Antonietta Dell'Era facts for kids
Antonietta Dell'Era (born February 10, 1860, in Milan, Italy – died June 22, 1945, in Berlin, Germany) was a famous Italian prima ballerina. She is best known for being the very first dancer to play the Sugar Plum Fairy in Tchaikovsky's famous ballet, The Nutcracker, which premiered in 1892.
Quick facts for kids
Antonietta Dell'Era
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| Born | 10 February 1860 |
| Died | 22 June 1945 |
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Antonietta Dell'Era's Dance Career
From 1879 to 1909, Antonietta Dell'Era had a very successful career dancing at the Berlin Opera. Many important critics and writers, including the famous author Theodor Fontane, praised her performances.
Between 1886 and 1894, she also danced a lot in Russia, especially in St. Petersburg. She was part of what was called the "Italian Invasion." This was when many talented Italian dancers, like Pierina Legnani, Enrico Cecchetti, and Virginia Zucchi, came to Russia and became very popular.
Dancing in The Nutcracker
The first show of The Nutcracker in St. Petersburg was completely sold out! Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, a famous Russian composer, wrote the music for the ballet. He was asked to do this by the brilliant choreographer Marius Petipa.
The Nutcracker ballet first opened at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, on December 17, 1892. It was a special night because it premiered alongside Tchaikovsky's last opera, Iolanta. Antonietta Dell'Era received five curtain calls, meaning the audience called her back to the stage five times to applaud her! However, some critics didn't like the ballet itself very much at first. Dell'Era had received better reviews for her role as Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty.
One Russian ballet dancer, Nicolai Solyannikov, didn't think Dell'Era's dancing in The Nutcracker was very good. He said she was "coarse" and "ungraceful." But tastes in dance can be different for everyone!
Dell'Era's Legacy
Before she passed away in 1945, Antonietta Dell'Era shared a wish. She wanted her money and belongings to help dancers who were in need. After her death, a foundation called the Dell'Era-Gedächtnis-Stiftung was created. This foundation helps dancers and their families with money for things like living costs, medical bills, and training or retraining for new careers.
Images for kids
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Ballerina Antonietta Dell'Era in Berlin, 1880
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The first performance of The Nutcracker in 1892
See also
In Spanish: Antonietta Dell'Era para niños
