Holiday Countdown Day 22

[listener15]

DAY TWENTY-TWO

Movie
How can a holiday pass without seeing "The Nutcracker Ballet" by Tchaikovsky. Going to the ballet can be very expensive, so watch the video performance with Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gelsey Kirkland from 1977. It's the one you see on PBS every year (it's really good).

Book
There are many many versions of "The Nutcracker" by E. T. A. Hoffmann, but this one is really nice. It would probably be a good idea if you or a kid, are going to watch/see the ballet to read the book first. Then you can spend the time enjoying it instead of trying to figure everything about.

Song
How about watching some clips and hearing music you didn't realize was from "The Nutcracker Ballet"?

Click to view

Click to view

Click to view

Craft and Recipe
Sorry, no personal pic of today's cookie recipe, though Monster CookiesRecipe courtesy Donna Haney as adapted by Paula Deen, sure does sound yummy. When I'm not so tired I think I'll give these a shot.

Nutcracker Facts
The Nutcracker was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia on December 19, 1892.

In 1891, world renowned choreographer, Marius Petipa commissioned Peter Tchaikovsky to compose the music for Alexandre Dumas’s adaptation of E.T.A. Hoffman’s tale “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.” Hoffman's original work showed humanity's dark-sided nature and was definitely not appropriate for children

The ballet featured two choreographers. Lev Ivanov started the work and later Marius Petipa was brought in to finish it. Peter Tchaikovsky created the score but thought the ballet was a failure. Audiences agreed and the production was called a flop.

The Nutcracker's full length production first appeared in the United States in 1944, by the San Francisco Opera Ballet under the direction of William Christensen.

Tchaikovsky used the production of The Nutcracker to introduce a new instrument to audiences: the celesta. He had heard the instrument in France and wanted to be the first bring its distinctive and new sound to a production score. This piano cousin puts out a high octave sound that makes the dum, dum, dum, dum, dum, dum sound unique.

Clara is sometimes called Maria, especially in Russia. In some versions of The Nutcracker it is a birthday party, not a Christmas party

Fanfiction
I didn't know what to put for today's fanfic, so I'm putting in a couple of different ones. Why so many fic for today? I know ballet isn't something everyone likes so I hope all the fic recommendations makes up for it. Happy reading!

The Devil Wears Prada, pairing Miranda and Andy. " Santa's Little Secret" by Natalie

Xena: Warrior Princes, paring Xena and Gabrielle. "The Gift" by Lawlsfan

NCIS, pairing Abby and Zeva. "Merry Christmas, EveryoneAll I Want For Christmas" by fembuck.

And last, but not least. Popular, pairing Sam and Brook. "The Snowball Effect" by Redlance.

Art/Photos