Nutcracker Tourist
Well, I’m back to my annual, lets-be-holiday-tourists trip to Manhattan with my wife. Normally I’m not a big fan of the Times Square/Rockefeller area, I never like crowds, and goofy, tourist stuff isn’t my cup of tea. But somehow, going to these places during the busiest and most crowded time of year ends up being a really good time. There’s something special about the big tree, fabulous windows, crowds of people feeling the holiday spirit, and the massive decorations and displays totally grand and unique to our city. To top it off, we like to catch a show. For the last two years it’s been the Radio City Christmas Spectacular with the Rockettes, but this year we decided to change it up and catch a ballet. The Radio City Show is cute, it’s a blast, and tons of fun, but it definitely gets tired after a couple years in a row. We got tickets to The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center instead. Both my wife and I were very pleased with our decision.

The New York City Ballet presents choreographer George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. The ballet is an annual Christmas event based on E.T.A. Hoffman’s tale, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (1816), using the famous musical score by Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky. This show and the music that accompanies it are staples of the holiday season and absolute classics loved by audiences worldwide. All of this fanfare and reverence around The Nutcracker is very much owed to George Balanchine’s production. His choice to run The Nutcracker as New York City Ballet’s first full-length ballet in 1954 was a decision about which a lot of people weren’t quite sure. In the 50s abstract, neo-classical works were what audiences enjoyed and expected from the young ballet company, and The Nutcracker was not only very dusty and old-world, but it had never really been well received going all the way back to its premiere in 1892. Balanchine danced the original version as a young student in St. Petersburg, and believed that contemporary audiences would respond favorably to the charming story and Tschaikovsky’s beautiful score. Balanchine was right, and The Nutcracker became New York City Ballet’s biggest box office success. Its popularity spawned many smaller productions and soon it became the holiday standby it is today. If you read the story of the two acts in Playbill, The Nutcracker is quite a simple and short story, but the music, sets, costumes and wonderful dancing put you off into another world. It’s a good time for all ages. Bring the kids along and get their picture taken with a cast member in front of a snowy backdrop in the lobby while you sip champagne or a four-dollar, plastic six-ounce mug of coffee. The Nutcracker is running with multiple dates and showtimes through the season until December 30th at Lincoln Center. Go to www.nycballet.com or call CenterCharge at (212) 721-6500 for schedule and tickets.

If you’re in the shopping mood after the ballet like we were, Columbus Circle is host to one of several Christmas markets spread around the City. You may have seen them before – a city of red and white tents full of people selling everything from handmade soaps, to jewelry, bear mittens, stuffed animals, gourmet chocolate, ornaments, clothing and more. Also nearby on Columbus Circle is the new AOL Time Warner Center. This massive structure of metal and glass is another corporate monstrosity, but it’s a dazzling piece of architecture. In fact, it really deserves a column of its own. Perhaps, at least, part of a piece about Columbus Circle and several of the newer and quite sensational edifices surrounding it. On Wednesday the 6th, the day before this paper drops, the Dick Clark Auction will have come to a close. The aged American Bandstand host put up over 900 lots from his personal collection of rock n’ roll memorabilia to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his show. It was all on display at the AOL Time Warner Center. If nothing else, get the catalogue to see what you missed. Maybe you’ll get lucky and the items will be up for another week. Joining the other tourists in Manhattan for the holidays always has the expected good times, and every year there’s a new surprise. Get in before the festivities end.