His version reflects more of what we have come to love as the Nutcracker Ballet. The last of his three ballets, it was first performed in December 1892. At war’s end she dances her farewell performance with the newly formed Borovansky Ballet. The girls receive beautiful china dolls and the boys receive bugles. The nutcracker soon became surrounded by the mice. Find resources needed to teach the classic story, "The Nutcracker" all in one convenient pack! Delicious memories fill the room and Clara attempts to dance. and protect your home. They dance to the most recognizable song in the entire work. In Europe and the U.S. slipper at the Mouse King, hitting him square on the head. The mice army quickly carries away their king. Everyone generously thanks the Stahlbaums before they leave. The flowers dance in beautiful mesmerizing patterns as a single Dewdrop floats above them. She opens her skirt and eight little gingerbread children come dancing out circling around her. She saw a bunch of mice. His surprise arrival is warmly accepted, and all the children dance and carry on with laughter. As they reenact the night’s events, the Sugar Plum Fairy expresses admiration for Clara’s bravery and the Nutcracker’s heroism. toy soldiers into battle with the mice.

This resulted in the Grand Adage from the Grand Pas de Deux of the second act where Clara/Masha dances with her magical Christmas present, the Nutcracker Prince. The Nutcracker is transformed into a human prince (who looks strikingly similar to Drosselmeyer’s nephew). strength and serves like a trusty watch dog guarding your family from evil As soon as the prince broke open the shell, the princess became beautiful again. 71a, as is heard in Moscow Ballet productions. Today, However, the spell transferred to the prince and made him ugly instead. Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker," the story of a young girl's journey to a magical land on Christmas Eve, is perhaps not only the composer's most famous work but also one of the most famous ballets of all time. The music of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker from her radio fills her with nostalgia. Or was it the magic of Christmas, come to life?

Silence quickly follows the end of their dance. The Nutcracker and his army can go on no longer and are captured by the mice and their King. Soon after Mother Ginger exits, the dancing flowers enter to the tune of the harp. The suite became instantly popular; however the complete ballet did not achieve its great popularity as a Christmas performance event until almost 100 years later. Clara can’t believe her eyes: There are ladyfinger mountains topped with whipped cream whiter than snow, sweetly glazed flowers, and buttercream frosting everywhere she looks. Find a performance in your state, or visit Your City to find out when we will be in your area. The Christmas ballet was first performed outside Russia in England in 1934. spirits and danger. Shreya Sharma is the Co-Founder and Creative Head of Bedtimeshortstories.com. The party grows late and the children become sleepy. Add to Calendar. It was conducted by Riccardo Drigo, with Antoinetta Dell-Era as the Sugar Plum Fairy, Pavel Gerdt as her Prince, Stanislava Belinskaya as Clara/Masha, Sergei Legat as the Nutcracker Prince, and Timofei Stukolkin as Uncle Drosselmeyer. a beautiful Nutcracker that  becomes the hit of the party. After the dance is over, the children quickly file back into the large gingerbread house and Mother Ginger leaves the room. The score for The Nutcracker was finally completed when Tchaikovsky had returned to Frolovskoe, but more problems still arose, this time in relation to the story, which the collaborators came to realise was not entirely suitable for adaptation into ballet. She falls deeply in love with a young officer. By Maeve Ashby. If you're off to see Graeme Murphy's moving reimagaination of The Nutcracker, now's 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 two lovers re-affirm their eternal passion. The dance is her only companion and she leaves forever to join Diaghilev and his Ballets Russes. The captivating pair dance lighter than air. ACT I The night before Christmas. He asked Marie to marry him. The legend says that a nutcracker represents power and strength and serves like a trusty watch dog guarding your family from evil spirits and danger. Its first United States performance was in 1944 by the San Francisco Ballet, staged by its artistic director and Balanchine student Willam Christensen. Upon their arrival, the duo is greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy. The Nutcracker Ballet is based on the story "The Nutcracker and the King of Mice" written by E.T.A. surprises. author. The Nutcracker turns into a Prince and takes Clara on a journey to the Land of Snow, an enchanted forest wonderland  where they are welcomed All she can afford is a few provisions and a tiny Christmas tree, which she places on a table. The Stahlbaums are hosting

"The Nutcracker" is the story of Clara, a little girl who is given a wooden nutcracker as a Christmas gift by the mysterious Dr. Drosselmeyer. Clara begins shrinking as her beautiful Christmas tree grows high above That very night, Marie woke up to some strange noise. The princess could only reverse the spell if she could break open the hardest nutshell. Easily forgetting what the prince had done for her, she chased him off.”. Performance History and the St. Petersburg Premiere The first performance of the Christmas ballet was held as a double premiere together with Tchaikovsky’s last opera, Iolanta, around the Christmas holiday season on December 18 [O.S. Since premiering in western countries in the 1940s, this ballet has become perhaps the most popular to be performed around Christmas time.

