The film, which stars mackenzie foy as clara, centers around a young girl who must find a precious key. Get a behindthescenes look at disneys nutcracker and. Hoffmanns story of the nutcracker and the mouse king. Christmas eve at the stahlbaum house, the arrival of godpapa drosselmeier and the presentation of the nutcracker, the fierce battle between the nutcracker and the sevenheaded mouse king, and much more. Behind the scenes of the nutcracker when you ask phyllis papa, the companys artistic director, what it feels like to dance she says it feels like flying.
It was the tale of a little girl, marie, and her christmas toys. 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. The origin of the nutcracker, a classic christmas story, is a fairy tale ballet in two acts centered on a familys christmas eve celebration. We look at the origins of the nutcracker as a short story by e. The party ends and clara leaves her nutcracker by the tree before going to bed. Hoffmanns original story, nutcracker and mouse king, is. Boston ballet behind the scenes the nutcracker synopsis.
The story behind the jazzedup nutcracker the nutcracker suite, which uindy performs dec. The nutcracker is able to overcome the stunned mouse king and claims victory. The number was choreographed by lev ivanov to music written by tchaikovsky. A christmas eve party at the stahlbaum house where clara is given the nutcracker as a christmas present. But although the ballet shows audiences a loving family and a happy ending, the authors original story wasnt quite so warm. Behind the scenes preparations the royal ballet duration. Hoffmanns story the nutcracker and the mouse king, by alexandre dumas called the story of a nutcracker. And thanks to the lush musical score, the story has lived on and thrives in our imaginations nearly 200 years after it was first published. Originally published in 1816, the original nutcracker story was a complex world of intrigue, adventure, and true love between a girl and her nutcracker doll. Hoffmann was set to music by tchaikovsky and originally choreographed by marius petipa. Unable to sleep, clara tiptoes down to the dark room and is soon surrounded by large mice. Levitating children, onstage explosions, astonishing magic tricks and a spectacular, growing christmas tree the nutcracker is packed full of remarkable illusions and special effects.
History of nutcracker moscow ballets great russian nutcracker. This pleasant story is the one ballet audiences know best. The nutcracker leaves and the bed finds its way into a snowcovered forest. The wellloved tale of the nutcracker is actually based on e. The entire dance troupe at the mikhailovsky started one day of painstaking preparation with a dance class even before formal rehearsals, which continued beyond 9 p. The nutcracker ballet is derived from the story the nutcracker and the king of mice which was written e. So if you attend the ballet performance this season. The last of his three ballets, it was first performed in december 1892. Abundant illustrations and elaborate explanations of each character, from the nutcracker prince to mother ginger, provides an invaluable supplement to the ballet experience.
The dance of the sugar plum fairy is a dance for a ballerina. Clara, the lead role is having a party on christmas eve. The story was translated into many other languages and spread widely throughout europe. The story of the nutcracker is loosely based on the e. The secret story behind tchaikovskys mysterious celesta. In hoffmanns tale, the girls name is marie or maria, while clara or klarchen is the name of one of her dolls. From pedophilic godfathers to gruesome sevenheaded mice, the first versions of the classic ballet were different.
Then she heard giggling and squeaking all around her, followed by the sound of a thousand little feet scampering behind the walls. But the story itself is much older and its original intent more complex. Hoffmann, and an interpretation of hoffmans story written by alexandre dumas. 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 of all time. Vsevolozsky thought another ballet based on a childrens story. The prince escorts clara to the land of sweets where they are greeted by the sugar plum fairy. Drosselmeyer magically makes a ballerina doll, harlequin doll, and columbine doll come to life. In 1892, the story premiered on the russian ballet stage as the nutcracker by tchaikovsky. Russian composer peter tchaikovsky wrote the music for the ballet during the early 1890s, near the end of his life. Soon marie saw mice all over the room, and in the end they formed ranks, just as fritzs soldiers did. Nutcracker and mouse king and the tale of the nutcracker. The secret story behind tchaikovskys mysterious celesta in the nutcracker posted by thomas kotcheff 122019 12. 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. It was also hoffmanns fantastic imagination that makes his novella, the nutcracker and the mouse king, so very memorable.
The story behind tchaikovskys famous score and the elements of a quality performance are explained. One of hoffmanns stories was adapted by the french writer alexandre dumas. Ivan vsevolozhsky and marius petipa adapted hoffmanns story for the ballet. Clara, enchanted by the ballerina doll, asks drosselmeyer for her. Now that the mouse king is dead, an ancient spell has been broken, and the nutcracker is transformed into a handsome prince. All the toys cheered and began to dance, until at last, when the first light came through the window they crept back into the toy box, or.
