Visit Santa Barbara Festival Ballet

++ Here is my review for Santa Barbara’s arts weekly VOICE Magazine of Santa Barbara Festival Ballet’s 45th Nutcracker at the Arlington on December 14 and 15 2019:

Celebrating its 45th Nutcracker at the Arlington!

Traditions are wonderful, they remind us of where we’ve been and what lies ahead. Traditions can also become a bit stale over time, gathering dust in the comfort of regularity and repetition. Not so, Santa Barbara Festival Ballet’s 45th annual iteration of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece, The Nutcracker. Fondly branded Nutcracker at the Arlington! this community-wide artistic achievement at Santa Barbara’s famous Arlington Theatre on December 14 and 15 surpassed by several light years, the production I saw when Artistic Director Aimee Lopez first took the helm at Festival Ballet about three years ago and made it clear even then, she had in mind the complete revitalization of the project.
Participants from various age groups and dance schools, colleges and conservatories around the city including the Festival Ballet Conservatory (Denise Rinaldi, Director) came together as they have for decades to make this production a community effort. What stood out from the get-go at Saturday night’s performance on December 14 was the high level of artistic achievement this miracle amalgam of diverse local talent has mustered since I last saw the ballet about three years ago. Costumes were fresh and colorful, lighting design was interesting and innovative and character acting, from the youngest peppermint cookie baker to venerable Mother Ginger, came off as engaging and believable. Beautifully placed mini-scene vignettes like the hairbrush schtick at the opening of Act I and the party guest who reads continuously even when dancing, were sprinkled throughout the ballet with a wink and nod toward choreographic innovation and a little fun. The result of all this attention to detail, a thoroughly engaging visual narrative.
Seeing is believing and the maturity and professionalism of the 45th Nutcracker at the Arlington! was certified in spades by the precise execution of several ensemble scenes. A vibrant collegial confidence among our local dancers was palpable, from the little bakers’ circle dance right through and including the battle scene with the Rat King and the Waltz of the Snowflakes. Speaking of traditions, Festival Ballet has always hired a professional orchestra for its Nutcracker at the Arlington! Led for the umpteenth year by conductor Elise Unruh, the orchestra’s live musical enhancements contributed greatly to the irresistible magic and wonder of the performance I saw on December 14. Kudos to harpist Elisabeth Zosseder in particular and all sections of the orchestra, who assayed some of the most exposed and difficult passagework in the dance repertoire with admirable aplomb.
Featured guest artists this year were Misa Kuranaga (Sugar Plum), formerly of Boston Ballet, now principal dancer with San Francisco Ballet; fellow San Francisco Ballet principal Angelo Greco (Cavalier); Michelle Meltzer (Snow Queen) and Braeden Barnes (Snow Cavalier) of Visceral Dance Chicago and Tracy Kofford (Arabian Cavalier) who is Director of Dance and Artistic Director of Santa Barbara Community College Dance Company. Festival Ballet’s Kaia Abraham was a magnificent Clara this year, her footwork impressively elegant and stylish. Other Festival Ballet soloists included Elise Arcuri (Harlequin Doll, Dream Mouse, Marzipan, Lilac Maiden); Ava Gosselin (Dream Mouse, Spanish Dancer, Lilac Maiden); Mina Hall (Snowflake, Dew Drop Fairy); Floriane Noel (Dream Mouse, Snowflake, Chinse, Lilac Maiden); Ella Onishuk (Soldier Doll, Snowflake, Spanish Dancer, Lilac Maiden);Stella Wing (Snowflake, Lead Marzipan, Lilac Maiden) and a host of student guest artists and apprentices.
A special shout out to Chris Carmona, whose Drosselmeyer was intense and scary; Matthew Kleeburg (Rat King and Battle Scene sword fight choreographer); Thea Vandervoort Palencia (Frau Silberhaus, Mother Ginger) and Festival Ballet’s long-time guiding light and mentor, Resident Choreographer and Interim Executive Director Valerie Huston.

Daniel Kepl | Performing Arts Review