‘Tis the season to dance and sing as jingle bells jingle and silver bells ring. With snow that falls like a blanket to the ground, you notice there’s nothing but smiles to be found. As warm fires flicker and chestnuts roast, a holiday cheer can be heard from coast to coast. “The Nutcracker!” kids yell with an exciting ring, it’s finally here with much joy to bring!
The Christmas Classic Ballet “The Nutcracker” has made its way to Fredericton for all to enjoy! It is a tale as old as time: a young German girl’s dream of a brave nutcracker prince locked in a heated battle with the seven headed mouse king. Though the plot alone is enough to entice many, it is often the beautiful composition written by acclaimed historical composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky that draws audiences to “The Nutcracker” year after year.
Tchaikovsky masterfully mixes slow, regal sounds with joyously upbeat strings, leaving viewers sucked into a world full of adventure through songs like: “The March of the Nutcracker” and “The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.”
Though “The Nutcracker’s” fame is ubiquitous today, it was not always as well received.
Whilst being one of the most well known performance pieces of all time, the ballet aspect of “The Nutcracker” did not immediately catch on—especially in Europe. Luckily, thanks to the efforts of Tchaikovsky, these issues would not end up being the ballet’s downfall. In 1940, the music of “The Nutcracker” appeared in the Disney classic Fantasia, spreading Tchaikovsky’s beautiful symphony to adults and children alike! From that point on the ballet, and its music, exploded in popularity through the mix of Tchaikovsky’s beautiful composition and stunning animated choreography for all to enjoy!
“The Nutcracker” is truly a performance that everyone should see at least once in their life and as mentioned earlier in the article, if you haven’t seen it, keep an eye on Fredericton’s Playhouse! The Playhouse hosted “The Nutcracker” from December 1st-3rd and it was performed by members of Dance Fredericton alongside special guest performers such as Mai Kono, Angel Vizcaino, Liam Caines and more!
So gather up your friends, families and loved ones and prepare to add the Playhouse’s iteration of “The Nutcracker” to your holiday traditions.
