American Ballet Theatre
Nutcracker at BAM

After settling on tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s (ABT) Nutcracker at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), it struck me that real estate is not the only thing substantially more expensive in Manhattan relative to Brooklyn. Ticket prices for New York City Ballet’s Nutcracker at Lincoln Center are in many cases double the price for ABT. Orchestra ticket prices for opening night December 13 for ABT range from $45 to $115 (you can even sit next to me in the side front row for only $65) while orchestra prices for New York City Ballet that evening range from a low of $139 to a whopping $229 for center seats. Seats don’t get much cheaper in the first through third rings at New York City Ballet, with prices generally $115. Fourth ring seats aren’t cheap either ranging from $57-$89. I don’t know how much the seats at the top of the fourth ring cost as all were taken. At BAM, mezzanine prices range from $115 for center front to $45 for side rear. Balcony seats are $40 for center front to $25 in the rear (I had second row balcony seats last year and was satisfied with the view). I prefer the Ratmansky ABT version over the New York City Ballet Balanchine version and suggest that ballet fans flock to Brooklyn and have a nice post-performance meal with the money saved. For Nutcracker, as in NBA basketball this year, the action is in Brooklyn. BAM is easy to get to by subway, at the Atlantic Avenue/Barclay’s Center stop.

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Veronika Part and Marcelo Gomes, Sleeping Beauty, July 6, 2013. Click for more photos.

Monetary details aside, I really look forward to the Nutcracker this year with Veronika Part and Marcelo Gomes scheduled for opening night December 13, Sarah Lane and Joseph Gorak on December 19, and Gillian Murphy and Eric Tamm on the Saturday December 21 matinee. I was greatly impressed by Veronika and Marcelo in Sleeping Beauty this year; this is a great partnership and look forward to seeing a majestic Marcelo as the Nutcracker prince do battle with the evil mouse king to defend his Clara. I did not see Sarah Lane as Aurora in Sleeping Beauty this year, but heard that she was flawless; hope that this is a breakthrough year for her. I thought Joseph Gorak, who was on the cover of Pointe Magazine this month, stole the show as Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet in June and expect more of the same in Nutcracker. For some reason, Gillian has escaped my camera lens; except for photos of her at her fiancé Ethan Stiefel’s final performance, my curtain call photos of her have not turned out well. Will look to change that luck at Nutcracker.

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Sarah Lane, Theme and Variations, City Center, October 23, 2008. Click for more photos.

For families with young children, check out the New York Theatre Ballet, which offers three performances daily on December 14, 15, and 22. The company caters to young children with one-hour performances with no intermission. The dancing is fine and, with all the children in the audience, you won’t be humiliated if your child shouts “I need to go potty!” Our family enjoyed the performances until my daughter turned six and we graduated to the New York City Ballet Nutcracker.