A bold and courageous reinterpretation of the most famous of Christmas fairy tales.
Peparini’s choreography is spectacular and light.
The dance body of the opera in Rome perfectly interprets innovation and originality guided by the overwhelming creativeness of a visionary choreographer.
The ancient fairytale halfway between dream and reality, castigation imagination and lively fantasy in the magical representation of Peparini enchants and amazes, but remains a realistic, joking and credible vision.
Peparini does not use the double nutcracker scenario, representing 2 moments of the story (dream and reality) in the same Stahlbaum house.
The classical technique, contemporary dance, hip-hop, street dance alternate in a flow of homogeneous and fluid movements.
In the audience the audience is let loose by the dreamlike atmosphere and returns real applause and palpable but not redundant enthusiasm.
by Giuliana Gatti
The first dancers, the soloists and the ballet of the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma danced from December 31, 2017 to January 7, 2018 at the Teatro Costanzi in The Nutcracker by Giuliano Peparini, a cult staged in Rome in the Christmas period 2017 to celebrate the last of the year together and greet the arrival of 2018.
The Nutcracker (Lo Schiaccianoci)
At the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma from 31 December 2017 to 7 January 2018
Music by Pëtr Il’ič Čajkovskij
Ballet in two acts
after E.T.A. Hoffmann’s fairy-tale
Adapted by Giuliano Peparini
Length: 2 h, ACT I 45′ – INTERMISSION 25′ – ACT II 50′
Conductor David Coleman
Choreography Giuliano Peparini
revived by Germana Bonaparte and Francesco Saracino
Set design Lucia D’Angelo and Cristina Querzola
Costume design Frédéric Olivier
Video Gilles Papain
Lighting Design Jean-Michel Désiré
Main interpreters
Marie Rebecca Bianchi 18, 20 (20.00),21 Dec /
Susanna Salvi 20 (11.00), 22 (20.00) Dec /
Sara Loro 22 (15.00), 23, 24 Dec
Uncle Drosselmeyer Claudio Cocino 18, 20 (20.00), 21, 24 Dec /
Alessio Rezza 20 (11.00), 22 (20.00) Dec /
Giuseppe Schiavone 22 (15.00), 23 Dec
Drosselmeyer’s Nephew Michele Satriano 18, 20 (20.00), 21 Dec /
Claudio Cocino 20 (11.00), 22 (20.00) Dec /
Giacomo Luci 22 (15.00), 23, 24 Dec
The Snow Queen Alessandra Amato 18, 20 (20.00), 21, 22 (20.00), 23, 24 Dec /
Marianna Suriano 20 (11.00), 22 (15.00) Dec
Bad Boy Marco Marangio 18, 20 (20.00), 21 Dec /
Giacomo Luci 20 (11.00), 22 (20.00) Dec /
Antonello Mastrangelo 22 (15.00), 23, 24 Dec
Orchestra,Etoile, Principal Dancers, Soloists and Corps de Ballet of the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma
With the partecipacion of Students at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma Ballet School
A production of the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma
Plot of the The Nutcracker (Lo schiaccianoci)
Act I
Christmas Eve and an upper class family is about to throw a party.
The two children, Francois and Marie, are on tenterhooks, waiting to open their presents. The party is a family tradition, the guests including friends and family, many of noble birth. The family of a tradesman who works for the father have also been invited, including his son, a bad boy and trouble-maker. Their entry attracts the attention of the other guests, and especially that of François, who recognises a kindred spirit in the son. The very last to arrive, however, is the children’s uncle, Mr. Drosselmeyer, a strikingly handsome man and Chairman of the financial group for which the father works and which owns their apartment. Drosselmeyer, who gives the impression of a powerful emperor, is accompanied by a timid young man, his nephew, and four bodyguards.
Drosselmeyer, the real deus ex machina of the story, offers Marie a huge nutcracker that somehow resembles the shy young man. Marie is overjoyed and hugs the nutcracker, but then the bad boy and François snatch it from her, breaking it in the process. Luckily, Drosselmeyer repairs it. By now the party is drawing to a close. After saying goodbye to their guests, Marie and François are sent to bed, where they pretend to be asleep, but instead start a pillow fight as soon as their parents leave them. The light gradually dims and the atmosphere becomes magical… Marie finds herself in a dream world, in a snow-clad forest. She is approached by dancers all dressed in white, who introduce her to a handsome prince. His features vaguely remind her of the nutcracker her uncle has given her.
Act II
The young couple climb to the last storey of the palace to admire the stars. There, Marie is dismayed to find many Spanish maids, feverishly working away. Upset, she asks the prince to accompany her back downstairs. As they descend the stairs, the dream turns into a nightmare: the two are chased by mice and in the ensuing battle Marie recognises some of her brother François’ bully mates, led by the bad boy from the party. The nutcracker prince protects Marie and calls for help from the toy soldiers that Uncle Drosselmeyer had given his nephew. There follows a fierce battle. The bad boys are quickly defeated by the nutcracker prince’s forces. Peace reigns again and Marie’s uncle invites her and the prince to visit his kingdom. They reach the entrance to the palace, now a magnificent, glittering reception room. A sumptuous party starts, which soon turns into an entertaining voyage to distant lands. Uncle Drosselmeyer invites Marie and the prince to sit on grand thrones. Various people approach, performing Spanish, Arabian, Chinese, Russian and courtly dances. To everyone’s amazement, when these dances end, five butlers approach with trolleys bearing silver bells. These cover some delicious original pastry creations chosen by Uncle Drosselmeyer.
A final waltz amid the rarest and most exotic flowers possible marks the end of the party. Marie wishes to dance with her prince before the music stops. The dream ends with the closing notes of the dance and Marie wakes up, back in her room. She runs downstairs looking for her nutcracker. Despite everyone’s efforts, it cannot be found. Suddenly someone knocks at the door: Uncle Drosselmeyer and his nephew have come to return the nutcracker to Marie. As she gazes at it, she realises that she is no longer a child. She throws herself into the young man’s arms, recognizing him as her prince – her companion during that long dream – and sweetly kisses him.
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