Hoffmann s 1816 fairy tale the nutcracker and the mouse king. Tchaikovskys adaptation of the story the nutcracker and the mouse king by e. W hen the san francisco ballet company performed the first complete version of the nutcracker in the u. The nutcracker simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. How tchaikovskys nutcracker became a christmas classic. 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. Hoffmann was set to music by tchaikovsky and originally choreographed by. Just as the mouse king is about to overpower the nutcracker doll, clara distracts him, allowing the nutcracker to strike the winning blow. Hoffmann, the ballet opens with the lively christmas party that is hosted by the.
Dance of the sugar plum fairy from the nutcracker the. The origin of the nutcracker, a classic christmas story, is a fairy tale ballet in two acts centered on a familys christmas eve celebration. While composing the music for the charming christmas story, tchaikovsky is. The royal ballet performs the waltz of the snowflakes in the nutcracker, with meaghan grace hinkis as clara, ricardo cervera as the nutcracker and gary avis as drosselmeyer, recorded in 2012. As the edwards family prepare for their christmas party, clara imagines the wonderful things that might happen. She is the author of the bestselling sound book the story orchestra. 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. Hoffmann, in which young marie stahlbaums favourite christmas toy, the nutcracker, comes alive and, after defeating the evil mouse king in battle, whisks her away to a magical kingdom populated by dolls. The story was based on a childrens fairy tale by e.
Get a free mp3 of peter tchaikovsky the nutcracker. The ballet itself wasnt a big hit but tchaikovsky took some of the music and put it into a 20 minute suite a group of pieces played together which became one of his most popular pieces. Listen to worldfamous music while hearing the story of clara, the nutcracker. A story that spawned a thousand childrens books and countless adaptations for the stage, and then eventually made it to the. Although the original production was not a success, the 20minute suite that tchaikovsky extracted from the ballet was. Written in the early 1890s, this was the last ballet score tchaikovsky wrote. Pytor ilyich tchaikovsky forever changed the world of ballet with swan lake and the nutcracker. Ballets by pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky swan lake the sleeping beauty the nutcracker list of all compositions v t e the nutcracker is an 1892 twoact ballet, originally choreographed by marius petipa and lev ivanov with a score by pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky. It tells the story of a little girl who goes to the land of sweets on christmas eve. Follow clara on a magical christmas adventure in this musical retelling of the nutcracker balletpush the button on each beautiful scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from tchaikovskys score.
The nutcracker ballet is based on the story the nutcracker and the king of mice written by e. How tchaikovskys nutcracker became a holiday tradition. Hoffmann was commissioned by the director of the imperial theatres ivan vsevolozhsky in 1891. This is designed to quickly educate the nondance oriented about this wonderful. The nutcracker ballet and suite tchaikovskys magical music. In 1940 walt disney used some of the nutcracker suite in his animated movie, fantasia.
Tchaikovsky didnt expect it to do well, although he knew the music was right. Mychael rambo is our guide to enchantment and the company of james sewell ballet delivers show stopping roles to tchaikovskys layered and lush musical score. Waltz of the snowflakes, performed by gurzenich orchestra of cologne. As the ballet story goes, these dances are claras entertainment when the nutcracker now transformed into a handsome prince, takes her on a visit to his home. In 2014, boal returned to new york city ballet as a guest artist to reprise the role of herr drosselmeier for the school of american ballets annual nutcracker benefit. Synopsis of tchaikovskys nutcracker ballet liveabout. Synopsis of tchaikovskys nutcracker ballet tchaikovsky s 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. The nutcracker suite, a selection of pieces from tchaikovskys nowclassic christmas ballet the nutcracker, is a personified depiction of the changing of the seasons. How tchaikovskys nutcracker became a holiday tradition renee montagne talks with miles hoffman about the history of tchaikovskys the nutcracker suite. Scents of ginger, chocolate, and peppermint waft through the air. And when the music starts, you can close your eyes and allow visions of sugarplums and snowflakes, flowers and a. The 85minute length, plus intermission, is a perfect way to introduce children to the power and beauty of classical dance.
Written in the early 1890s, this was the last ballet score tchaikovsky wrote he died less than a year after it was premiered. The nutcracker, and has worked on many other nonfiction titles from human bodies to dinosaurs. The nutcracker suite is the second segment of the 1940 disney film fantasia. Cw 14, is a fairy ballet in 2 acts and 3 scenes, written and orchestrated by tchaikovsky between february 1891 and april 1892. The original production was staged by marius petipa on 18 december 1892, premiering on a doublebill with a now semiforgotten tchaikovsky opera, iolanta. History of nutcracker moscow ballets great russian nutcracker. 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 nutcracker ballet is one of tchaikovskys most enchanting works. 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.
