Word: lasting
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...skepticism aside, it is perhaps the most utterly splendid spectacle of the holiday season. More than a showcase for dancing, The Nutcracker is a sensory experience--from scenery to costumes to the memorable Tchaikovsky score. And the Boston Ballet production (with a first act that was entirely revamped last year) succeeds admirably in realizing a beautiful overall effect guaranteed to convert even the most cynical grinch to the holiday spirit...
...Adding to the evening's overall dazzling effect are the costumes produced by designer David Walker. Whether outfitting a corps of ballerinas or of mice, his costumes are spectacular. Particularly amusing is Mother Ginger (Tony Collins) in his last transvestite performance after 34 years as the massive lady with eight children tucked away under her skirt. And the four children dressed as marzipan sheep are just cute enough to elicit some gasps otherwise forbidden in the restrained world of ballet audience protocol...
...Regular patrons of The Nutcracker will discover few changes since last year. Company officials are billing this 34th production as an "enhanced performance," with ten foot Nutcracker sentries greeting the audience as they enter the theater, costumed characters mingling with the audience, free memento buttons and more flameproof white confetti for the snow scene in the Enchanted Forest. However, I noticed none of these "enhancing" touches except for those taking place on the stage. The illusion produced by the fake snow in the Enchanted Forest Scene is truly memorable, while equally impressive are the growing Christmas Tree and Sugar Plum...
Never a group to rest on its laurels, Metallica, the only old-school metal outfit that still truly rocks, releases a November album for the third consecutive year with S & M, a live recording of the epic concert they held with the San Francisco Symphony last April. It's a risky experiment, but the double disc, which sprawls over 21 tracks, shows that the gambit paid off. The sheer lyrical power of the orchestra blends seamlessly with Metallica's music to staggering effect, as the booming brass and ghostly strings give songs like "Wherever I May Roam" and "For Whom...
...richer and more satisfying than Garage Inc., last fall's covers album, S & M is Metallica's ultimate creative venture. The casual metal listener or non-Metallica aficionado may not understand what all the fuss is about, but still, consider yourself rocked to the bone...