The Covid Diaries 51: Royal Opera House, The Nutcracker

A review of The Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House. In which I feel very lucky to be able to forget about 2020 and enjoy some Christmas perfection. [Edit: especially in hindsight!]

You Could Almost Forget It Was 2020

I know I often say on here that I’m fortunate to be able to see this or that, and I always mean it. This is the 51st entry of my Covid Diaries series after all, meaning I have been to 51 different institutions or locations, and then some of them more than once. I absolutely count my blessings though that I have been able to see two things this Christmas period: A Christmas Carol at the Bridge Theatre, and The Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House. Between them, they embody the spirit of Christmas for me, as they do for many others.

Despite having made a number of concessions to keep the performers safe, the ROH’s production is still superb. In fact, as other reviewers have noted, you would have to be an expert to spot the difference. My companion and I actually looked the ballet up when we got home. We had a vague idea there were some things missing, but weren’t sure what. And let’s face it, as long as the Sugar Plum Fairy and a couple of other bits are there, the rest is fine!

Tell Me About The Production

Much like I’m not qualified to expertly review classical music, I’m not a ballet reviewer either. I can tell you, however, why I enjoyed it so much. First of all, the staging is truly magical. The ballet opens on a scene of Drosselmeyer the magical toymaker and main character Clara’s godfather. He is preparing to go to the Stahlbaum house for their Christmas party, with one very special gift in hand for his goddaughter. The workshop is behind a thin screen/curtain: by switching from backlighting to frontlighting, the scene changes instantly to a snowy German town. There are a few similar flourishes throughout the two acts. A Christmas tree grows immense to indicate Clara shrinking down to the size of her beloved nutcracker. Or a gauzy backdrop suddenly whizzes down out of sight through a hole in the stage.

There are definitely fewer people on stage than usual, and in particular fewer children, but we never felt it to be ‘lacking’. We had a good view from up in the auditorium and the formations were beautiful, for example in the Waltz of the Snowflakes at the end of Act I. Some new choreography has been introduced in order to balance out some of the changes. There is a new battle scene between mice and soldiers, for instance, which is cleverly done. Responding so quickly to the new requirements, rehearsing new dances in bubbles and all the rest of it, can have been no mean feat.

You Have To Say Something About The Dancing Though

Ok, just a little bit. To me, it seemed like perfection. In the performance I attended, Anna Rose O’Sullivan and James Hay danced the parts of Clara and the Nutcracker. Both drew us into the action, and O’Sullivan in particular portrayed her part very well. Laura Morera and Federico Bonelli were the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince. I didn’t connect with them to the same degree, but I think that could be because some of the smaller parts, like the toys and the Russian dance, are a bit more fun to the casual ballet observer.

Gary Avis as Herr Drosselmeyer was really wonderful. He conveyed the story of his nephew trapped as a nutcracker perfectly; was a little bit wicked at the Christmas party when dealing with children who were not Clara (eg. naughty brother Fritz); and had magical flourishes at every turn. I loved the glittery magic and the swirls of his big velvet cape.

All in all, it is exactly what I had hoped for. A little magical escapism in the midst of a turbulent year, and despite many measures put in place like distanced seats and traffic flows, it still felt very special to be at the Royal Opera House, especially at Christmas.

On its own merits: 5/5
Implementing Covid measures: 4/5

Performances of The Nutcracker through 10 January have been cancelled. A livestream will be broadcast on 22 December.