Monday, December 8, 2008

The Nutcracker...





Inspired by Pvotr Ilvich Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker and my daughters love of ballet... she performed her version of The Nutcracker in our living room prior to going to the ballet for the first time.





Here she plays out the ballet in a red tutu and elf hat. She was holding her Nutcracker at one point leaning in to kiss him. Very sweet !


Finally the moment came. I planned for just her & I to see the ballet. She was thrilled beyond mention. The theatre was beautiful. Our favorite scene was The Dance Of The Snowflakes... snow fell on the snow fairies as the danced around the stage... it was brilliant.



This was a memory I will always treasure with my daughter and hope to go again with her, in the years to come.

Brief History of The Nutcracker
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The Nutcracker Ballet is based on the book called " The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" written by German author E.T.A. Hoffman (1776-1822). It was published in 1816 as a rather morbid, depressing story. It was revised by French author Alexander Dumas Pere (1802-1870) in 1844 to appeal to children.


The Nutcracker Ballet was first performed in Russia, on December 5th or December 1st in 1882, almost 100 years ago. It was written by Peter Tchaikovsky who lived between the years 1840 and l893 and wrote many famous scores for ballets including Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty. This piece of music was his 1st Opus or work.



A short version of the ballet was first performed in the United States in 1940, but the full version, the one so familiar to millions of Americans, was first staged in 1954. It is now an annual holiday event in communities across the country.



If you haven't already seen the Barbie version to The Nutcracker on DVD I would surely recommend it for the whole family. Especially if you have little girls. This has been a favorite movie in our home since it first came out. My daughter plays out the story even with her Barbie dolls. It is just the sweetest thing !

5 comments:

  1. Mica. I love this page on the nutcracker. So, beautiful. Also, the memories of Sadie being young and have a special date to see the nutcracker with her. The Nutcraker has always been my favorite.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I loved learning all about the nutcracker here this morning. I think your daughter is so sweet!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love your pictures and it was so sweet that you and your daughter got to go together to see it! What a great memory. I can tell you are a memory-making mommy!! Thanks for the history, too, that is great to share with my kids!

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a wonderful thing for you two to do together. Great pictures!

    ReplyDelete
  5. my daughter is 4 and just had the opportunity to be in a production of the Nutcracker. She loved it and all the hardwork and comraderie with the other older dancers, my son 7 loved watching it twice and I was so happy to run across your page with the history of the Nutcracker so I can share it with them.

    ReplyDelete