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Let's see…a computer-animated children's version of Tchaikovsky's beloved holiday classic ballet based on E.T.A. Hoffman's winsome tale, starring everyone's favorite doll Barbie, or a real live performance by the Ballet of the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin backed by the Staatskapelle Berlin orchestra. Is there…um…any question which of these makes for the richer viewing experience? Of course not; it's Barbie by a plastic nose. Featuring choreography by the New York Ballet's universally acclaimed Peter Martins,
Barbie in The Nutcracker stars Mattel's 11-inch cash-register bellringer (ka-ching!) as Clara, who receives a gift of a wooden nutcracker that springs to life in a late night dream to protect her from the Mouse King and his evil minions. While this adaptation strays a wee bit from the original (I don't recall a wiseacre bat sidekick or a giant rock monster in other versions), the colorful animation, kid-friendly script, and excellent "highlights" score (performed by the London Symphony Orchestra), all make for pleasant family viewing, and the fairy dances (clearly inspired by sequences in
Peter Pan and
Fantasia) truly sparkle.
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