The Newbury Center Takes on the Ballet
By Maha Uddin
Just a few weeks before finals, the Newbury Center headed over to the Citizens Opera House located just a few minutes from the Boylston T stop. With almost 40 students joining, it was one of the center’s largest trips for the year! As is tradition for the past 5 years, we watched the Nutcracker, a perfect way to get eased into the holiday spirit.
It was an incredibly cold night. The Opera house was buzzing with families, students, couples, etc. Many were dressed up in fur coats, long dresses, and coats. It felt like a scene from a movie. The decor was Christmas all around. The ambience was busy but still cozy. It was easy to get lost in the chaos of it all. Ushers helped us get to our seats in the mezzanine. There, we had a great view of the dancers and the stage. Then finally, lights turned off and the show started right on time.
The Nutcracker is a 2-act, classic ballet that was created by the legendary Russian composer, Pyotyr Tchaikovsky. It chronicles the tale of the Stahlbaum family in Nuremberg, Germany during Christmas Eve. When the party begins, councilman Drosselmeyer shows up with a gift for the children — a wooden nutcracker. None of the children are pleased, except for Clara. She is enamored by the doll. When everyone is asleep, she goes to check on the nutcracker and finds that mice have overtaken the house. This scene is a favorite, when the mice army engage in battle with the gingerbread soldiers. The theater was full of laughter as human-sized mice took the stage with their moves, showing off contemporary dance interwoven with ballet.
Then the act ended and there was a 20 minute intermission. Many got up to get drinks or touch up their makeup. At that time, workers cleaned up the fake snow on the stage to prepare for the second act. In the second act, Clara travels to the Land of Sweets where she is welcomed by the Sugar Plum Fairy. The music in this scene is iconic and can be recognized by many. In honor of the guest, a celebration of sweets from different parts of the world arrives — chocolate from Spain, coffee from the Arabian Peninsula, tea from China, and candy canes from Russia. It was a kaleidoscope of vivid colors and the audience neglected the rule of no photography in the theater.
The ballet has a variety of endings depending on the company that performs it, but for the Boston Ballet, there was a final waltz with all the dancers of the company, perfectly in sync. Then came the rush of everyone trying to leave all at once. And just like that, the lobby that was seemingly silent a few moments prior was again teeming with people. The night ended and students went home having experienced one of the most unforgettable ballets even centuries later.
Maha Uddin is a sophomore studying International Relations at the Pardee School of Global Studies. She is also a part of the Newbury Center student staff. In her free time she enjoys spending time with friends, writing, and exploring Boston.
The Newbury Center connects Boston University’s first-generation undergraduate, graduate, and professional students to a variety of cultural institutions in the Boston area. These excursions remove the cost of entry and transportation, as well as provide a sense of community. Newbury Center field trips expose students to new spaces and experiences, create space for discussion and analysis, and allow students to enjoy the city of Boston while they’re here.