The Nutcracker - A magical Christmas ballet | Sunday Observer

The Nutcracker - A magical Christmas ballet

5 December, 2021

The Nutcracker is an 1892 two-act ballet originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. The Nutcracker is about a girl who befriends a nutcracker that comes to life on Christmas Eve and wages a battle against the evil Mouse King.

According to German folklore, nutcrackers bring good luck to your family and protect your home. A nutcracker is said to represent power and strength, acting somewhat like a watchdog guarding your family against danger. When Marius Petipa had the idea to choreograph the story into a ballet, it was actually based on a revision by Alexander Dumas, a well-known French author. His version reflects more of what we have come to love as the Nutcracker Ballet.

The Dances

The Nutcracker ballet was staged at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1890.The Sugar Plum Fairy is among the most difficult roles in the ballet canon, although a talented ballerina can make it look effortless.

The names of the dances in the nutcracker are The Spanish Dance, The Arabian Dance, The Russian Dance, The Chinese Dance, The Mirliton Dance and The Waltz of Flowers. 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.

The story of the Nutcracker is like this. It is Christmas Eve at the Stahlbaum house - a large and grand house with the most beautiful tree imaginable. The Stahlbaums are hosting their annual Christmas party, welcoming the arrival of their family and friends. The children, Clara and Fritz, are dancing and playing as they welcome their friends too. The party grows festive with music and dance as godfather Drosselmeyer arrives. He is a skilled clock and toy maker and is always full of surprises. Drosselmeyer draws everyone’s attention as he presents two life-size dolls. They are the delight of the party, each taking a turn to dance.

The children begin to open gifts when Drosselmeyer presents his to Clara and Fritz. Although his gift to Fritz is quite nice, he gives Clara a beautiful Nutcracker becomes the hit of the party.

Fritz becomes jealous and, having a bit more spunk than a boy should have, grabs the nutcracker from Clara and promptly breaks it. Clara is heartbroken and looks on as Drosselmeyer quickly repairs the Nutcracker with a handkerchief he magically draws from the air.

The Mouse King

As the evening grows late, the guests depart and the Stahlbaum family retires for the evening. Clara, worried about her beloved Nutcracker, sneaks back to the tree to check on him, falling asleep with him in her arms. As the clock strikes midnight strange things begin to happen.

Clara begins shrinking as her beautiful Christmas tree grows high above her. The toys around the tree come to life while the room fills with an army of mice, led by the fierce Mouse King. As the Nutcracker awakens, he leads his army of toy soldiers into battle with the mice. The Mouse King corners the Nutcracker and battles with him one-on-one.

The Nutcracker is does not seem to be a match for the Mouse King.The Nutcracker and his army can go on no longer and are captured by the mice and their King. Clara makes a final daring charge throwing her slipper at the Mouse King, hitting him square on the head. The Mouse King drops to the floor and the mice run away, carrying off their leader’s lifeless body.

Land of Snow

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 by dancing snowflakes. The prince escorts Clara to the Land of Sweets where they are greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy. The prince tells her about their daring battle with the army of mice and she rewards them with a celebration of dances. Clara awakens from her dream and finds herself by her Christmas tree with her beloved Nutcracker.

 

Mckaella Karunaratne

Grade 6

Ladies’ College

Colombo

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