7 important facts about the nutcracker

For many, going to see the ballet The Nutcracker is a Christmas tradition. I realize that some of our audience had never been to a ballet before. Here are some quick facts on The Nutcracker to help you enjoy ballet and impress your friends with your knowledge of trivia.

There is a curse

The Nutcracker Prince is imprisoned in a doll. When a beautiful young woman falls in love with him, the spell will be broken.

There is magic

Drosselmeyer is a magician and toy maker. He presents the Nutcracker doll to Clara.

Is old

The Nutcracker was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on December 19, 1892.

Listen carefully

Tchaikovsky used the production of The Nutcracker to introduce a new instrument to the public: the celesta. He had heard the instrument in France and wanted to be the first to bring its distinctive, new sound to a production score. This cousin of the piano emits a high octave sound that makes the dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb unique sound.

Sugar Plum Fairy Throws a Good Party

Some of the best dances take place near the end of the ballet when the characters visit the Land of the Sugar Plum Fairy. There, dancers from all over the world entertain Clara and her company. This dance show has made this moment a fan favorite.

The first production had problems

The ballet featured two choreographers. Lev Ivanov started the work and later joined Marius Petipa to finish it. Peter Tchaikovsky created the score but thought the ballet was a failure. The public agreed and the production was deemed a failure.

From a flop to a hit

Despite the disappointing debut, The Nutcracker continued to be performed, finally arriving in Europe in 1934 and on American shores in 1944. A decade later, George Balanchine brought his interpretation of the production to the New York City Ballet. There it became a Christmas favorite that helped inspire other productions around the world. Today, there are countless performances of The Nutcracker, ranging from traditional to extremely modern interpretations.