The Nutcracker Music Analysis

On November 28th, 2015 I attended Ben Stevenson’s version of The Nutcracker which was being performed by the Houston Ballet at the Wortham Theater Center. The dance featured two separate acts and multitude of dances as well as a live orchestra. The Nutcracker demonstrated the Stevenson’s ability to deliver a cohesive performance whilst maintaining the illusion of fantasy using music composed by Pyotr Tchaikovsky of the Romantic era, eloquent set design and usage of techniques such as lighting and special effects, as well as precise choreography and overall cohesiveness of the dance and the music. Despite dance being the primary subject, it is necessary to note the orchestra’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s compositions. The orchestra consisted
While most ballet groups have transitioned to performing without live orchestra, Stevenson’s rendition of The Nutcracker has kept the time honored tradition. As a result, the music not only felt more dynamic, it evoked a superior sense of emotion and fervor. Furthermore, the music guided the dancer’s movements which created a feeling of preciseness and elegance, and emphasized the utmost skill necessary to perform the more complicated motions of the dance. For example, during the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy each and every motion coincided with a note or an inflection in music. As result, the overall of effect of the piece was enhanced several times over. Whereas the music determined the pace, the set design established the plot and framework of the piece. The set design implemented the context and fantasy aspect that drove the dance which in turn gave meaning and significance to each individual dance. Furthermore, this was supplemented through use of lighting and special effects such as fog and artificial snow. The Waltz of the Snowflakes is an excellent example of this. The waltz begins with a slow almost silent musical intro, followed by the removal of the backdrop revealing that the previous set had been completely removed and replaced with pine trees; it’s crucial to note the transition from the previous scene to this one was seamless. Following the removal the backdrop, a slow fog rolls in and it is here where the Snow Queen makes her presence known. Artificial snow begins to fall from the ceiling of the stage and the snowflakes begin entering one after another. Without the use of stage design and special effects the context of the dance would have almost been completely lost, and the transition from the first act to the second would have seemed choppy and noncontiguous. Finally, the choreography of the