ElfBot
10-03-2007, 01:00 PM
Y'know, there's nothing in New York City that really smells of both holiday fantasy and happy endings like George Balanchine's The Nutcracker, as performed by the members of the New York City Ballet.
The film version, narrated by Kevin Kline, and one of the last movies to feature the young Macaulay Culkin, is a landmark of dance, sets, costumes, and the spectacular staging in the theater of the State University of New York at Purchase.
What inspired me to focus today on The Nutcracker is this: Santa Rielly, as he writes in his blog, has always been moved to tears by the end-credits suite from The Empire Strikes Back; I think it must that portion which suggests romance between Han Solo and Princess Leia. I wrote a few lyrics to the tune, never published, mind you, but I think they drive the point home. The theme begins: My love, My only love,/I'll always be waiting for you/My heart, my lonely heart/Will always be inside of you/Forevermore.....
This, for me, is crucial to the romance in The Nutcracker between Marie and the Nutcracker Prince, the grandson of Herr Drosselmeier. The way I often like to tell the story, the Mouse King doesn't have seven heads (too grotesque), rather, he only has just one; and that, at the end, Marie and her Nutcracker Prince return to "the Kingdom of Toyland," where they're ultimately crowned King and Queen --- and continue to reign happily today.
Tell you what: Let's all share our memories of The Nutcracker!
Santa Richard
More from Clausnet.com... (http://www.clausnet.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1295)
The film version, narrated by Kevin Kline, and one of the last movies to feature the young Macaulay Culkin, is a landmark of dance, sets, costumes, and the spectacular staging in the theater of the State University of New York at Purchase.
What inspired me to focus today on The Nutcracker is this: Santa Rielly, as he writes in his blog, has always been moved to tears by the end-credits suite from The Empire Strikes Back; I think it must that portion which suggests romance between Han Solo and Princess Leia. I wrote a few lyrics to the tune, never published, mind you, but I think they drive the point home. The theme begins: My love, My only love,/I'll always be waiting for you/My heart, my lonely heart/Will always be inside of you/Forevermore.....
This, for me, is crucial to the romance in The Nutcracker between Marie and the Nutcracker Prince, the grandson of Herr Drosselmeier. The way I often like to tell the story, the Mouse King doesn't have seven heads (too grotesque), rather, he only has just one; and that, at the end, Marie and her Nutcracker Prince return to "the Kingdom of Toyland," where they're ultimately crowned King and Queen --- and continue to reign happily today.
Tell you what: Let's all share our memories of The Nutcracker!
Santa Richard
More from Clausnet.com... (http://www.clausnet.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1295)