Student Matinee Performance Guide

Transcription

1 Student Matinee Performance Guide December 4, 2015 Coronado Performing Arts Center

2 Welcome Congratulations! You have chosen to give your students a great gift. In this day and age it is a rare treat for young people to see a live ballet accompanied by a live symphony orchestra much less by professionals in their own region! The Rockford Dance Company and Rockford Symphony Orchestra are pleased to partner together again this year to bring this production to our region and share it with the students of our area through this matinee performance. The matinee will feature the second act of the Nutcracker performance, followed by a short talk and demonstration showing the audience what goes into putting the production together from the dancers, to the musicians, to the technical stage aspects. We look forward to seeing you at the Coronado in December! About Rockford Dance Company The Rockford Dance Company provides excellence in the art of dance through performance, education, and outreach. The performance component of Rockford Dance Company includes a pre-professional company. The company, under the direction of Artistic Director Wayland Anderson, offers four main stage performances each year and tours locally. Rockford Dance Company is the resident company of the Coronado Performing Arts Center. Rockford Dance Company also operates a school dedicated to training individuals, ages 3 and older, in all areas of dance. Additionally, Rockford Dance Company is devoted to sharing the many benefits of dance with the Rockford community. As part of its outreach program, Rockford Dance Company develops diverse dance programming in partnership with many area organizations, including Stepping Stones of Rockford, Rockford Park District, Rockford Area Arts Council, and Rockford Public Schools. About Rockford Symphony Orchestra The Rockford Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1934 by Arthur Zack. Now in its 81st season, the Rockford Symphony Orchestra is more committed than ever to fulfilling its mission: to lead in the creation of vibrant music experiences that enlighten, educate, and entertain. The Rockford Symphony Orchestra is comprised of more than 65 professional musicians from the greater Rockford and Chicago area. Music Director and Conductor Steven Larsen has led the Symphony since Under his direction the RSO has grown artistically, expanding the orchestra s repertoire, and attracting musicians of the highest caliber. Youth education and community outreach programs have also been expanded during his tenure, increasing the RSO s presence in the lives of Rockford area residents. Support for The Nutcracker generously provided by: 2

3 How To Use This Guide This guide is intended to give you, the teacher, background information to help prepare your students to see The Nutcracker at the Coronado on December 4, Depending on the age level of the students you will be bringing, you may choose to use this guide in a variety of ways: Read sections of the story, background, and history out loud to your students Duplicate portions of the guide for students to read on their own Read the guide yourself and summarize portions of the guide for your students To help assist you in sharing this information with your students, support materials for this guide, including additional images and video footage, can be found online at: Below are some critical thinking and reading comprehension questions you can use to engage your students further with the materials. Additionally, there are suggested after-performance activities listed on the last page of this guide. Critical Thinking/Comprehension Questions and Activities 1) When and where was The Nutcracker Ballet first performed? 2) What country did the composer Tchaikovsky come from? Can you find it on a map? 3) Where did the dance form ballet develop? What country was it started in? Can you find it on a map? 4) Why is the primary vocabulary for ballet in the French language? 5) When did ballerinas first start dancing en pointe, or on their toes? 6) Name five things that are essential to a ballet production. 7) What are the four instrument families of the orchestra? 8) Find all the dates listed in this guide and put them together on a timeline. 9) Find all the locations listed in this guide and plot them out on a map. 3

