The Nutcracker Suite History - One of the Most Popular Ballets in the World

The Nutcracker Suite History
One of the Most Popular Ballets in the World

The Nutcracker Suite was originally a play written in 1816 by a German writer, E. T. A. Hoffman. The play was entitled "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" and was a story of an unhappy girl named Marie and the nutcracker doll that she loved. In 1845, French novelist Alexandre Dumas adapted the play making it more suitable for children. In 1891, legendary choreographer Marius Petipa commissioned Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to write music for the story and the Nutcracker Ballet was born.

The ballet opened in Saint Petersburg on December 17, 1892 at the Mariinsky Theatre of Russia, which is home to the Kirov Ballet. The ballet tells the tale of a girl named Clara who is given a nutcracker doll for Christmas. That night after shes falls asleep she is disturbed by an attack of mice led by the Mouse King, who wants to take her away to his kingdom. But the Nutcracker, who is really a prince, sends his soldiers to rescue her. The Nutcracker thens takes her to his land, which is a country full of sugarplums and waltzing flowers. She awakens the next morning with only the doll and the memories of her Christmas adventure.

The first production was not an overwhelming success. Although it was popular in Russia it was never staged outside of that country until 1934, when it appeared in London. Since that time several versions of the ballet have been created. The most successful is the one created by George Balanchine and first performed in 1954. This version of the Nutcracker Ballet is the one seen by millions each year during the Christmas season. This ballet is probably the world's most popular ballet.

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