Handel's Messiah and Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker. The Nutcracker actually expands the dance art form to include much more of what we would expect in theatrethan is usual in this medium. This makes the experience all the richer and provides additional clues to the story being told.
Using the outline given below, write a critical analysis of part of Act One from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker: The Nutcracker Ballet [Video file][4 min 52 sec] (minimum one-full page).
Include the following expanded outline points:
- Genre
- Overall theme
- Story line, movement (including the basic dance steps you recognize, mime and pantomime)
- Characters
- Costuming
- Mise-en-scene (set)
- Score (musical background)
- Use of color
- Lighting techniques
Do some research to obtain information about the story, as we are only viewing the first part of the production.
Be sure to include a convincing, inclusive conclusion at the end of your critical analysis and a bibliography of at least two sources that you used to prepare your analysis, one of which may be the class text. Do not use and cite Wikipedia. Instead, visit the Excelsior College Library to learn about academic sources. The page on Evaluating Information Evaluating Information includes helpful sections on "Print vs. Web Resources," Evaluation Criteria," Evaluation Scenarios," and "Media Literacy."
Length : 500 words.
Follow the APA style, using the Excelsior College Library resources on learning to use APA Style.