Nutcracker

Description

Product Description Maestro Classics presents The Nutcracker. It's Christmas eve and Clara and Fritz's parents are throwing their annual holiday party. The mysterious guest, the toymaker Herr Drosselmeyer, arrives with life-size dancing dolls to entertain the family and their guests, but he saves his most special gift for his god-daughter Clara, a nutcracker doll. That night, the tree begins to grow, the toy soldiers and the Mouse King have a battle, and Clara's nutcracker turns into a handsome prince. This child-friendly adaptation of the complete ballet score includes narration by Jim Weiss, America's premiere storyteller.Winner of a Parents' Choice Gold Award! Review An outstanding kid - and adult-friendly introduction to that enduring, festive holiday staple, Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker ballet, presented by the London Philharmonic, conductor Stephen Simon, and veteran storyteller Jim Weiss (Greathall Productions). The orchestra is top-of-the-line, Simon's adaptation of the music feels seamless, and Weiss' narrative adaptation of the E.T.A. Hoffmann tale about Clara and the Nutcracker Prince, spaced with care within each section, includes vivid descriptions of how the ballet appears on stage. The illustrated CD booklet features an index of scenes, brief, well-written pieces about composer Tchaikovsky; the history of ballet, and of the harp; and a word scramble and crossword puzzle. A wealth of related educational material is available at the Maestro Classics website. --Parents' Choice Children's Media & Toy ReviewsExquisite arrangement with dancer-perfect tempi! --Gretchen Ward Warren, author of international bestseller "Classical Ballet Technique"This Maestro Classics production of Tchaikovsky's music, adapted by Stephen Simon, is performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and narrated by Jim Weiss. It is recommended for anyone ages five and up, and I entirely agree with that range. Even the quite young can enjoy the music and story presented in these productions. The entire CD runs almost exactly one hour and can easily be heard in a single setting, however, it is also a simple matter to pause between tracks if an hour is too long in one place for your family." --unexpectedhomeschool.net