4 The Nutcracker Story The Nutcracker Ballet was premiered for the first time on Sunday, December 18, 1892 in St. Petersburg, Russia. The Ballet is based on the story "The Nutcracker and the King of Mice" written by E.T.A. Hoffman. Although what is seen on the stage today is different in detail from the original story, the basic plot remains the same. Wayland Anderson, Artistic Director of the Rockford Dance Company, has customized this version of the Nutcracker to relate to Rockford, IL. The Party Clara Stahlbaum lives in a large house with her parents, her mean older sister, and her older brother, Fritz, in Rockford, IL during the early 1900s. Every Christmas Eve her family hosts a huge holiday party for the families in town and their children. Clara s Uncle Drosselmeyer, a latecomer to the party, is an eccentric character with many skills. An inventor and magician, Drosselmeyer spends many hours inventing toys of mechanical marvels and illusions and delights in sharing them with the children of the town. He especially enjoys bringing unique gifts for Clara, and her brother and sister. Drosselmeyer s special gift for Clara is a Nutcracker! Clara is thrilled and in awe of her Nutcracker and loves it very much. After Drosselmeyer presents the remainder of the gifts, Clara and her friends dance with their toys before the party draws to an end. As the evening grows late, the guests depart and the Stahlbaum family retires for the evening. Clara, worried about her beloved Nutcracker, sneaks back to the tree to check on him, and falls asleep with him in her arms. The Battle of the Soldiers and Mice As the clock strikes midnight strange things start to happen. She is alarmed by large mice and rats who begin to threaten her. After much commotion, a huge, terrifying Rat Queen enters the room and taunts poor Clara. Drosselmeyer appears and orders legions of soldiers to prepare for a battle against the mice and rats. He uses his magical powers to make the Christmas tree start to grow larger than life. Drosselmeyer then transforms the Nutcracker into a life-size soldier, whom he orders to command the other soldiers against the mice and rats. This angers the Rat Queen and she challenges the Nutcracker to a duel. In the midst of the chaotic battle, Clara and her Uncle Drosselmeyer help the Nutcracker defeat the Rat Queen. {Beginning of Act 2} The Ice and Ice Queen After defeating the Rat Queen, Clara, the Nutcracker and Drosselmeyer travel to a magical Land of Ice. To celebrate their victory over the Rat Queen, Drosselmeyer turns the Nutcracker into a handsome Prince. Clara is ecstatic that her Nutcracker is now a real prince. She goes to him to dance, but is threatened by the Ice Queen. To protect Clara, the Prince dances with the Ice Queen to keep her from harming Clara. The Ice Queen creates a snow storm filled with icicles to make Clara leave her land. Clara tries to find her Prince, but gets lost in the ice storm. Moments 4

5 before the Ice Queen casts a freezing spell over Clara, the Prince and Drosselmeyer appear. Together they cast a spell that melts the ice and casts the Ice Queen away. The Land of Sweets The Price escorts Clara to the Land of Sweets where they are greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy. The Prince tells her about their daring battle with the army of mice and she rewards them with a celebration of dances. The Waltz of the Flowers The Lingonberry Dance The Spanish Dance The Peacock Dance The Chinese Dance The Mirliton Dance The Russian Dance After many thrilling dances, the Sugar Plum Fairy dances with the Cavalier to celebrate Clara. Everyone then joins in a final dance until Clara begins to get very, very sleepy. Back In the Living Room Clara begins to awake from a deep sleep and finds herself by her Christmas tree with her beloved Nutcracker. The Composer::Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Born: May 7, 1840 in Kamsko-Votkinsk, Russia Died: November 6, 1893, in St. Petersburg, Russia Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was a Russian composer who wrote all kinds of music including symphonies, concertos, operas, ballets, chamber music, and choral music. Some of these are among the most popular theatrical music in the classical repertoire. He was the first Russian composer whose music was well-known outside of Russia. In addition to writing music, Tchaikovsky also conducted orchestras and taught at the Moscow Conservatory. Tchaikovsky was born into a well-to-do family on May 7, He was very smart as a child and could read both French and German in addition to his native Russian by the time he was six years old. In 1850, when he was about 10 years old, his family moved to the city of St. Petersburg, Russia. When he was 21, Tchaikovsky began to seriously study music at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. Before he had trained to be a clerk (much like a modern-day office secretary), and worked as a Clerk First-Class at the Russian Ministry of Justice from In 1863 he resigned his post at the ministry to devote his life to music. Tchaikovsky died on November 6, 1893, in St. Petersburg, Russia. He was only 53 years old. He was buried in the Tikhvin Cemetery near the graves of fellow composers Alexander Borodin, Mikhail Glinka, and Modest Mussorgsky. 5

