'The Nutcracker' a treat for ballet fans

'The Nutcracker' a treat for ballet fans

By Tri Hafiningsih

JAKARTA (JP): Jakartan ballet fans will have the opportunity
to see a classic ballet performance of The Nutcracker at Graha
Bhakti Budaya, Taman Ismail Marzuki Arts Center, Central Jakarta,
this weekend.

Children will also enjoy the show as it will feature their
idol, singer Sherina Munaf, who will play the Christmas classic's
Clara -- one of leading characters of the legendary Nutcracker
ballet composed by Peter Ilich Tschaikovsky.

Shows will be held over two consecutive days: Saturday, Feb.
10 at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 11, at 11 a.m. and 4
p.m.

Apart from Sherina, 65 children and adult dancers from the
Namarina ballet school will take part in the first full-length
performance of this ballet in Jakarta.

According to the school's artistic director, Maya Tamara,
Namarina -- one of the oldest ballet schools in the city -- tries
to stand out among a more "modern" dance audience with the
performance of the rare classic with the support of several
professional dancers, including a former lead dancer of the
Philippines Ballet, Edmund Gaerlan, along with Namarina's Yetti
Maika, Rialita and Miya Mariana.

"Dancers need to perform," said Maya. The shows, she added,
are also part of the dancers' education to develop good skills
and appreciation of performing arts.

For this weekend's shows, she said, Namarina will present the
New York City Ballet's two-act version of The Nutcracker, which
is based on a fairy tale by E.T.A. Hoffman.

The ballet opens with a Christmas party at the luxury
residence of the Stahlbaums family. Mysterious magician Uncle
Drosselmeyer comes to the party, carrying presents for the
Stahlbaums children. The presents include a nutcracker toy
soldier for Clara, the youngest child.

After the party, Clara and the nutcracker toy meet Uncle
Drosselmeyer again, in a dream, where the uncle turns into a
frightening character.

In the dream, Clara helps the nutcracker lead the toy soldiers
to victory against invading mice.

The nightmare turns into a beautiful dream when the nutcracker
soldier turns into a handsome prince and leads Clara through
dancing snowflakes in the Kingdom of Sweets. There, the Sugar
Plum fairy entertains Clara with colorful dances. It all ends
with Grand Pas de Deux (the dance of a couple), when suddenly
Clara wakes up, back in her bedroom, wondering if her dream is
real, or simply a dream.

Maya said the ballet, which has been under preparation since
June, 2000, was earlier meant for a grand show with a live
orchestra. But they have had to be satisfied with playback music
due to the "usual" financial problems.

"Nobody wants to sponsor such shows. We also don't have a
suitable hall with the capacity to hold both the dance and an
orchestra in one place," Maya said, without losing hope that the
ballet school would be able to organize such shows in the future
to better promote performing arts to Indonesian audience.

For more information and ticket reservations, call (021)
3902946, 3900056, or go direct to the ticket booth at Graha
Bhakti Budaya on performance days.