Premiered in the us at the san francisco ballet in december 1944. It may now be the most popular ballet in the world. Although what is seen on the stage today is different in detail from the original story, the basic plot remains the same. Poster art for the nutcracker 2015 by the new orleans ballet theatre depicts a ballerina. The nutcracker, released from an enchanted spell, turns into a handsome prince. As the clock chimes midnight, clara wakes with a start to find giant mice running around her. Just as the mouse king is about to overpower the nutcracker doll, clara distracts him, allowing the nutcracker to strike the winning blow.
Dumas story was an adaptation of the dark fairytale the nutcracker and the mouse king, written by e. It was first performed in at the marinsky theatre in st petersburg in 1892. Ballet etudes, founded in 1986, is a preprofessional youth ballet company located in phoenixs east valley for serious ballet students, ages. Tchaikovsky insisted the work was unsuitable as the framework for a ballet, but set to work on it. Nutcracker study guide, 2012 salt creek ballet page 6 the nutcracker the chance to run him through with his sword. A bevy of local nutcracker productions to delight fans of holiday. Choruses, with solo and group dances interpreting the story will be. He had been turned into a nutcracker by the evil mouse king, and only by the kings death could the nutcracker regain his human form. The first nutcracker with local performers was on january 12, 1930, by residents of. I mean, i love the story, obviously, but i havent read this rendition of it since i was a little girl. The last of his three ballets, it was first performed in december 1892. The nutcracker prince musters his toy infantry and the cavalry. The nutcracker tells a story about a girl who befriends a nutcracker that comes to life on christmas eve and wages a battle against the evil mouse king.
Nutcracker, suite from the ballet, details allmusic. Harvey hysell was a ballet dancer, choreographer, and instructor whose. Casting for ballet hysell s the nutcracker, featuring the jefferson performing arts society symphony orchestra. Now, no ones saying that nutcracker kids arent adorable, nor that they shouldnt be part of this ballet, which is, after all, centered on a child. The story of the nutcracker is loosely based on the e. In fact, even i learned a thing or two about the nutcracker, and i have seen the ballet countless times. As she falls back asleep on the couch, her thoughts are filled with exciting, happy memories of the christmas eve party and the dancing dolls. Shchelkunchik listen help info is an 1892 twoact ballet fairy ballet. The ballet etudes company is a nonprofit organization founded in july 1975. The nutcracker leaves and the bed finds its way into a snowcovered forest.
The mouse king has been defeated and disappears together with his troops. In russia, choreographer alexander gorsky staged a new version of the work in 1919 that addressed many of the criticisms. Further the choice of subject for the new ballet had been made for him. Sometimes what appears to be simple is more multilayered that it appears. On the two pages following the title page is a row of houses, one of which is the setting for the party. The original ballet was created by marius petipa and lev inavov with an original music score composed by pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky. The nutcracker leads the tin soldiers in the attack. Nutcracker story the nutcracker the nutcracker san jose. Act ii marie and nutcrackerprince are sailing in their. The nutcracker by the ballet etudes company westport, ct. The magical music evokes a nostalgic christmas atmosphere. Libretto by yuri grigorovich after the fairytale of the same name by ernst theodor amadeus hoffmann. Ivan vsevolozhsky and marius petipa adapted hoffmanns story for the ballet.
The nutcracker ballet actually started as a story written by german author e. Nutcracker performance listings are provided by state and city and by the company performing the nutcracker ballet. The nutcracker ballet is based on the story the nutcracker and the king of mice written by e. Now that the mouse king is dead, an ancient spell has been broken, and the nutcracker is transformed into a handsome prince. The synopsis nycb new york city ballet official site. The story of the nutcracker ballet scene descriptions. The plot of hoffmanns story and dumas adaptation was greatly simplified for the twoact ballet. For over 50 years, the ballet inspired by the hoffman tale has been delighting the hearts of children and grownups alike when the nutcracker is presented in montreal. The room is filled with the magical christmas spirit. Lentz, harvey hysell, and a host of others carried on the ballet tradition of the city to the present. The nutcracker, presented by ballet etudes of arizona. Lelia haller ballet classique will present their company, ballet louisiane. The story of a young german girl who dreams of a nutcracker prince and a fierce battle against a mouse king with. Over 100 dancers and musicians bring nutcracker to life with exquisite dancing, beautiful sets and tchaikovskys glorious score played live on a sparkling christmas eve in a frostdusted edwardian london, clara and her enchanted nutcracker doll discover a magical world, where she battles with the mouse king.
The performance was initially not considered a success. Tchaikovskys nutcracker, the story of a young girls journey to a magical land on christmas eve, is perhaps not only the composers most famous work but also one of the most famous ballets of all time. Ballet apetrei has performed the story of clara and her nutcracker. The nutcracker ballet premiers for the first time ever on december 18, 1892 at the imperial mariinsky theatre in st. While the ballet has russian ancestry, the elaborately carved nutcracker that gives the ballet its name was likely first crafted in germany, in the town of seiffen. Critics grumbled that the storyline distilled from. Drosselmeyer turns masha and the nutcracker into a beautiful prince and. The nutcracker ballet really helped my daughter understand and enjoy the nutcracker on stage. It was originally called the nutcracker and the king of mice. The nutcracker leads the toy soldiers into battle with the mice, and marie helps him by throwing her slipper at the fierce mouse king, who the nutcracker then slays. Although the original 1892 marius petipa production was not a success, pyotr ilyich tchaikovskys ballet the nutcracker began to slowly enjoy worldwide popularity after balanchine first staged his production of it in 1954.