6 A History of Ballet Ballet, as we know it today, began during the Renaissance around the year 1500 in Italy. In fact, the terms "ballet" and "ball," as in masked ball, come from the Italian ballare, to dance. When Catherine de Medici of Italy married the French King Henry II, she introduced early dance styles into court life in France. At first, the dancers wore masks, layers upon layers of brocaded costuming, pantaloons, large headdresses, and ornaments. Such restrictive clothing was sumptuous to look at but difficult to move in. Dance steps were composed of small hops, slides, curtsies, promenades, and gentle turns. Dancing shoes had small heels and resembled formal dress shoes rather than any contemporary ballet shoe we might recognize today. The Royal Ballet of the Dowager of Bilbao's Grand Ball - by Daniel Rabel, 1626 The official terminology and vocabulary of ballet was gradually codified in French over the next 100 years, and during the reign of Louis XIV, the king himself performed many of the popular dances of the time. Professional dancers were hired to perform at court functions after King Louis and fellow noblemen had stopped dancing. The court dances grew in size, opulence, and grandeur to the point where performances were presented on elevated platforms so a greater audience could watch the increasingly pyrotechnic and elaborate spectacles. From Italian roots, ballets in France and Russia developed their own stylistic character. By 1850 Russia had become a leading creative center of the dance world, and as ballet continued to evolve, certain new looks and theatrical illusions caught on and became quite fashionable. Dancing en pointe (on toe) became popular during the early part of the 19th century, with women often performing in white, bell-like skirts that ended at the calf. Pointe dancing was reserved for women only, and this exclusive taste for female dancers and characters inspired a certain type of recognizable Romantic heroine - a sylph-like fairy whose pristine goodness and purity inevitably triumphs over evil or injustice. A publicity photo for the premiere of Tchaikovsky's ballet The Sleeping Beauty (1890). In the early 20th century, the Russian theatre producer Serge Diaghilev brought together some of that country's most talented dancers, choreographers, composers, singers, and designers to form a group called the Ballet Russes. The Ballet Russes toured Europe and America, presenting a wide variety of 6

7 ballets. Here in America, ballet grew in popularity during the 1930s when several of Diaghilev's dancers left his company to work and settle in the U.S. Of these, George Balanchine* is one of the best known artists who firmly established ballet in America by founding the New York City Ballet. Another key figure was Adolph Bolm, the first Director of the San Francisco Ballet School. -From The Atlanta Ballet *View George Balanchine s version of the Nutcracker in the online supplemental materials. The Pointe Shoe Although dancing en pointe has come to epitomize the art of the ballerina, the technique was not developed until the beginning of the 19th century. No one knows when women first danced on the tips of their toes, but it is believed to have begun in the early 1800s. Today's pointe shoe is made of shiny satin and is shaped liked a tightly fitting slipper. The area covering the toes is made of layers of fabric glued together in the shape of a 'box'. It is this hardened glue that makes the shoe stiff. It supports the toes and gives them a small platform on which to perch. These blocks come in varying degrees of hardness, widths, and vamp lengths. The sole of the shoe is hard leather which prevents it from bending too freely, and also helps to support the feet as they rise on and off the top of the pointe. To keep the shoe on securely, the dancers sew satin ribbons to the sides and tie them tightly around the ankles. When dancing, a dancer's body heat tends to soften the glue that forms the box of the shoe and eventually the shoe will fail to support the dancer's foot. This is the reason why some dancers use more than one pair of shoes in the course of a performance. -From The Australian Ballet 7