It is about changing from being a child to a woman. 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. Each 4 12 resin ornament comes with a 6 12 paper card that reads. In a moment they had vanished into the cracks between the floor boards, leaving their prisoner, the nutcracker, behind them. Get a behind thescenes look at disneys nutcracker and the four realms. Watch disneys final trailer for the nutcracker and the. The nutcracker returns and suddenly turns into a prince, who looks just like drosselmeyers nephew. The plot revolves around a german girl named clara stahlbaum and her comingofage one christmas holiday. In this darker tale, set on christmas eve, marie stahlbaum receives a nutcracker from her godfather, drosselmeier. The nutcracker, russian shchelkunchik, ballet by pyotr tchaikovsky. The room seems to have grown and the china cabinet has become a castle, home to a lifesized version of her nutcracker doll that comes to life.
About nutcracker and mouse king and the tale of the nutcracker. The nutcracker and the four realms is a rework of the classic nutcracker tale many know and love with a dark twist. Legend of the nutcracker christmas ornaments discontinued. The legend of the nutcracker ornaments also make a wonderful christmas gifts for friends and family. Hoffmann fantasy story the nutcracker and the mouse king, about a girl who befriends a nutcracker.
A hoffman christmas story called the nutcracker and the mouse king for theeventuallyfamous and. Hoffmanns 1816 fairy tale the nutcracker and the mouse king. The story of the nutcracker delightful tale of a little girls love for an enchanted nutcracker, with all the wonderful scenes. In the great russian nutcracker, she is affectionately called masha. The nutcracker is based on the book the nutcracker and the mouse king, by e. Hoffman published the nutcracker and the mouse king, a scary fairytale intended only for adults. 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. That night, she experiences the nutcrackers battle with an army of mice and his transformation into a handsome prince. 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. When the maryinsky dancers were forced to scatter across europe, they introduced a great deal of russian high culture to the west, including. Her brother broke her nutcracker and that is why she cant sleep. Published in 1816, the original story was a complex world of intrigue, adventure, and true love between a girl and her nutcracker doll. The plot of hoffmanns story and dumas adaptation was greatly simplified for the twoact ballet.
This nutcracker is particularly suited to such fantasies because it is made to look like a man, as is traditional in europe. And tchaikovsky isnt in my story until the very, very. Among all of this wizardry, much of which relies on extensive behind the scenes technical preparation, one of the ballets most magical scenes is in fact its simplest. Cracking the story behind the nutcracker crown and shield. The nutcracker is the christmas ballet that everyone knows and loves. Her uncle drosslmire, who is a toy maker, gives ckara a nutcracker. The narrated story of the nutcracker ballet in under 5 minutes. The nutcracker and the four realms hits theaters nov. 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 origin of the nutcracker has its roots in the great success of the. The nutcracker is the story of clara, a little girl who is given a wooden nutcracker as a christmas gift by the mysterious dr.
It wouldnt be christmas without it why the royal ballet never tire of the nutcracker duration. Hoffmann fantasy story the nutcracker and the mouse king, about a girl who befriends a nutcracker that comes to life on christmas eve and wages a battle against the evil mouse king. The ferocious king of the mice challenges the nutcracker to a duel. She fails in love with her nutcracker in his real state in her dream. He had been turned into a nutcracker by the evil mouse king, and only by the kings death. Heartbroken, clara begs uncle drosselmeyer for help. Claras quick thinking helps the nutcracker defeat the king of the mice. Hoffmann, the nutcracker tells the story of clara, a young girl who dreams of having adventures with a nutcracker that she receives for christmas. Unseen, drosselmeyer remains behind and casts his magic. Dance of the sugar plum fairy simple english wikipedia. Magically, he transforms the nutcracker into a dashing prince.
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. It tells the story of a little girl who goes to the land of sweets on christmas eve. Its fantastical second act a confetti of divertissements is a homage in dance to the 19th centurys most precious foodstuffs. Her mother consoles clara, and drosselmeyer surprises her by giving her the nutcracker doll. The mouse king traps the nutcracker in the corner, but the nutcracker cant overcome the mouse kings strength. What moral lesson in the story the nutcracker answers. This is designed to quickly educate the nondance oriented about this wonderful story ballet.
The nutcracker is often performed during the christmas season due to. The nutcracker prince tells his court the story of how clara saved his life. The sweets of the nutcracker the australian ballet. The history of nutcrackers according to german folklore, nutcrackers were given as keepsakes to bring good luck to your family and protect your home. Jen adams here, ready to take you behind the scenes for the real story of the nutcracker. Clara and the nutcracker prince arrive at the cloud covered gates of the nutcracker princes kingdom, where he and the sugar plum fairy reign. Learn the oldworld story behind the symbolism of the nutcracker with this colorful nutcracker christmas ornament. The original stories behind everyones favorite christmas ballet it wasnt until the 1950s that seeing the nutcracker at christmastime became an american tradition. The nutcracker simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Making a new american nutcracker, narrated by actress neve campbell the company, takes audiences behind the scenes with the creative visionaries that work to bring this striking original. Behind the scenes of the nutcracker the wider image. The nutcracker is an 1892 twoact ballet originally choreographed by marius petipa and lev ivanov with a score by pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky op. A story that spawned a thousand childrens books and countless.
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