The Nutcracker

The first time I went to the ballet, I fell in love.

In love with the the music, the dance, and the story of The Nutcracker.

For some reason – despite the uplifting feeling it left me with – I’ve never been again. This saddens me because obviously I have allowed daily chores and life’s responsibilities distract me from a newfound fascination. However, all is not lost – my adoration will be reignited next month when The Nutcracker comes to my home city. (*Squeals with delight*)

The Russian State Ballet and Opera House is coming to Dundee on Thursday 9 November and they have given me tickets to attend the performance with my mum. This is exciting for two reasons: a) I get to spend time with (and treat) my darling mum who deserves the world and b) I hope that I fall head over heels again so that it won’t take me four years (how did that happen?) to go again.

I first saw The Nutcracker with my husband (who, somewhat surprisingly also loved it) and it left such a huge impression on me. The haunting beauty of the music and the sheer power and skill of the dance left me with feelings of romance and awe, respectively. Of course, the story is one of love so – being a hopeless daydreamer – I was sold from the beginning. (Read about my first experience at the ballet.)

If you don’t know the tale of The Nutcracker, I’ll give you a brief idea. A father gives his children a nutcracker painted as a toy soldier for Christmas, but, naturally, they fight over the gift. The daughter is particularly taken by the nutcracker which is actually a prince in disguise. I’ll say no more other than the obvious… that all love stories come with their challenges, and The Nutcracker has some pretty wicked villains. It’s all rather fantastical and weird, and the music is astounding. If you’re not convinced, watch this clip but let me tell you, it doesn’t do it justice. The experience of taking your seat in a bustling theatre, the lights going down, the curtains going up… and the show begining. The feeling of watching The Nutcracker is almost indescribable. If you’ve never been before forget the stuffy connotations that are often associated with ‘the ballet’ and just go. It’s the perfect way to kick off the festive season.

A word of advice? Prepare to be mesmerised for the night, and hooked for life.

Book your tickets for The Nutcracker via the Dundee Box Office or find out where there’s a showing near you.

Image: Kris Miller, from the original post Froth.

(I thought a photograph of me wearing a tutu was apt for this post, though my mum always said I was more like a baby elephant in a tutu than a ballet dancer…)