Waltz of the Flowers facts for kids
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The "Waltz of the Flowers" is a famous piece of music from the second act of The Nutcracker. This is a well-known ballet composed by Tchaikovsky. He wrote it in 1892. Tchaikovsky himself once said he was having "awfully fun" writing music for The Nutcracker, including this special waltz.
This beautiful waltz is also the last song in his Nutcracker Suite. The "Waltz of the Flowers" is very popular around the world. People have arranged it for many different musical instruments and groups of instruments. For example, Percy Grainger made a version for just one piano called Paraphrase on Tchaikovsky’s Flower Waltz. The Walt Disney Studios even used the waltz in their animated movie Fantasia.
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About The Nutcracker Ballet
The Nutcracker is a classical ballet that tells a magical Christmas story. It is one of the most popular ballets ever performed, especially during the holiday season. The story is about a young girl named Clara who receives a special nutcracker doll as a Christmas gift. In her dreams, the nutcracker comes to life and takes her on an amazing adventure to a magical land.
The Story of The Nutcracker
The ballet starts on Christmas Eve at a party. Clara's mysterious godfather, Drosselmeyer, gives her a nutcracker. Later that night, Clara sneaks downstairs to find her nutcracker. Suddenly, the Christmas tree grows huge, and toy soldiers come to life to fight against an army of mice. The Nutcracker leads the soldiers, and Clara helps him win the battle against the Mouse King.
After the battle, the Nutcracker turns into a handsome prince. He takes Clara on a journey through a snowy forest to the Land of Sweets. This is where the "Waltz of the Flowers" is performed.
The Land of Sweets
In the Land of Sweets, Clara and the Prince meet the Sugar Plum Fairy. She is the ruler of this magical place. To celebrate their arrival, different characters from around the world perform dances. These dances include the Spanish Dance, Arabian Dance, Chinese Dance, and Russian Dance. The "Waltz of the Flowers" is one of the most beautiful dances in this act. It features dancers dressed as flowers, gracefully moving together.
Who Was Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky?
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) was a famous Russian composer. He is known for his beautiful and emotional music. Tchaikovsky wrote many different types of music, including symphonies, operas, and concertos. However, he is perhaps most famous for his ballets.
Tchaikovsky's Famous Ballets
Besides The Nutcracker, Tchaikovsky composed two other very popular ballets:
- Swan Lake: This ballet tells the story of a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer.
- Sleeping Beauty: This ballet is based on the classic fairy tale of Princess Aurora, who falls into a deep sleep.
Tchaikovsky's music for these ballets is loved for its beautiful melodies and dramatic storytelling. His works are still performed by ballet companies all over the world today.
Images for kids
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(Left to right) Lydia Rubtsova as Marianna, Stanislava Belinskaya as Clara and Vassily Stukolkin as Fritz, in the original production of The Nutcracker (Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, Saint Petersburg, 1892)
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Ivan Vsevolozhsky's original costume designs for Mother Gigogne and her Polichinelle children, 1892
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Ivan Vsevolozhsky's original costume sketch for The Nutcracker (1892)
See also
In Spanish: El cascanueces para niños
