Showcasing national pride, spanish dancers perform with passion and flourish. But there is a darker history to the story, and the. Although what is seen on the stage today is different in detail from the original story, the basic plot remains the same. Sync to our storytime calendar and be notified when we next tour your city experience the worlds most famous ballet live on stage in a spellbinding production of the nutcracker created especially for children aged three and up join the narrator and a festive cast of characters at a marvellous christmas party that transforms into.
The plot of hoffmanns story and dumas adaptation was greatly simplified for the twoact ballet. Magically, he transforms the nutcracker into a dashing prince. The nutcracker is very popular today, but it didnt become popular in north america until san franciscos ballet performed it in 1944. Alexandre dumas peres adaptation of the story by e. During a sweltering christmas eve in melbourne in the late 1950s, the ageing clara. Heartbroken, clara begs uncle drosselmeyer for help.
The last of his three ballets, it was first performed in december 1892. The narrated story of the nutcracker ballet in under 5 minutes. Exploring the mind of tchaikovsky and his masterpiece. The ballet was inspired by the nutcracker and the mouse king, published in 1815 by the german author e. Once again drosselmeyer calls upon his magic and the nutcracker is transformed into a handsome boy. Where to see the nutcracker ballet in new jersey, new york city and greater philadelphia, including sensoryfriendly shows. Holiday shopping and story time with alberta ballet. The nutcracker ballet is a famous and colorful christmas ballet based on the nutcracker and the mouse king, a story in a book of fairy tales written by german author e.
It tells the story of a little girl who goes to the land of sweets on christmas eve. Posted on 12 april 2017 by maeve ashby if youre off to see graeme murphys moving reimagaination of the nutcracker, nows the time to get acquainted with the story, which follows a ballerina, clara, through the glamour and romance, tragedy and travels of her life. Featuring timeless score from incredible composer pyotr i. Hoffmann was set to music by tchaikovsky and originally choreographed by marius petipa. The origin of the nutcracker, a classic christmas story, is a fairy tale ballet in two acts centered on a familys christmas eve celebration. Excitement runs high as last minute preparations are made. This is designed to quickly educate the nondance oriented about this wonderful story ballet. Synopsis of tchaikovskys nutcracker ballet synopsis of tchaikovskys nutcracker ballet tchaikovsky s nutcracker, the story of a young girls journey to a magical land on christmas eve, is perhaps not only the composers most famous work but also one of the most famous ballets.
The nutcracker holiday events national ballet of canada. A nutcracker who may just be a handsome prince in disguise prepare to enter a magical new world. At the end of the 19th century the director of imperial theaters prince vsevolzhsky decided to create a magnificent and luxurious performance that would become the main event of. Just as the mouse king is about to overpower the nutcracker doll, clara distracts him, allowing the nutcracker to strike the winning blow. Now, the original story is rather dark involving bloody cuts, malevolent characters and angry adults, so in the mid19th century, french author. The nutcracker was first presented 123 years ago at the mariinsky theatre in st. Pacific northwest ballet s the nutcracker ulyssa elaine. Hoffmann, the nutcracker tells the story of clara, a young girl who dreams of having adventures with a nutcracker that she receives for christmas. Godfather drosselmeier and his apprentice nephew had worked long and hard preparing this years magical gifts and were putting the final touches on their creations. The story of the nutcracker is loosely based on the e. Hoffman german original of 1816, the nutcracker and the mouse king, but alexandre dumas 1844 french adaptation of hoffmans story, histoire dun cassenoisette the tale of the nutcracker. Pacific northwest ballets the nutcracker i am ulyssa. Classical ballet the nutcracker is a classical ballet in two acts. Peter tchaikovsky, the famous russian composer, was commissioned by mastermind choreographer marius petipa to compose the ballet, score based on.
The story of a young german girl who dreams of a nutcracker prince and a fierce battle against a mouse king with. The nutcracker tells a story about a girl who befriends a nutcracker that comes to life on christmas eve and wages a battle against the evil mouse king. Hoffmann s story the nutcracker and the mouse king, by alexandre dumas called the story of a nutcracker. This is designed to quickly educate the nondance oriented about this wonderful. The nutcracker ballet actually started as a story written by german author e. The nutcracker prince musters his toy infantry and the cavalry. The ferocious king of the mice challenges the nutcracker to a duel. Hoffmann, in which young marie stahlbaums favourite christmas toy, the nutcracker, comes alive and, after defeating the evil mouse king in battle, whisks her away to a magical kingdom populated by dolls. Dumas story was an adaptation of the dark fairytale the nutcracker and the mouse king, written by e. The story of the nutcracker ballet scene descriptions.
