When we think of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker, the first thing that usually comes to mind is the glorious final act, performed by the Sugar Plum Fairy and her court of delicious sweets. This was the scene I was eager to see when I sat down for an evening performance of the Brown-Forman Nutcracker, now running at the Kentucky Center for the Arts, last Friday night. What I was not prepared for was the sumptuousness of the entire ballet, which is a veritable feast for the eyes and ears.

Shopping for Christmas presents gives me a headache. I love the hustle and bustle and general merriment of the holidays as much as the next person, but when it comes down to picking out a unique, yet feasibly priced, yet somehow personal, yet also not too weird Christmas present, I come up with a big fat blank. I have bought my father so many ties and handkerchiefs he has started to weave a comforter. To my shame, I have bought my girlfriends many premade baskets of "wild rose lavender symphony" or "simply soothing exotic coconut lime" bath supplies.

We all know the story: young Marie is given a beautiful nutcracker for Christmas who magically comes to life Christmas Eve. Our young heroine is subsequently caught in an epic battle between the Nutcracker's troops of gingerbread men and toy soldiers and the minions of the evil Rat King. A dazzling suite by Tchaikovsky moves the audiences from fear to triumph as the Nutcracker is transformed into a handsome Prince who trounces the Rat King, and he and Marie are welcomed as heroes by the beautiful Sugar Plum Fairy in a final glorious waltz.