Students of Stonecrest Elementary School, Ottawa had a rare opportunity to visit National Arts Center of Ottawa, to watch the famed Nutcracker Ballet. It was performed by The Royal Winnipeg Ballet of Canada. All the students enjoyed the show very much. As you can see Christmas spirit has already started in Ottawa, Canada.
The story of Nutcracker Ballet is about a young German girl who dreams of a Nutcracker Prince and intense fight against a Mouse King with seven heads. This story was originally written by E.T.A . Hoffman but when Marius Petipa decided to choreograph the story into a ballet, she based it on a revision made by a well known French author Alexander Dumas. And that is what we see and love as Nutcracker ballet.
The Nutcracker Ballet consists of The Party Scene, The Fight Scene, The Land of Snow and The Land of Sweets.
The Party Scene
It is eve of X-mas at a large beautiful house with a biggest tree one can imagine….The Stahlbaum house. They are organizing their annual X-mas get together as they welcome their family and friends. Children Clara and Fritz are playing and singing and dancing as they welcome their friends too. As the people are dancing, Godfather Drosselmeyer arrives. He is an expreienced clock and toy maker and always has surprises for the children. This time he had brought two large dolls and everyone is excited and each take turn dancing with life size dolls.
As the children begin to exchange gifts, Drosselmeyer gives his gifts to Clara and Fritz. Eventhough the gift to Fritz is nice, his gift to Clara is a Nutcracker which becomes a immediate hit with all. Fritz looking at everybody enjoying the Nutcracker becomes jealous and breaks the Nutcracker. Clara as expected is heartbroken but Drosselmeyer immediately repairs the Nutcracker with a handkerchief that to everybody’s surprise he draws from air. As the time goes by, people who had come for the party depart, Clara wants to check on her newly acquired toy and as she does, she falls asleep with him in her arms.
The Fight Scene
At the stroke of midnite surprising things start to happen. Clara starts to get smaller as her X-Mas tree begins to grow taller than her. All the toys come to life and room begins to fill with mice with Mouse King as the leader. Nutcracker comes to life as well and begins to fight with his toy soldiers. Mouse King appears to be stronger than the Nutcracker.
Eventually The Nutcracker and his soldiers are captured by the Mouse King and his army of mice. As Clara watches Nutcracker being captured, she takes her slipper and throws at Mouse King and knocks him down. As the lifeless body of Mouse King lay on the floor, all the mice run away carrying the body of their king.
The Land of Snow
The Nutcracker comes to life and takes Clara to land of snow where the snowflakes welcome them to the enchanted wonderland.
The Land of Sweets
Sugar Plum Fairy welcomes Clara and Nutcracker to The Land of Sweets. The Nutcracker prince tells her of his battle against the mice and she is so pleased with his victory, presents him with dances.
The Spanish Dance, The Arabian Dance, The Russian Dance, The Chinese Dance, The Mirliton Dance and The Waltz of Flowers.
End of Dream
Clara wakes up from her dream and notices that she is by the X-Mas tree holding her dear Nutcracker!!
Author: Dr K.B. Mallya- Canada