8 The Tutu The tutu has taken on many different shapes, weights, fabrics, and characters. But despite its countless guises, its full-circle silhouette is a universally recognized icon in the ballet world. On stage, the tutu fully exposes a ballerina s technique while enhancing her aesthetic flair. These breathtaking constructions require imaginative design and intricate craftsmanship, as well as careful consideration for the dancer who will perform in them. The tutu familiar to ballet audiences today is a technically extraordinary creation, with secret seams and a hidden supporting hoop adding to its mystery. Piecing together the short, stiff skirt which extends outwards from the boned bodice uses about ten meters of tulle per tutu. A basic tutu, excluding beading, appliqué, and layers of extra fabric takes about one week to construct, but some can take as many as three weeks and can cost upwards of $2,500. -From The Australian Ballet Elements of a Production A successful ballet production involves a theatre, a stage, an orchestra, a production team, costumes, sets, rehearsals, and more! Let s look at a few of these elements of a production in depth. The Theatre On December 4, you will see Act 2 of The Nutcracker ballet at the Coronado Performing Arts Center in Rockford, IL. Here are some quick facts about the Coronado Theatre: The Coronado opened its doors in 1927, 25 years after the premier of The Nutcracker ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia. In 2001, the Coronado underwent an $18.5 million restoration to bring it back to life as a beautiful, historic theatre. The Coronado can seat 2,209 people for a single show. 8

9 The Orchestra Elements of a Production A symphony orchestra is made up of four families of musical instruments. Like all families, the orchestra works best when everyone cooperates and respects each other. Each instrument has its own special sound and contributes its individual voice to the whole orchestra. The String Family The string family includes the violin, viola, cello, and string bass. String instruments use vibrating strings to make their sound. The strings are stretched across the hollow body of the instrument and plucked or played with a bow. The pitch is changed by shortening or lengthening the string, or by adjusting its thickness, tension, or density. The Woodwind Family The woodwind family includes the flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon. Woodwind instruments are made of long hollow tubes of wood or metal. The sound is made by blowing air through a very thin piece of shaved wood called a reed or across a mouthpiece. Finger holes along the instrument are opened and closed to change the pitch. The Brass Family The brass family includes the trumpet, trombone, French horn, and tuba. This family of wind instruments are made of metal with a cup-shaped mouthpiece. The player creates a vibrating column of air inside the tube of the instrument by pressing his or her lips together in the mouthpiece and forcing air out between them, as if they are making a raspberry sound. The Percussion Family The percussion family includes drums, bells, cymbals, or any instrument that is struck by a hand, mallet, or stick to make the sound. Because of this definition, the piano is actually included in the percussion family. Some percussion instruments produce a variety of sounds that can be tuned such as marimba, timpani, and xylophone. Others make only one sound that is controlled by the size and shape of the instrument. Percussion instruments are made out of a wide range of materials including wood, metal, and animal skins. The Conductor The conductor holds the family of instruments together! He or she communicates his or her interpretation of the music to the performers by motions of a baton or the hands. 9

10 Parts of a Stage Elements of a Production 1) Stage Right The side of the stage that is to the performers right as they face the audience. 2) Stage Left The side of the stage that is to the performers left as they face the audience. 3) Up-Stage The back of the stage area as seen from the audience s point of view. 4) Downstage The front of the stage area as seen from the audience s point of view. 5) Proscenium Arch The frame of the stage which is usually highly decorative. 6) Border The overhead curtain; it masks the overhead lights. 7) Legs The side curtains; they mask the lighting and hide the performers waiting to go onstage. 8) Cyclorama Or cyc - a large curtain or wall made from stretched fabric, frequently concave, that is located at the back of the stage. 9) Orchestra Pit The area under the stage where the orchestra conductor and musicians are stationed during the performance. 10

