Antonietta Dell'Era

Antonietta Dell'Era (16 February 1861 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 (1892). The St. Petersberg premiere sold out. She received five curtain calls and good reviews. Modest Tchaikovsky described her as "pudgy and unattractive". From 1879 until 1909, Dell'Era had a successful career at the Berlin Opera, being adored by many critics and writers, among them Theodor Fontane. Between 1886 and 1894, she also performed in Russia, mainly in St. Petersberg, along with the "Italian Invasion" - an influx of talented Italian dancers to Russia that included Pierina Legnani, Enrico Cecchetti, and Virginia Zucchi.