Clara's Dream, How did we get here?

Just in case you haven't gleaned by now, Clara's Dream is City Center Ballet's take on The Nutcracker. The Nutcracker, a two-act ballet, which worked its way into American ballet companies as a holiday classic, and most often an annual tradition, in the 1960's, was first performed in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1892. The original choreography was by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov set to the famous score by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky.  The most famous piece in the score is the Dance of The Sugar Plum Fairy, which was the first piece of music ever written, and possibly still the most famous, that used the celesta. The Nutcracker is based on the story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King written by E.T.A. Hoffmann.

Historically this ballet begins at the home of Dr. Stahlbaum, his wife, his daughter Clara, and his son Fritz are preparing to host a Christmas party.  Their guests arrive and everyone celebrates with lots of dancing and parents distribute gifts to children.  Suddenly Heir Drosselmeyer, Clara's Godfather, arrives with the life sized dolls he has created and magically animated, all the guest settle in for a magical puppet performance. When the performance is over Drosselmeyer puts the dolls away, disappointing Clara and Fritz, until he surprises the two children with a little carved man made to crack nuts! Clara falls in love with the little nutcracker doll, and shows his wonderful nut-cracking abilities to all the guests at the party.  Never to be out-done, Fritz waits for an opening and steals the doll, which, as most brothers will, he then breaks. Clara is devastated, she bandages up the nutcrackers broken little jaw.  Soon after that the party is over and all the guest leave, Clara tucks her injured doll in for the night and goes reluctantly to bed.

This is where Clara's Dream begins, you can read the rest of the story here.

There are many versions of The Nutcracker, ballet companies often put their own twist on the story to pull in some local history. Modern dance companies, like The Mark Morris Dance Company, have their own versions of The Nutcracker.  Mark Morris's The Hard Nut sets the story in a graphic-comic book  out of the retro 1960's, inspired by Charles Burnes. Contemporary musicians have also put their own twists on Tchaikovsky's famous score.  Duke Ellington jazzed-up The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy in his song Sugar Rum Cherry.  The Trans Siberian Orchestra has their own Rock version of the score called A mad Russian Christmas.

City Center Ballet is proud of it's family-friendly one-act version of The Nutcracker.  Clara's Dream - a nutcracker story keeps the wonderful excitement of The Nutcracker while it condenses it into one, hour-long act, with no intermission, to keep even the smallest children engaged in the performance. This will leave everyone in the family with a pleasant experience at the ballet. You and your family will be sure to leave humming Tchaikovsky as visions of sugar plums dance in your head!

Make City Center Ballet's take on The Nutcracker part of your family's tradition this year.  Tickets for Clara's Dream - a nutcracker story are on sale now on The Lebanon Opera House website or by calling the Box Office at (603)-448-0400. Performances are Thursday 12/5 at 7pm, Friday 12/8 at 7pm, and Saturday 12/7 at 1pm and 4pm.  Advanced pricing and reserved seating are available, so get your tickets soon!

**Note that as of 11/22/2013 Tickets to Clara's Tea for the 1pm show are SOLD OUT, there are still a few tickets left to Clara's Tea for the 4pm show**

I'll see you at the ballet!