Antonietta Dell'Era

Antonietta Dell'Era (10 February 1860 Milan 22 June 1945 Berlin) was an Italian prima ballerina best known for originating the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy in Tchaikovsky's ballet, The Nutcracker.

Dance career

Between 1879 and 1909, Dell'Era had a successful career at the Berlin Opera, receiving praise from many critics and writers including author and poet Theodor Fontane. Between 1886 and 1894, she danced in Russia, mainly in St. Petersburg, as an export of the "Italian Invasion" - an influx of talented Italian dancers to Russia that included Pierina Legnani, Enrico Cecchetti, and Virginia Zucchi.

The Nutcracker In 1892, Dell'Era created the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, a new ballet conceived by mastermind choreographer Marius Petipa The influence of politics and current affairs on the evolution of ballet is well-documented, and during Dell'Era‘s time as a leading ballerina in Russia, dancers were influenced by the rise of expressionism and increasing opposition to the rigidity of classic ballet;