Crystal River Ballet School
"The essence of all art is to have pleasure in giving pleasure."
--Mikhail Baryshnikov
Performances
Crystal River Ballet School, at The Launchpad~76 S 4th St., Carbondale, CO 81623 www.crystalriverballet.com, [email protected]
Tickets are on sale at the door and are general admission. There is no video taping or flash photography allowed during performances.
Parents and students please email [email protected] for questions regarding performances and rehearsals.
The Nutcracker
December 21 & 22
6:30 PM
180 Snowmass Drive
Carbondale, CO
Synopsis:
The Nutcracker is a classical Russian ballet in two acts based on the story by E.T.A. Hoffman, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King with music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It was first presented at the Maryinsky Theater, Saint Petersburg on December 17, 1892; choreography by Lev Ivanov.
Act One takes place in the home of the Stahbaum’s giving their annual Christmas party. During the party the family’s favorite guest, toy maker and magician, Herr Drosselmeyer arrives bringing with him wonderful gifts and a Nutcracker doll for Clara. She is delighted with the doll but her brother Fritz is furious and grabs it away from Clara and breaks it. After the party, unable to sleep, Clara comes in search of her new doll but finds herself under Herr Drosselmeyer's magic spell as all the toys come to life and she shrinks down to the size of a mouse. As the mice attack Clara, the Nutcracker and his army of toys come to her defense and battle the evil Mouse Queen. Clara comes to the aid of the Nutcracker and defeats the Mouse Queen with a swift swack to the head! The Nutcracker is released from being a doll and in gratitude takes Clara on a journey through the snow to his magical kingdom, The Land of the Sweets.
In act two, we arrive in The Land of the Sweets ruled by the Sugar Plum Fairy. Clara is greeted by Spanish chocolates, Arabian coffee, Chinese tea, Russian trepak, French mirliton, Mother Ginger and her Gingersnaps, The Dew Drop Fairy and her beautiful Flowers . In honor of her victory over the Mouse Queen, they all dance in celebration. Everyone joins to wish Clara goodbye as she awakens to wonder if it was all just a dream.
More info for students here
