December 3, 2023

No one wrote magic into music like Tchaikovsky. No one wrote fantasy like he did, or defined character in sound so eloquently and in such technicolor detail. To know the ballets of Tchaikovsky is an important start to the understanding of his brilliance and unique contribution to music.
 
Yes, there is Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty, two masterpieces, but of course today, being December,  I’m referring to The Nutcracker. I just had the privilege of doing it again with the Flint Symphony and the Flint Institute of Music in Flint's gorgeous Whiting Auditorium.
 
I love this production. It is a beautiful mix of professional, student and community dancers that brings Tchaikovsky’s ballet to life with nuance, depth and virtuosity. The artistic team, headed by Tara Gragg, knows exactly how to get the most from each dancer and ensemble. It is a feast for the eyes and ears, full of character and life.
 
While I am not a fan of the tradition of ballet audiences applauding in the middle of the music when a dancer executes a difficult step or sequence, I do have a soft spot for the spontaneous combustion applause that happens at the emotional high points of this work, those moments of cataclysmic release following a build up like only Tchaikovsky can muster. There are a handful of these between the two Pas de Duex where the audience simply cannot contain their enthusiasm for the power, beauty and grandeur of the music and movement. No need to hold back folks…bring it on.
 
It's obvious that the people of Flint value this production, now in it’s 48th season. I learned today that both performances in this grand theater of over 2000 seats were sold out back in August.
 
Next up for me is more holiday music, namely the Holiday Pops of the Lansing Symphony. I’m looking forward to it. If you want to come, best get your tickets right away!
 
NEXT UP:
 
Lansing Symphony Orchestra
Holiday Pops with Teri Hansen
December 17 at 3:00 p.m
Wharton Theater
East Lansing, Michigan
 
#lansingsymphony #flintsymphony