The Nutcracker (2001) (TV)

Directors:

Ross MacGibbon
Roger M. Sherman

Writers:

E.T.A. Hoffmann (story)
Wendy Wasserstein (commentary)

Release Date:

25 December 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Fantasy | Music

Plot:

A re-staging of the Royal Ballet's 1985 production, with Anthony Dowell - this time as Drosselmeyer - and a new supporting cast.

Plot Keywords:

Ballet | Character Name In Title

Cast

Anthony Dowell	...	Drosselmeyer
Alina Cojocaru	...	Clara
Ivan Putrov	...	Nutcracker / Hans-Peter (Drosselmeyer's Nephew)
Miyako Yoshida	...	Sugar Plum Fairy
Jonathan Cope	...	Sugar Plum Fairy's Prince
Justin Meissner	...	Drosselmeyer's Assistant / Chinese Dancer
Diane Holland	...	Maiden Aunt
Pauline Wadsworth	...	Maiden Aunt
Romayne Grigorova	...	Housekeeper
David Drew	...	Dr. Stahlbaum
Oliver Till	...	Fritz
Genesia Rosato	...	Grandmother
William Tuckett	...	Captain
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Victor Alvarez	...	Rose Fairy's Escort #2
Julie Andrews	...	Herself - Host
Nigel Burley	...	Spanish Dancer
Jane Burn	...	Columbine / Dance of the Mirlitons
Ricardo Cervera	...	Soldier / Spanish Dancer
Giacomo Ciraci	...	Clara's Partner at the Christmas Party / Chinese Dancer
Chloe Davies	...	Flower
Hubert Esskalow	...	Harlequin / Rose Fairy Escort #1
Mara Galeazzi	...	Dance of the Mirlitons
Bennet Gartside	...	Russian Dancer
Martin Harvey	...	Chinese Dancer
Antoine Jully	...	Devil
Julie Lack	...	Spanish Dancer
Brian Maloney	...	Devil
Alastair Marriott	...	Arabian Dancer
Elizabeth McGorian	...	Mrs. Stahlbaum
Laura Morera	...	Vivandiére / Dance of the Mirlitons
Marianela Nuñez	...	Flower
Leana Palmer	...	Dance of the Mirlitons
Vanessa Palmer	...	Spanish Dancer
Richard Ramsey	...	St. Nicholas
Rachel Rawlins	...	Flower
Student of the Royal Ballet Upper School	...	Angel
Tom Sapsford	...	Russian Dancer
Yohei Sasaki	...	Rose Fairy Escort #3
Christopher Saunders	...	The Mouse King / Arabian Dancer
Students of the Royal Ballet Upper Schoolâ	...	Angels
Jamie Tapper	...	Flower
Joshua Touifa	...	Chinese Dancer
Nicola Tranah	...	Arabian Dancer / Dancing Mistress
Maurice Vodegel Matzen	...	Arabian Dancer
Thomas Whitehead	...	Spanish Dancer
Zenaida Yanowsky	...	Rose Fairy

Directed by
Ross MacGibbon
Roger M. Sherman		(director: Thirteen WNET) (as Roger Sherman)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
E.T.A. Hoffmann		story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King"
Wendy Wasserstein		commentary

Produced by
Sonoko Aoyagi Bowers	....	coordinating producer
Bob Lockyear	....	executive producer (as Bob Lockyer)
Jac Venza	....	executive producer

Non-Original Music by
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky		(from ballet "The Nutcracker")

Production Design by
Julia Trevelyan Oman

Costume Design by
Julia Trevelyan Oman		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Christine Vidler	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Alison Havell	....	production manager
Mitch Owgang	....	production manager

Sound Department
Paul Cunliffe	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Bernie Davis	....	television lighting
James Day	....	camera supervisor
Mark Henderson	....	stage lighting

Editorial Department
Graeme Carter	....	vision supervisor
Andrew Frampton	....	editor: video tape
Priscilla Hoadley	....	vision mixer

Music Department
Shirly Laub	....	concert master
Yevgeni Svetlanov	....	conductor

Other crew
Johanna Adams	....	senior stage manager
Anna Antoszkiewicz	....	production team: BBC Television
Arlen Appelbaum	....	senior counsel: Great Performances
Adrian Bonfield	....	outside broadcast floor manager
Christopher Bretnall	....	engineering manager
Anthony Dowell	....	director: stage production
Charlotte Gazzard	....	production assistant
John Harrison	....	commercial director: Royal Opera House
Lev Ivanov	....	choreographer: original
Jeanetta Lawrence	....	artistic administrator: Royal Ballet
Bill O'Donnell	....	director: program development
Marius Petipa	....	choreographer: original
Anthony Russell-Roberts	....	administrative director
Sandra Shrago	....	production team: BBC Television
Margaret Smilov	....	director: culture & arts documentaries (as Margaret Smilow)
Peter Wright	....	choreographer: revised choreography
Peter Wright	....	director: stage production

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
• Royal Ballet, The
• Royal Opera House, The

Distributors

• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (2001) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2006) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Royal Ballet, The  group cast members
• Royal Opera House, The  ballet production

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Royal Opera House, Bow Street, Covent Garden, London, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Movie Connections:

Version of Shchelkunchik (1973)

Disappointed

While I normally love this, and most ballets for that matter, I hated this production. The music was so slow that you just felt like putting it on fast-forward, and the dancing was only less ponderous. The scenery wasn't bad but it wouldn't make you want to see this again. Definitely don't recommend this one.