The famous ballet, The Nutcracker, was composed by Tchaikovsky in 1891. We are viewing pieces of a live performance from the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. We are discussing that ballet has no spoken or sung words and to determine what is happening in the story, you have to watch the actions of the dancers. This particular movie is a very good teaching tool, because it shows the stage, orchestra pit and audience from different angles and at different times during the performance. I was sent a real ballet slipper that someone used in a performance of the Nutcracker in Fort Worth and I have passed it around for everyone to see.
The students should be able to tell you that the orchestra conductor (or director) leads the instruments. They should also be able to explain a bit about the plot: Clara is having a Christmas party and her Uncle brings her a doll nutcracker. The Uncle does some magic and brings the doll to life. Clara then goes into a dream where she meets the "human" nutcracker prince, who fights the Mouse King and they visit many different lands.
I am trying to introduce the music of The Nutcracker to the students. I try to show them that sometimes you will hear a particular melody and it may have a different origin. For example, you can hear a few melodies from The Nutcracker in the movie Home Alone.
When we return from Winter Break, we will learn about the different instruments and families of the orchestra.
For more information about Fort Worth performances of The Nutcracker, please visit:
http://www.basshall.com and click the Events tab in the top, left hand corner.
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