Chicago Tribune
- Highly Recommended
"...We simply love “The Nutcracker,” and there is much to admire about this 21st-century production. Wheeldon and children’s author Brian Selznick reimagined the rich-kid-coming-of-age story, centering on immigrant fair workers deep in fair preparations. A Daniel Burnham-type called the Great Impresario (danced Friday by Alberto Velazquez) replaces the Drosselmeyer figure in the traditional version."
Stage and Cinema
- Highly Recommended
"...The genius of this production lies in its meticulous historical imagination. By embedding the story within the preparations for the World’s Fair, Wheeldon creates a metaphorical landscape where dreams, innovation, and magic intersect. Alberto Velazquez‘s Great Impresario and Amanda Assucena‘s dual roles as Marie’s Mother and the Queen of the Fair anchor Marie’s dream world to her reality."
Around The Town Chicago
- Highly Recommended
"...Perfectly done are several pas de deux (literally “a step of two”) in the second act: the most impressive being the highly sensual and suggestive Arabian dance featuring Victoria Jaiani and Edson Barbosa. You could palpably feel the sexual energy and tension between them. These dancers received some of loudest applause on opening night plus a standing ovation."
Third Coast Review
- Highly Recommended
"...There is nothing like a Chicago Christmas. A drive down Michigan Avenue or State Street should get Scrooge in the mood. The city sparkles, and there is a happy buzz to the hustle and bustle. The jewel that sparkles brightest is The Nutcracker, danced by the Joffrey Ballet. Tchaikovsky's sweeping epic first appeared in Chicago in 1940, and several ballet companies have performed it. In 1987, the Joffrey embraced the tradition as an annual performance, and it is stamped on the hearts and minds of Chicago."
Splash Magazine
- Highly Recommended
"...While this new contemporary version of The Nutcracker does take place during the World’s Fair during the late 19th century, the company stays true to the classic tale and vision of the story itself. As the audience, you are spoiled with breathtakingly beautiful backgrounds, costumes, and dance numbers, as if you are really traveling back in time to the fair itself. The set was mesmerizing, offering multi-layered projections that were utilized to create dynamic visual elements, and incredibly well integrated into the performances on stage."
NewCity Chicago
- Somewhat Recommended
"...The Wheeldon ballet lends a welcome local touch to the tale, but it also creates some top-heaviness, with too much emphasis on the initial setup, as the glamorous Impresario, his handsome apprentice and the slyly sinister Rat Catcher make their first appearance, and the workers and their families come together for a spirited, Old-World Christmas party. The opening scenes are cute but cluttered, with so much going on-including a trio of onstage musicians-that there's no clear focal point for the viewer. The dancers, meanwhile, lack room to maneuver amid the props, band and assorted kiddies."