The classic christmas story ballet the origin of the nutcracker, a classic christmas story, is a fairy tale ballet in two acts centered on a familys christmas eve celebration. The nutcracker is the story of clara, a little girl who is given a wooden nutcracker as a christmas gift by the mysterious dr. The story of the nutcracker ballet scene descriptions. In the first act of the ballet, claras parents, the stahlbaums, throw a christmas. That night, she experiences the nutcrackers battle with an army of mice and his transformation into a handsome prince. The nutcracker prince musters his toy infantry and the cavalry. History of the nutcracker pacific northwest ballet. This article is about the ballet and the music by tchaikovsky.
The magical music evokes a nostalgic christmas atmosphere. She studied violin at the university of southampton, before moving into childrens books. Katy flint is an author, editor, and musician, based in london. The suite was first performed, under the composers direction, on 19 march 1892 at an assembly of the saint petersburg branch of the. The twoact ballet is based on the book the nutcracker and the mouse king, by e. 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. The nutcracker the waltz of the snowflakes the royal. Fun handson activities is a post from contributing writer christy of eclectic momma.
The most loved and mesmerizing of classical ballets, swan lake was tchaikovskys first. Alexandre dumas peres adaptation of the story by e. Explore our guide to the nutcracker suite a selection of 8 musical highlights from tchaikovskys fairy tale ballet the nutcracker. The narrated story of the nutcracker ballet in under 5 minutes. For some people, christmas is not the same without at least listening to the nutcracker ballet by tchaikovsky. For many, peter tchaikovskys the nutcracker is a holiday tradition that sets the tone for the season. The story of a young german girl who dreams of a nutcracker prince and a fierce battle against a mouse king with. Once again drosselmeyer calls upon his magic and the nutcracker is transformed into a handsome boy.
Musicbox kingdom snow globe nutcracker ballet with melody nutcracker suite by tchaikovsky decorative item. The nutcracker suite is a sparkly little box of jewels made up of highlights from tchaikovsky s fairy tale ballet the nutcracker, which has become a christmas staple around the world. While the ballet was slow to gain popularity, portions of tchaikovskys music for the ballet, collectively known as the nutcracker suite, were commonly performed in concert. The last of his three ballets, it was first performed in december 1892. In my opinion, its one of those pieces of classical music that every child should be able to identify. Dance of the sugar plum fairy from the nutcracker the royal ballet. Grandparents and guests begin to arrive to celebrate the holiday with clara, fritz and their parents. The simon special edition of the nutcracker is a onehour adaptation that includes music from every scene in tchaikovsky s famous ballet. The nutcracker is a twoact ballet by pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky. These delightful vignettes feature talented area youth, gorgeous costumes, and gifted dancers. Now that the mouse king is dead, an ancient spell has been broken, and the nutcracker is transformed into a handsome prince. The origin of the nutcracker, a classic christmas story, is a fairy tale ballet in two. In fact, the ballet was not performed outside of russia until a 1934 performance in england, and it would not reach the united states for an additional ten years.
The fairy taleturned christmas ballet is now in a book. Although what is seen on the stage today is different in detail from the original story, the basic plot remains the same. The ballets title comes from a story,the nutcracker and the mouse king, written in 1814 by the german fantasy writer eta hoffmann. Tchaikovskys most famous ballet, the nutcracker, is performed annually at lake lawn resort by accomplished dancers from the dance factory. Tchaikovsky march from the nutcracker, opus 71 youtube. Attending a performance of tchaikovskys nutcracker ballet, which. Excitement runs high as last minute preparations are made. Ivan vsevolozhsky and marius petipa adapted hoffmanns story for the ballet. Hoffmanns original story was darker than the ballet, but the plot remains largely the same. Unlike the nutcracker suite that includes only an abbreviated overture and several of the dances from act ii, the simon edition of the nutcracker is a spirited romp that will leave none of your favorite. Pacific northwest ballet has its own nutcracker history, which now intersects with balanchines.
It was composed in 1875 and over 100 years later it remains a favorite with ballet companies regularly performing it throughout the world. The history of the nutcracker ballet in america time. As angels and delightful music hover over their heads, the bed turns into. The ballet proper debuted in december of that year. Hoffmann was set to music by tchaikovsky and originally choreographed by marius petipa.