Review: "Cleveland Orchestra & Pennsylvania Ballet: 'George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker'"

Brett Mitchell leads The Cleveland Orchestra and Pennsylvania Ballet in The Nutcracker on Wednesday, Nov. 30. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)

ClevelandClassical has published a review of The Nutcracker, presented by The Cleveland Orchestra under the baton of associate conductor Brett Mitchell with the Pennsylvania Ballet:

Holding all this choreography in a warm embrace was Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s evocative score, expertly played by The Cleveland Orchestra. Conductor Brett Mitchell led a finely-paced performance... Flutes sounded wonderful in the Mirliton, horns splendid in the Waltz of the Flowers, and Tchaikovsky’s addition of a new instrument, the celesta, added the requisite sparkle to the Sugarplum Fairy, courtesy of Joela Jones. Balanchine’s own innovation, tucking in an violin solo interlude from The Sleeping Beauty into the end of the first act, slowed the flow of the show, though concertmaster William Preucil played it beautifully on Wednesday....

This excellent production by Pennsylvania Ballet and The Cleveland Orchestra is a delectable show that will brighten anybody’s holiday season. Don’t miss it.

To read the complete review, please click here.