Learn About the Nutcracker
THE HISTORY
The Nutcracker is a magical adventure ballet in two acts by the Russian composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and was first performed in 1892. It was based on a story originally written in 1816 by the German author E. T. A. Hoffmann and later adapted by the French writer Alexandre Dumas. It is one of the world’s most popular ballets, is performed thousands of times a year all over the globe, and is a big part of The Scarlet Stockings: The Enchanted Riddle.
There are many variations of the story and the choreography. A few versions make it seem as if everything that happens after the opening party is real, while in others it is all the heroine Clara’s dream. The character of Clara is always played by a young girl, who must be a brilliant dancer, as Daphne dreams of being in The Enchanted Riddle.
The Nutcracker’s first choreographer was Marius Petipa, who added the Sugarplum Fairy and her Kingdom of Sweets to the story. Other well-known choreographers who have created Nutcracker productions include Frederick Ashton and Mark Morris, though George Balanchine’s version for the New York City Ballet, first staged in 1954, is probably the best known today. Great dancers who have performed in this ballet include Anna Pavlova, Rudolph Nureyev, Margot Fonteyn, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Suzanne Farrell.
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THE STORY
Act One
The curtain opens to reveal the Stahlbaums' house, decorated with Christmas ornaments, wreaths, stockings, mistletoe, In the center of it all is a majestic Christmas tree. A Christmas Eve party is underway, and Clara, her little brother Fritz, and their mother and father are celebrating with friends and family.
The mysterious godfather, Drosselmeyer, enters. He quickly produces a large bag of gifts for all the children. The girls receive beautiful china dolls, and the boys receive bugles. Drosselmeyer then conjures up a toy Nutcracker, in the traditional shape of a soldier in a bright red uniform. Clara is overjoyed, but her brother Fritz is jealous, and breaks the Nutcracker. Drosselmeyer chases him off and mends the toy.
The party ends and the family goes to bed, but Clara is worried about her Nutcracker, and comes out to the Christmas tree to see it. She falls asleep under the tree with the Nutcracker in her arms.
When the clock strikes midnight, Clara hears the sound of mice. She wakes up and tries to run away, but the mice stop her. Or perhaps Clara is still in a dream: the Christmas tree suddenly begins to grow to enormous size, filling the room. The Nutcracker comes to life, he and his band of soldiers rise to defend Clara, and the Mouse King leads his mice into battle.
A conflict ensues, and when Clara helps the Nutcracker by throwing her slipper at the Mouse King, she hits him square in the head! The Nutcracker is able to overcome the stunned Mouse King and claims victory. The mice quickly carry away their King.
The Nutcracker is then transformed into a prince. Clara and the Prince travel to a world where dancing Snow Flakes greet them and fairies and queens dance, welcoming Clara and the Prince into their world.
Act Two
Clara and the Prince arrive at the Kingdom of Sweets. The Sugar Plum Fairy and the people of the kingdom dance for Clara and the Prince in the dances of Dew Drop Fairy, the Spanish dancers (also called Chocolate), the Chinese dancers (sometimes known as Tea), the Arabian dancers (also known as Coffee), the Russian dancers (sometimes called Candy Canes), Mother Ginger and her gingerbread children (known as Polichinelles), the Reed Flutes (Mirlitons), the Waltz of the Flowers, and the Sugar Plum Fairy’s dance with her handsome Cavalier.
After the festivities, the Sugar Plum Fairy and all her people say farewell, and Clara rides off with the Nutcracker/Prince on a flying sleigh, complete with reindeer. The curtain falls.