'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.