Every year, I look forward to seeing the email about the Radio City Christmas Spectacular’s opening night. I share the date and time with my daughters and we’re off to the Music Hall. There was so much excitement in the air as we sat in the theater. As the two organists played on either side of the Music Hall, you could feel chills listening to the holiday tunes.
The audience was filled with entire families who came with children of all ages, and with groups of adults, some seeing the show for the first time and marveling. There was a lot to marvel at and, of course, when the Rockettes appeared, the audience went crazy.
This is a show that has thrilled the public since 1933. This show is about tradition and my daughters and I thought it delivered beautifully in the traditional Rockettes numbers. There is nothing like watching this phenomenally trained group of dancers performing synchronized moves, from tap and ballet to jazz and modern, in gorgeous costumes and dazzling the audience with classic numbers including “Sleigh Ride,” which opens the show with Santa Claus heading to New York.
“Twelve Days of Christmas” is stunning to behold. Of course, one of the most beloved numbers is what we are most familiar with, the “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers.” Everything about this number had the audience cheering and applauding. One of my all time favorite numbers in the show, “The Nutcracker,” always brings a huge smile to my face. The Rockettes will have you mesmerized with such great numbers as “New York at Christmas,” “Here Comes Santa Claus,” “Ragdolls,” and “Dance of the Frost Fairies.” (This year they added Frost Fairy drones, which I actually found distracting as they flew above the crowd.)
The number that always brings me to tears without fail is the touching, moving “Living Nativity,” which tells of the birth of Jesus Christ and the three Wise Kings. “Christmas Lights” is an uplifting dance number, and you will walk out of the show with a merry Christmas in your heart.
One aspect of the show that I must admit I missed was having 3D glasses and watching Santa head to New York. Instead of that cherished experience, there is a video with technology that seems to project items coming at you, but it’s just not the same. I wish they would bring the 3D glasses back.
For tickets to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular visit www.rockettes.com. The Radio City Christmas Spectacular is presented by QVC.