It’s a holiday tradition. The Nutcracker’s swirling snowflakes and dancing mice have been gracing the stage for 130 years! This season, Library customers will be offered a sneak peek of the performance during An Afternoon with the Nutcracker at the Eola Road Branch. Saturday, Dec. 3, dancers from the Fox Valley Park District’s production will lead a reading of the classic tale, interact with the audience, and perform selections from The Nutcracker.
The Nutcracker, as we know it, is a two-act ballet with a focus on a young girl named Clara and the mysteriously, magical, nutcracker toy she receives Christmas Eve. But before it was a sugar-plum coated holiday classic, it had a much richer and darker history. The original story hails from Germany when author and composer E.T.A. Hoffman published the story under the title The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. Though similar to the current tale, this original version included a Mouse King with seven heads, a curse on all nutcrackers, and the slaying of a Mouse Queen to break said curse.
Years later the story was adapted by author Alexandre Dumas (The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte-Cristo) to become more suitable for younger audiences. Rumor has it, Dumas was coerced by a group of children at a holiday party to tell them a story and the result was this lighter and dreamier version of The Nutcracker. Almost 70 years after the original was written, Dumas’s version of The Nutcracker went to Russia where the iconic choreography and score were added to create the ballet. It premiered in Saint Petersburg Sunday, Dec. 18, 1892 to surprisingly mixed reviews, but now there’s no denying that the story has grown into a beloved Christmas tradition.
For more than a decade, the Fox Valley Park District’s Steppin’ Out Dance studio has been performing The Nutcracker for eager audiences. These young dancers endure extra practice for months leading up to the annual December performance. Last year was the first time the Library offered a preview of the show for our customers. Audience members from the Eola Road Branch were thrilled with the 2021 event and Branch manager Krista Danis is excited to offer this performance again. “The Park District and APLD have been partners on this (event) and similar events in the past, and always have a great turnout. The Library is a community stage on which we feature Aurora’s endless talents. Visitors to this performance can expect a familiar welcome to the holiday season with music, costumes, and dance from everyone’s favorite holiday classic.” Attendees will have the opportunity to meet members of the cast and enter to win tickets to the full performance! This Afternoon with the Nutcracker event will be an engaging and interactive program for all ages, with a simple craft and reading of the holiday classic. No registration is required.
An Afternoon with The Nutcracker will be held in the Children’s Department at the Eola Road Branch Saturday, Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. We hope you’ll join us for a fun-filled afternoon of music, dance, and a chance to win tickets to the full performance Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Prisco Community Center in Aurora. Check our library catalog for Nutcracker books, movies, and music to get you in the holiday spirit! www.aurorapubliclibrary.org.
Andrea Tiberi is the communications coordinator for the Aurora Public Library District.