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Carolina Ballet - The Nutcracker Reviews

Holiday & Christmas ShowsBalletFamily ShowsDance & BalletThe Nutcracker

Average customer review: 2.0 star rating (2.2 Stars)

Number of reviews: 11

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5.0 star rating from Raleigh, North Carolina

GREAT PERFORMANCE

My granddaughter and I was spectular performance, if you dancer and culture profressional ballet.

3.0 star rating Lin Wills from Chapel Hill NC

JUST OKAY

Too much of the opening family scene. Missing many of classical dances. Dancing very good to mediocre

3.0 star rating Bob from Raleigh, North Carolina

JUST OK

This years version left something to be desired. The opening act seemed to be longer than normal and while I understand the desire to update the story, it just seemed to lose some of the magic along the way. The 2nd act, again, lost something in translation as the dances seemed "off" and not as robust and exciting. For example, no cup prop for Coffee, the Chinese dancers were only on stage for what seemed like 30 seconds and the Ribbon Candy costumes looked more like Salt Water Taffy. We have been going to be ballet for well over 15 years and just a little disappointed in this years production. We'll see what the 2023 season has as we do enjoy the evening out and supporting the local arts.

3.0 star rating AM from Raleigh, North Carolina

NUTCRACKER 2023

VERY disappointed in the change of era setting, costume change, set redesign, the lesbian couple. The grumpy old grandma, missing games and dances in the first act. The second act was better and no one is ANY better than the sugar plum fairy dancer.....she will remain our favorite. Noisy feet on the dancers, change in some of the characters and costumer redesign did not sit well with us. We have been going as a mother daughter special tradition for several years, and talked it up to another couple who went with us this year. I was embarrassed as the "magic" just wasn't there. If it's not broken, don't fix it. Now that you have broken the performance and design, please fix it back.

2.0 star rating Ian Holloway from Raleigh, North Carolina

LACKLUSTER

I was disappointed in this year's performance (2022) after having seen the Nutcracker in previous years. Changes were made that I don't think were necessary, many of which were based on costume changes and the absence of other visuals (such as the Cheshire Cat in Act 1). Visually, it simply not as appealing. I am not sure why the story was brought into the 1950s. It added nothing to the story, nor improved it. Hopefully next year the performance will return to its previous versions. The dancers were also not as good. You could often hear their movements across the floor when in times past they were practically silent. Luckily, Tscaikovsky's music remained and I'm grateful that is the same. I applaud the musicians.

2.0 star rating Tululabell from Raleigh, North Carolina

EPIC FAIL

So glad this is not my first time seeing the Nutcracker because it would be my last. Huge disappointment. Costumes were horrible and the whole production was hard to follow and confusing at times.

2.0 star rating Laura from Raleigh, North Carolina

WISH THEY WOULD GO BACK TO OLD VERSION

Went to the Nutcracker hoping for the usual Christmas magic and was disappointed. The changes and costumes and bring the story of the 1950s seem to lose a lot. The dancing seem much less professional. Hope the Nutcracker returns to which formal version in the future,

1.0 star rating Richard Tate from Chapel Hill, North Carolina

REIMAGINED??

We saw the performance on opening night, and have attended often in the past 30 years. We missed the last few due to covid. Whoever "reimagined" the Nutcracker in a 1950's log cabin should be hung from the Christmas Tree!! Could not believe the setting, and then a woman in slacks and some Charleston dance steps in the first scene were scary. Casting and dancing were disappointing until the pas de deux. That was beautiful - as always. The orchestra was excellent also. Overall SO disappointing. We won't return until the classic performance returns. Most of the seats were empty and now I understand why. Happy Holidays to all

1.0 star rating D. ThorneTate from Pittsboro North Carolina

SO SAD.

Our family and friends have been attending this ballet for 15 years. We missed last year’s debut of the current production and were so disappointed when we saw it for the first time on Friday for opening night. The updated version is so odd. The stage only half full of dancers- sets completely changed- and don’t seem to fit the picture. I did wonder if you lost dancers due to the new production. Please tell me all those gorgeous costumes from the previous version and safely stored! We will wait for you to announce the return of the traditional production with all the beautiful costuming and set designs and we (and others) will come running back. Initially I could not figure out why there were so many empty seats on Friday. There is usually such a palpable excitement in the auditorium but it just wasn’t there. When I got home I tried to buy tickets to the Cary Ballet production but it was sold out. I imagine many of us ran right to their website in an attempt to salvage our Christmas tradition.

1.0 star rating Ballet Attendee from Raleigh, North Carolina

BRING BACK THE CLASSIC VERSION PLEASE

“Carolina Ballet will continue to refresh the production with new choreography, sets, costumes, and the return of Mother Ginger” “Refresh”=political correctness I’ve seen the classic Nutcracker several times and was surprised, disappointed and overall bummed at this particular performance.

1.0 star rating Ginny Lowe from Raleigh, North Carolina

VERY AMATEUR SHOW

My family went for years to see the Nutcracker. In fact, my child was in the show several years. It was always a stellar, professional show under Weiss. Please go back to a more difficult choreography, the 1800s time period, and original costuming and sets. So sad it was such an amateur show.

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