I took my Madalyn McCall to McCaw Hall to see the Nutcracker for her birthday. Makayla came too as a a birthday guest. I've seen the Miss Margene's dance school's Nutcracker, nice but not quite the same as this.Sitting on the fourth row, we were able to see all the set and costume detail. The sets were designed by Maurice Sendak, author of "Where the Wild Things Are." It was also wild to find out that the construction of a tutu can take up to 200 hours of labor and cost around $5,000.
All day with my big girls, we ate out, rode the monorail into the shopping district, bought shoes, ate out again, and added one more memory to our family cache.
The magic set in when the Clara and the Nutcracker walk from the Stahlbaum drawing room out into the Land of Snow. The lighting, the dancing, it was so real, so ethereal.
The girls were most entertained by the Pasha's dancers, a Moorish couple, a brilliant peacock in a gold cage, a Chinese tiger and his attendants, whirling dervishes, three commedia dell-arte characters, a spirited dance performed by tiny couples, and a waltz danced by girls dressed in the colors of spring flowers.
65 amazing talented musicians. Though they might try, I don't think digitized music will ever replace the thick richness of a real orchestra.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADALYN! We love you, your our HOME!
