Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Day 257 Nutcracker and Holiday POPs-Pittsburgh Traditions


I have seen the Nutcracker  before (see Day 90) and I love the Pittsburgh Symphony POPs. Many people make going to these shows a holiday tradition. I was excited to make these two shows mine this year and experience the beauty of the Nutcracker with the  peacefulness and brilliance of Tchaikovsky’s score, and the Holiday POPs with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Mendelssohn Choir, and vocal soloists for an explosion of holiday cheer.


Reflection
The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker with over 100 dancers and elaborate sets is one of the most beautiful, colorful and action packed ballets that I have experienced. The scene opens on Christmas Eve at the grand estate of the Stahbaum home in Shadyside. This production incorporates Pittsburgh’s unique landmarks and there is even a  Heinz carriage.  At the Christmas party there are  many dancing children and a  lot of gift giving as Marie receives a Nutcracker from her Godfather Drosselmeyer. He seems to have some magical powers as he performs magic ticks during the festivities.  
  

At midnight, the house magically grows and the Nutcracker  becomes life-sized saving Marie  from human-sized rats.  The amazing set transformation and the gigantic growing Christmas tree always offsets the creepiness of the red eye big rats.

Because of his bravery the Nutcracker becomes a prince and takes Maria  on  a sleigh ride through a  glistening snow forest  guided by the dance of the Snow King and Queen. This is when the memorizing beauty of the ballet really starts.
Making the Nutcracker a holiday tradition 


The second half is filled with amazing dancing as Marie and the Prince visit the Land of Enchantment and Sugary Plum Fairies. The Fairies dance to that famous song that we all know (listen here). I love this part because there is a continual  display of color  and fantastic dancing as Marie and the Prince are entertained by dancers from many lands; Chinese  dancers and dragon, a salutary Middle Eastern pair,  Russian high jumping men, clowns and more.  

There is so much happening in this ballet. You can just enjoy the musical score, the flurrying snow, and/or the elaborate sets that accompany all the talented  Pittsburgh Ballet dancers.


Holiday POPs

 The Holiday POPs conducted by Andres Franco was an explosion of holiday cheer. The full sound of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Mendelssohn Choir and Santa with a  wonderful baritone voice, merged early in the show. There was a variety of musical selections from a “Holiday Overture” of familiar Christmas favorites, “Chanukah List” with fantastic vocals from Pittsburgh native, Vanessa Campagna and a beautifully sung  A cappella  Mendelssohn Choir selection.

In the second half we were swooned by the vocals of   Ryan Silverman who had the Donny Osmond smile, the young Elvis look, and that Frank Sinatra  charisma. He charmed us with "It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas" and" White Christmas" and more.

The Holiday POPs gave us a little sing -a- long and then my mother and I were brought to tears when Campagna and Silverman sang “The Prayer” (listen to a version here). This sure was a great evening of fun and music.
Holiday POPs new tradition

I must admit that both of these Holiday shows put that  warm holiday feeling in my heart especially when shared with a special friend and my mother. Seeing their enjoyment put me in the Christmas spirit which is about giving not receiving. There was nothing but happy faces everywhere and I think many in the audiences were making their own special memories and like me, starting a Pittsburgh tradition!

(The Nutcracker  runs from December 1-27 at the Benedum. Tickets available on line at www.pbt.org. See The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and POPS upcoming events at Heinz here)

Spiritual Source
A generous person will prosper;whoever refreshes others will be refreshed (Proverbs 18:16)

Other sources 
 https://www.pbt.org/performances/nutcracker/
https://pittsburghsymphony.org/