At the stroke of midnight, Clara wakes up to a frightening scene. The composer made a selection of eight of the more popular pieces before the ballet’s December 1892 premiere, forming what is currently known as the Nutcracker Suite, Op. Nutcracker Story Video. Even more shocking was the Mouse queen with seven heads. Once again Drosselmeyer calls upon his magic and the Nutcracker is transformed into a handsome boy. Peter Tchaikovsky, the famous Russian composer, was commissioned by mastermind choreographer Marius Petipa to compose the ballet, score based on Alexandre Dumas’s adaptation of E.T.A. Her young doctor arrives with a reel of archival film showing a young Clara as a ballerina with the Russian Imperial Ballet. About the author Shreya Sharma. The Prince of Toy land was there at the door. Aaron M. Green is an expert on classical music and music history, with more than 10 years of both solo and ensemble performance experience. It was a tradition for Uncle Peter to give Marie presents the night before Christmas. Fritz is given a beautiful drum, but Clara is given the best gift of all, a nutcracker.

As the Nutcracker awakens, he leads his army of This pack includes "The Nutcracker" story as a printable and PowerPoint, fine motor strengthening resources, ELA resources, and number skills resources. It was a Christmas Eve and Marie was waiting for Uncle Peter. During a troubled sleep Clara descends into hallucination. Out of nowhere, large mice dressed in army uniforms, led by their Mouse King, begin to circle the room while the toys and Christmas tree come to life. The children begin to open gifts when Drosselmeyer presents his to Clara and Fritz. The Nutcracker Story. Clara makes a desperate move to save her Nutcracker from defeat and throws her slipper at the Mouse King, hitting him directly on the head. By purchasing tickets to any of Moscow Ballet’s performances, I agree to the, “Knockout…Brimful with feeling…Expansive… the Russian style is elegantly generous, and so the experience is never meager. A fierce protector, the nutcracker bares its teeth to the The Mouse King corners the Nutcracker and battles him one-on-one. In Hoffmann’s tale, the girl’s name is Marie or Maria, while Clara – or “Klärchen” – is the name of one of her dolls. Nutcracker Story Video. Clara thinks it is perhaps the most beautiful waltz she has ever heard, and she and the Nutcracker Prince watch with amazement. sneaks back to the tree to check on him, falling asleep with him in her arms. The women of coffee dance in veils and move their bodies like rising steam to an Arabian song while Mandarin tea dances to an exotic Asian flute chorus.

You will likely experience issues using this site. The libretto is adapted from E. T. A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". Russian dolls follow the Mandarin tea, leaping and dancing to an invigorating dance known as a Trepak. Never Miss A Story Again! After their journey through the snow forest, Clara and her prince arrive at their destination in the Land of Sweets. You may also like to read, Twas The Night Before Christmas Story. Years of training are rewarded by graduation and acceptance into the ranks of the Imperial Ballet at the Mariinsky Theatre. Among other things, the score of The Nutcracker is noted for its use of the celesta, an instrument that the composer had already employed in his much lesser known symphonic ballad, The Voyevoda (premiere 1891). The story centers on a young girl’s Christmas Eve and her awakening to the wider world and romantic love. Synopsis of Tchaikovsky's 'Nutcracker' Ballet. The house is decorated with ornaments, wreaths, stockings, mistletoe, and, in the center of it all, a majestic Christmas tree. Hot coco dances to the lively music of trumpets and castañets of the Spanish fandango. As an adoring audience applauds, age speedily reclaims her. As a finale, the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Cavalier dance a beautiful Pas De Deux. evil spirits and serves as the traditional messenger of good luck and goodwill. He is a skilled clock and toy maker and always full of One day, she lost her seven sons to the trap that the king had ordered to be placed. Shreya Sharma is the Co-Founder and Creative Head of Bedtimeshortstories.com.

The celebration is interrupted again when Drosselmeyer reveals to the children that he has brought them gifts. A fierce protector, the nutcracker bares its teeth to the evil spirits and serves as the traditional messenger of good luck and goodwill. A giant gingerbread house, known as Mother Ginger, dances onto the Sugar Plum Fairy’s court.