A Holiday Family Tradition
The San Antonio Symphony and Ballet San Antonio collaborate in this celebrated rendition of a timeless children’s tale. Inspired by Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable score, the company’s professional artists accompany the best young local talent on Clara’s dreamy travels to the Kingdom of the Sweets.
The audience is pulled into the story….San Antonio Express-News
The Nutcracker story begins at a Christmas Eve party given by Dr. Stahlbaum and his wife for their children, Clara and Fritz, their playmates and their parents. There is lively dancing around a brilliantly decorated Christmas tree with an exchange of gifts for all. Amid the excitement, Herr Drosselmeyer, an artist-inventor of mechanical toys and godfather to Clara, gives her a nutcracker. Fritz, her brother, a mischief-maker, is jealous, and a quarrel follows. Fritz snatches the nutcracker from Clara and hurls it to the floor. Clara picks up her toy and Herr Drosselmeyer mends the toy with his handkerchief, as the guests dance one more dance before departing. Clara, Fritz, and their parents then trundle off to bed.
Clara, however, cannot sleep for thinking about her nutcracker; so before midnight she tiptoes downstairs to see about her toy. She falls asleep and begins to dream that the familiar room becomes a battlefield and the Christmas tree grows to giant proportions as the toys come to life under the command of Herr Drosselmeyer. They wage a war against an invading horde of mice led by the Mouse King, distract him, and allow the nutcracker to subdue him. At that moment the nutcracker becomes a young prince and invites Clara to join him on an enchanting journey.
The Nutcracker Prince takes Clara through the Land of Snowflakes to the Kingdom of Sweets, where they tell the tale to the Sugar Plum Fairy. The Fairy orders a celebration to begin. All the delicacies of the Kingdom are brought forward. The room is filled with dancing confections from every land; hot chocolate (Spanish), tea (Chinese), coffee (Arabian), candy canes (Trepak), and marzipan (Merlitons). The entertainment draws to a close and the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier come forward to dance. Farewells are said as Clara and her Prince thank everyone for the wonderful time, as they wave goodbye to the Kingdom of the Sweets. After all, it was just a dream…or was it?
November 29-December 1 & December 6-8, 2013
Fri & Sat, 7 p.m. Sat & Sun, 2 p.m.
Majestic Theatre
Call 210-404-9641 or email sales@balletsanantonio.org for more information.
