The History of the Nutcracker
By Kaira Headrick
The name is synonymous with the holiday season. Every year, without fail, the tradition of The Nutcracker comes to life and brings the magical tale of the holiday spirit to light. There are literally hundreds of versions of this classical tale performed, by both professional ballet companies and local productions alike, yet each is just as captivating as the next.
The Nutcracker is based on the story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, written by Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann in 1816. It was first performed on December 18, 1892 at the Mainstay Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia. Illustrious composer, Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky arranged the music for the production, while two other gentlemen shared the responsibility of its choreography. Marius Petipa choreographed the original production in detail, however illness prevented him from executing his masterpiece. His assistant of seven years, Lev Ivanov was subsequently brought in to carry on the production, thus being noted in history as one of its choreographers.
Though reviews of the first production of The Nutcracker were not favorable, those in the ballet profession spoke hints of what greatness was to come. Famous Russian ballet teacher Agrippina Vaganova, is noted as referencing to the many connoisseurs of ballet who purposely took their seats in the theater's upper tiers just to admire the beautifully choreographed dance patterns throughout the various acts.
As performances continued, so did the growing love of the production. 1934 was the first time The Nutcracker was presented outside of Russia. It was restaged for the Vic-Wells Ballet by Nicholas Sergeyev and preformed at the Sadler's Wells Theatre in London, England. It wasn't until the 1940's however, that The Nutcracker was brought to the United States.
It was the renowned New York City Ballet, presented at the New York City Center, where George Balanchine choreographed a full-length version of the ballet for the public to enjoy. Some say, this was the production of all productions that inspired other The Nutcracker shows throughout the rest of the world.
No other theater performance goes to such great lengths to capture the excitement, the wonder, and the spirit of the holiday season than The Nutcracker. This enrapturing tale shows a world in which anything is possible; toys come to life, flowers and snowflakes dance, enchanted kingdom are real, and wishes really do come true. The Nutcracker is truly one of the great classics of the theatre come to life.
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