11 Elements of a Production Production Crew Artistic Director The artistic director of a ballet company envisions the ballet, plans the company s repertory, hires the dancers, and plans rehearsals and production dates. He/she can be a choreographer (the creator of the dances), or he/she can hire the choreographer to create the dances he/she wants for that production. He/she is responsible for the dancers continued training and development as artists. It is his/her artistic vision that guides the organization in making its decisions. The artistic director of the Rockford Dance Company is Mr. Wayland Anderson. Conductor Conductors are also musicians themselves, but they do not need to know how to play all the instruments. The conductor spends many hours studying the score, or sheet music, played by the musicians. It is his/her responsibility to know how all the instruments music fits together for the performance. The conductor plans rehearsals to practice the music and works with individual musicians who may need special instructions. Using a special conducting stick called a baton, the conductor stands on a podium so that the musicians can easily see his/her hands. His/her entire body is used to express how the music should sound, how fast it should be played, and when the musicians should start and stop playing. The conductor of the Rockford Symphony Orchestra is Mr. Steven Larsen. Production Stage Manager A stage manager is in charge of pulling all the elements (sets, costumes, props, sound, dancers, orchestra members) into an organized production. They budget, schedule, and communicate to all departments. Once the production reaches the stage, this person is in charge and has the final word. He/she gives the commands during the show, and controls the lights, sets, and sound. He/she is in charge during an emergency. Rehearsal Assistant The rehearsal assistant learns all of the choreography in the show to assist the Artistic Director throughout the rehearsal process. The rehearsal assistant will also help with creating rehearsal schedules and keeping the rehearsals organized. Costume Designer/Coordinator The costume designer/coordinator has the full responsibility of providing the costumes for the production. Since The Nutcracker is a production that happens on an annual basis there are more adjustments of costumes than constructing new costumes. Each costume needs to be fitted to each dancer. Each year the Rockford Dance Company upgrades or redesigns a set of costumes. The coordinator organizes volunteers to help with the needed adjustments, transfer of costumes to the theater and the quick changes. After the production he/she collects, transfers, and cleans all the costumes and stores them for next year. Lighting Designer The lighting designer has the full responsibility of lighting the stage for the production. He/she works with the choreographer to establish the kind of light that is needed for each scene. He/she orders the lighting equipment, the gels that produce the color of the light, and the cable needed to run electricity to the lights. He/she organizes the lights and then sets cues for each scene. Lights should provide illumination to see the dancers from head to toe and provide ambiance in which the scene takes place. Rail Person Most of the scenery you will see flies into the stage area from above. The person who makes this happen is a rail person who operates the ropes that pulls the scenery in or out of the stage space. He/she takes their cue from the stage manager and follows instructions on how fast or slow the scenery should move. Quick Change Dresser When a dancer needs to change a costume quickly (between 30 seconds to 3 minutes) a dresser meets them backstage with the costume prepared for the quick change. This person needs to be calm and ready to react to any type of emergency. It is important he/she works with the dancer to make the change. 11

12 After Performance Suggested Activities Discuss the theater experience. Was it what they expected? How was the trip to the Coronado similar or different from a trip to the movie theater or watching something on TV? Describe the set design, costumes, lighting, and sound of the live orchestra. How did these elements lend themselves to telling the story? How did the lighting enhance the production? Have students be critics. They can write a review of the performance. How are the ballet movements similar or different from hip-hop, jazz, modern, or other forms of dance? Discuss the characters and how well they were portrayed during the performance. Discuss the differences between a play and a ballet. Communication is accomplished without words in ballet. How did the dancer convey emotions, ideas, and information between characters in the story? How did Tchaikovsky s music set the mood for each dance? Did the music help the student s understanding of the story and the characters? 4 5 Have students rewrite the story from one of the character s points of view. What does the character see, think, feel, and do in response to events in the story? Discuss how the dance would be without the music? And, how would the music sound different without the dance? After the performance, please take time to complete the survey sent to you to provide feedback on your Nutcracker Student Matinee experience. Thank you in advance for your time! Rockford Dance Company Riverfront Museum Park 711 N. Main Street Rockford, IL (815) Meghan Baylor Outreach Coordinator meghan@rockforddancecompany.com Rockford Symphony Orchestra Riverfront Museum Park 711 N. Main Street Rockford, IL (815) Margo Stedman Education and Community Engagement Director mstedman@rockfordsymphony.com 12