054) and Dan Morgan tackled the DVD equivalent in October
2012 - here. I’m surprised that it’s been
reissued so quickly. Online dealers seem to stock both blu-ray versions, but
the new catalogue number has brought a considerable reduction in price to
around £8 - even less from some - so it’s important to choose
the right one, as the original remains available for around £30. The
bonus material has been expanded from 27 minutes of interviews to over 150
minutes of trailers for other ballet recordings in the series. I’m not
sure if this is a temporary or a permanent offer, so you had better snap it
up if you want it.
Opinions will be divided, as, indeed, were our two reviewers: Dan
Morgan thought it lacking in magic while Rob Maynard found it very
enjoyable. I find myself with a foot in both camps, though inclining to the
latter. Overall I thought that the gains outweighed any losses and enjoyed
it but you should also see what our other two reviewers thought.
The first loss: there’s no Christmas tree and some of the
usual presents are missing, replaced by a mechanical cat, who reappears to
help see off the mice in Act II. You read that correctly: the Mouse King,
here looking more like King Rat*, defeats the Nutcracker in Act I of this
version, carrying off his defeated soldiers in a tumbril, and doesn’t
finally receive his come-uppance from the Nutcracker-Prince until Act II.
That actually makes some sense, as it explains the reprise of the battle
music and it brings the mice more closely into the action, hence the
subtitle of this production, derived from the ETA Hoffman tale,
Nußnacker und Mausekönig which inspired the plot.
It’s a nice touch to have nurse-mice wearing red crosses bearing the
injured off on stretchers.
* in the Hoffmann story he has seven heads, so making him larger
than life is fair enough. In the story, too, the Nutcracker requires two
attempts to kill the Mouse King.
The missing tree is explained by the transfer of the action from
Christmas to Amsterdam on St Nicholas’ Day (6 December) when Dutch
children receive their presents or, if badly behaved, a lump of coal. St Nic
duly makes his appearance, together with his Moorish servant who doles out
the coal. All very well, but that means there’s no indoor tree to
burgeon into the fir forest in the transformation scene. The modification of
Drosselmeier’s name with an extra j and Clara’s family to the
Staalbooms is a small matter. I’ve retained the more familiar form
Drosselmeier in this review.
We move pretty quickly from that fir forest not to the traditional
land of sweets but to the inside of Drosselmeier’s magic lantern - so
that’s what that big present was that we saw brought in under wraps at
the beginning. Indeed, the said gentleman pops up to orchestrate the action
throughout this production, not just in Act I, which again makes sense in
view of the indications that he is a magic toymaker; in the Hoffmann story
he is the children’s Pate or Godfather. In case we don’t
understand the ethnic nature of the characteristic dances and the
dancers’ costumes, we see a slide show of the various countries
through the lens of his magic lantern, which is colourful but a tad
distracting, as is having Frits in chains in the Arabian Dance.
Having sounded off about so many opera recordings that have been
ruined by the bright ideas of their producer, I’m happy to report that
nothing here, for all the changes to the traditional plot, struck a
discordant note. I had a few doubts when the action began during the
overture with a domestic scene chez Staalboom and even more when
skaters appeared outside the house. Having just seen a clip of Nutcracker
on Ice about to open in London, I feared the worst. In fact it’s
an excellent idea to set the wintry scene outside the house in this way to
accompany the guests arriving, viewed from outside before we see them inside
the house.
Both Claras, young and old, dance superbly and are well supported by
the other principals and the corps de ballet. Choreography is
excellent - even die-hard traditionalists should not find anything of
consequence to bemoan - and very well realised by all concerned.
Tempi can sometimes be a problem in ballet - does the conductor aim
at interpreting the music or assisting the dancers? Though I haven’t
encountered Ermanno Florio before, he gets the balance just right here,
meaning that the performance in purely audio terms is not far behind my
favourite recordings from Ernest Ansermet (budget price Australian Decca
Eloquence 4800557 or all three ballets on Brilliant Classics 94032),
André Previn (budget price EMI, now Warner 9676942 - review), Alexander Vedernikov (PentaTone
PTC5186091 - 2012/22 Download News) and Simon Rattle (EMI, now Warner
6463852 - reviews). It’s far preferable to the
recording by Mikhail Pletnev (Ondine).
Rob Maynard reported some movement blur on his review copy. I think
that may have been a rogue because mine was free from such glitches. The
picture was perfect and the sound, decent enough when played through a
flat-screen TV, very good when played via my audio set-up.
Presentation is poor. Instead of a booklet, the synopsis and very brief
- almost breathless - notes are printed on the reverse of the cover in white
on light turquoise and can be read only by pulling them out from the case.
Small reservations like this aside, however, this is well worth acquiring,
especially at its new lower price, or giving as a Christmas present.
I have one other Tchaikovsky ballet to suggest: Neeme
Järvi’s new recording of Swan Lake (Chandos CHSA5124)
joins a distinguished list of recordings of this music and is especially
worth considering by fans of SACD and Studio Master downloads.
Brian Wilson
Previous reviews: Rob Maynard (previous issue Blu-ray) ~~ Dan Morgan (DVD)
Well worth acquiring at the new lower price, or giving as a Christmas present.
Support us financially by purchasing this disc from |
|
 |
 |
 |
|