Tchaikovsky, nutcracker is a certified classic, replete with evocative music and beautiful dance. The nutcracker leads the toy soldiers into battle with the mice, and marie helps him by throwing her slipper at the fierce mouse king, who the nutcracker then slays. The nutcracker prince tells his court the story of how clara saved his life. The ballet of the nutcracker was inspired by the book the story of a nutcracker by alexandre dumas.
Birmingham royal ballet s new version of the nutcracker is strongest when it fills the stage with dancing. The premiere of the nutcracker transforms the classical ballet into a fairytale. Unlike many other ballets, it is popular for children as well as adults. George balanchines the nutcracker new york city ballet. Now that the mouse king is dead, an ancient spell has been broken, and the nutcracker is transformed into a handsome prince. Nutcracker story the nutcracker the nutcracker san jose. Claras quick thinking helps the nutcracker defeat the king of the mice. Synopsis of tchaikovskys nutcracker ballet liveabout. Petersburg, russia, the first production in the united states choreographed by william christensen was performed by san francisco ballet in 1944. Follow clara on a magical christmas adventure in this musical retelling of the nutcracker ballet push the button on each beautiful scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from tchaikovskys score. Reading the story helped us to enjoy the ballet more, because we understood the big picture going into it. I am more and more in awe of this creative genious and most colorful characters. The nutcracker ballet is based on the story the nutcracker and the king of mice written by e. All 90 dancers, 62 musicians, 40 stagehands, and more than 125 children in two alternating casts from the school of american ballet join forces to make each performance as.
Scents of ginger, chocolate, and peppermint waft through the air. Hoffmanns tale contains a long flashback story within its main. It is a staple of ballet companies around the world. History of the nutcracker pacific northwest ballet. Fun fact although the nutcracker made its debut in 1892 in st.
Hoffmann was set to music by tchaikovsky and originally choreographed by. With nutcracker season less than a month away, ive been feeling that the ballet might even have a serious theme for me this year, as i see it thematically as concerned with the absorbtion of evil or the fearful into the peaceful ideals of the bourgeois world or perhaps the neutralizing or the. The classic christmas story ballet the origin of the nutcracker, a classic christmas story, is a fairy tale ballet in two acts centered on a familys christmas eve celebration. Peter tchaikovsky, the famous russian composer, was commissioned by mastermind choreographer marius petipa to compose the ballet, score based on alexandre dumass adaptation of e. While the original story was centered around a girl named marie and was considered dark and scary, french writer alexandre dumas adapted it to be much lighter. Although what is seen on the stage today is different in. The stahlbaums had prepared for their annual christmas celebration all day. The nutcracker simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Discover the many roles in tchaikovskys the nutcracker. Since premiering in western countries in the 1940s, this ballet has become perhaps the most popular to be performed around christmas time.
The first time i saw the nutcracker, while i loved the music and thought it festive and beautiful, i was a little confused by the story line, i have to admit. History of nutcracker moscow ballets great russian nutcracker. A production of tchaikovskys ballet the nutcracker performed by the bonn ballet and the bonn telecom classic philharmonic orchestra. In simple, clear language, children can follow the story of the christmas ballet themselves, from the opening christmas eve party scene to the closing scene in which marie and her nutcracker prince bid farewell to the land of the sweets.
Tchaikovskys ballet of the nutcracker has come to sum up the magic of the festive season. Hoffmann s 1816 fairy tale the nutcracker and the mouse king. It was originally called the nutcracker and the king of mice. Marius petipas twoact ballet the nutcracker premiered in russia in 1892 set to original music by pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky, the final of his three fulllength ballet scores. If youre off to see graeme murphys moving reimagaination of the nutcracker, nows the time to get acquainted with the story, which follows a ballerina, clara, through the glamour and romance, tragedy and travels of her life.
The nutcracker ballet by deborah hautzig goodreads. The bigger the dance, the better it fits the huge space of the royal albert hall. As the edwards family prepare for their christmas party, clara imagines the wonderful things that might happen. Boston ballet behind the scenes the nutcracker synopsis. Grandparents and guests begin to arrive to celebrate the holiday with clara, fritz and their parents. The mall story times give audiences of all ages a chance to engage in the story with the unique elements of the alberta ballet version. The nutcracker is a ballet traditionally performed during christmas. Sugar plum fairy and the march of the wooden soldiers.