The nutcracker ballet and suite tchaikovskys magical music. The nutcracker ballet provides the history of the nutcracker ballet, nutcracker music, nutcrakcer links, nutcracker movies and information on nutcracker ballet performances in your area. The nutcracker is often performed during the christmas season due to its content, and many families make it an annual tradition to attend a performance. The house grows dark, and clara steals back into the room to look at her precious nutcracker. Peter tchaikovsky, the famous russian composer, was commissioned by mastermind choreographer marius petipa to compose the ballet, score based on. Overcoming her fear, she throws her slipper at the mouse king at a decisive point in the battle, thus saving the nutcracker. Although what is seen on the stage today is different in. It tells the story of a little girl who goes to the land of sweets on christmas eve. The dark roots of the nutcracker and the man who wrote it this is the time of year when one mans work is widely if indirectly celebrated. This is a very simplified look at the story of the nutcracker ballet.
She falls asleep on the floor, clutching the nutcracker in her arms. I worked with celli for three or so years, then went to dance as a principal, at the allegro american ballet in chicago, that was run by two very fine. Boston ballet welcomes children and families to all of our performances, and attending the ballet is a wonderful experience to share with your children. The nutcracker music of tchaikovsky nutcracker ballet music. Its always come in second to my golden book edition of the story, but i reread it with my sister before we went to see the nashville ballet perform the nutcracker live which was ahmazing. Located along germanys eastern border with the czech republic, in the ore mountains, seiffens economy was originally centered around silver and tin mining. Hoffmann s 1816 fairy tale the nutcracker and the mouse king. All 90 dancers, 62 musicians, 40 stagehands, and more than 125 children in two alternating casts from the school of american ballet join forces to. The nutcracker ballet by vladimir vagin is a story told with clarity and illustrated with detail.
Ballet hyselljefferson performing arts society, metairie. The story of the nutcracker ballet by deborah hautzig. Take your nutcracker experience to the next level with an exclusive vip experience addon where you can meet the dancers in full costume, enjoy food and drinks, and take memorable photos vip experience is available for these select dates 7. Rachael gillespie, ashley dixon, matthew topliss, lucia solari, javier torres, kevin poeung, sebastian loe, matthew koon and sean bates. Hoffmanns tale contains a long flashback story within its main. Hoffmanns 1816 fairy tale the nutcracker and the mouse king. This is the case with the nutcracker and why we all still love it. It was to be a setting of alexandre dumas adaptation of e. Check out these amazing photos from the nutcracker taken by photographer emma kauldhar at woking new victoria theatre in 2015. My child was able to follow along easily and understood the story. The nutcracker, russian shchelkunchik, ballet by pyotr tchaikovsky. As the edwards family prepare for their christmas party, clara imagines the wonderful things that might happen. Once again drosselmeyer calls upon his magic and the nutcracker is transformed into a handsome boy. George balanchines the nutcracker new york city ballet.
Fernandez considered americas first premiere danseur, harvey hysell, ellen. Our mission is to enrich and educate the community by presenting professionalquality productions of ballet and other. Herr drosselmeier es1970 nutcracker herr drosselmeier is the 1st piece to be featured in steinbachs new nutcracker ballet series. If youre off to see graeme murphys moving reimagaination of the nutcracker, nows the time to get acquainted with the story, which follows a ballerina, clara, through the glamour and romance, tragedy and travels of her life. Hoffmann fantasy story the nutcracker and the mouse king, about a girl who befriends a nutcracker that comes to life on christmas eve and wages a battle against the evil mouse king. The nutcracker story royal opera house learning platform. The magical christmas ballet for all the family, nutcracker at the london coliseum. Marie and her nutcrackerprince, beckon, as if to a beautiful dream, to the twinkling star at the top of the christmas tree. The nutcracker returns and suddenly turns into a prince, who looks just like drosselmeyers nephew. Parts are a little wordy for a preschooler and theres a lot of explaining what is going on in the different illustrations with the mouse king, etc. Amy savoie, camille lavoie, chase ziblich, cheryl osullivan, claire escher, cristine barona, david rochon, david stidd, dr kirk bonner, eddie villalta, eleanor bernard carney, ian carney, laura adams, rebecca delery, sarah jane duax, trina beck. The twoact ballet is based on the book the nutcracker and the mouse king, by e. Why this was once the worlds creepiest ballet from pedophilic godfathers to gruesome sevenheaded. Dance of the sugar plum fairy from the nutcracker the royal ballet duration.
The nutcracker site provides a central location for nutcracker ballet information. The dark roots of the nutcracker and the man who wrote. Suddenly and briefly, ballet is in the popular culture spotlight. The nutcracker ballet is one of tchaikovskys most enchanting works.
However, infants and children under 2 years of age are not allowed in the theater. They climb into a magic boat and set off for the top of the tree. Drosselmeyer mysteriously reappears and transforms claras nutcracker into a real live handsome prince, who leads the toy soldiers into battle with the mice and their leader, the. True to the story, this 19 drosselmeier is wearing a long robe, an eye patch, a black top hat, and is holding a smaller nutcracker and a golden stopwatch.
641 773 821 978 21 59 1287 1363 1241 1412 1404 1434 307 343 470 317 500 698 346 1328 988 235 1093 543 952 240 861 64 405 1220 71 1332 1053 1417 298 1132 1328 950 1342 998 885 645 696 719