The Nutcracker

When my husband and I moved to Spartanburg several years ago, we were delighted to find a professional orchestra and ballet company. This is rare for cities the size of Spartanburg. And between the Spartanburg Little Theatre, Spartanburg Art Museum, Artists Guild, Hub City Writers Project, and more, it is also a true testament to the community’s appreciation and support of the arts.

What is also fantastic and rare about the arts in Spartanburg is how frequently each organization partners together. Having worked in the performing arts in Memphis, TN, I know firsthand how challenging collaboration can be. It takes extra time to plan and frequently additional funds over and above what a typical performance requires. The smaller the organization, the more of a challenge it becomes to overcome these obstacles.

While the Spartanburg Philharmonic and Ballet Spartanburg have partnered on numerous smaller collaborations over the years, it has been 20 since we performed the Nutcracker together. It is undoubtedly an enormous creative undertaking, but the results will be absolutely incredible. While you may have enjoyed the Nutcracker each year, seeing it performed

Courtney Oliver

with live orchestral accompaniment is an entirely new experience. I can personally attest to this fact - having seen it with both pre-recorded and live music. Tchaikovsky’s score is delightfully nuanced, something that’s easy to miss in a recording. But to me, the most incredible part is how in-tune both the dancers and orchestra must be with each other during a performance. Too fast or too slow by either can throw the entire production off. It takes skill and professionalism to rehearse and work together to find that balance and maintain it through the entire performance run. With this first performance together, we also welcome guest conductor, Geneviève Leclair, who knows firsthand the extraordinary charm that comes from this sort of collaboration.

“I don’t know if I could pinpoint a favorite Nutcracker performance over the past 12 years. Even after 130 performances, I try to approach each one as if it were opening night. The audience and the cast performing that day deserve their show to be the most special. Therefore I try to put myself in that frame of mind every time. I can tell you there have been eventful performances over the years, some funny, others less so: I remember vividly a performance where the principal male dancer injured his knee during act 2, and someone else had to step in to finish the show. We were all horrified! There was another performance during which a stage light blew up in the middle of the snow scene, and dancers couldn’t see the glass among the snowflakes, which was scary. In another, one of the kids standing in the background during the pas de deux in act 2 fell asleep face first on the stage. They were not injured but stood up petrified right in the path of the Sugar Plum Fairy’s circle of turns. She seamlessly altered her circle while spinning at high speed and went around the kid as if this was meant to happen. It was so impressive! I also remember a performance during which a cymbal stand broke in the pit and sent the cymbal tumbling down the stairs in the middle of the (very quiet) lullaby in act one. Not one of the kids dancing on stage even twitched - there were at least 4 or 5 stairs so it seemed to last forever - they were so professional, it was a sight to see! And I remember countless moments: an incredibly fast coda which the orchestra played perfectly, moments of finesse and musicality, an incredible jump or balance on point that suspends time. The orchestra is right there for it… the fabulous moments of conversation between dancers and musicians that make this art form so special! Bottom line, it’s a live performance, so every show is unique and when something unexpected happens, the show must go on! The unpredictability of the experience is what makes it so exciting.” Long-time Philharmonic Tuba player, John Holloway, was in the orchestra pit the last time the Nutcracker was performed with live music, 20 years ago. And while you can’t always see the stage from the pit at Twichell Auditorium, John had a perfect view for an unexpected moment. “It was the famous “Snow Scene” and right in the middle of the male dancer’s solo. I didn’t realize anything was wrong until I heard the audience laughing behind me. At the time, Twichell’s snow machine was a long tub fed by a huge bag of fake snow. Well, right in the middle of the scene, the bag ripped, and the snow started falling in giant chunks. I watched as the young dancer kept going, dodging clumps of the snow and still pulling off a heck of a routine. As a performer myself, it was impressive to see because your mind has to think several steps ahead as it is. It’s easy to get thrown off when you have to react to something new at the same time. This guy kept going like nothing was different.”

For Carlos Agudelo, it is one of the hallmarks of a long career and a production he looks forward to each year. “As I embark on my 30th anniversary as Artistic Director of Ballet Spartanburg, I always relish my journey working on the Nutcracker. From navigating the auditions and the rehearsal process to finally shaping up and polishing the production so the Nutcracker can be enjoyed by thousands. I approach each as a new birth, a new edition with new, young dancers and their dreams of performing. With the addition of live music, our 2021 production is therefore going to be a fantastic experience for both the dancers and audience.”

While with any live production, countless things can go wrong, but there is just as much that can go incredibly right. It’s the unknown and unexpected element that keeps performers on their toes. They pour all they have into executing their next turn or leap or flawlessly fingering their way through a challenging set of double stops or pizzicato. The aim is always to dazzle the audience so much that they are so swept away by the sights and the sounds that they don’t notice that bobbled lift or slightly sour note. You’ll know you’re enraptured by the goosebumps crawling up your arms, the warmth in your heart, and the smile on your face. That, my friends, is what all performers live for and one of the biggest reasons we do what we do. Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker is truly a grand affair and Spartanburg’s most beloved Christmas tradition. It is whimsy and magic, fantasy and festivity, family and the dearest of friends. And in 2021, it will add to the legacy of two already dynamic performing arts programs and something to celebrate, indeed.