<B>The Russian State Ballet's Nutcracker</B> <BR>By Carolyn Swift for The Irish Times<P><BR>Artistic director Vyatcheslav Gordeev, beginning the tales before the overture ends, shows Drosselmayer preparing his mechanical dolls for the entertainment to come and the guests arriving for the Christmas party given by the Stahlbaums.<P>The story continues on traditional lines, except for added detail, which draws into an integrated plot what has always tended to be a series of set pieces. <P>Here, Drosselmayer is very much the focal point: as Uncle, MC, puppet master and magician, he is making it all happen. <P><A HREF="http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/features/2001/1219/fea5.htm" TARGET=_blank><B>click for more</B></A><BR><p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited December 19, 2001).]

Thanks, Stuart, for this info. on the Russian State Ballet.