Global InformationList of productions of The Nutcracker information
Although the original 1892 Marius Petipa production was not a success, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker began to slowly enjoy worldwide popularity after Balanchine first staged his production of it in 1954.[1] It may now be the most popular ballet in the world.
In Russia, choreographer Alexander Gorsky staged a new version of the work in 1919 that addressed many of the criticisms of the original 1892 production by casting adult dancers in the roles of Clara and the Prince, rather than children.[2] This not only introduced a love interest into the story by making Clara and the Prince adults, but provided the dancers portraying Clara and the Prince with more of an opportunity to participate in the dancing.
The first complete performance outside Russia took place in England in 1934,[3] staged by Nicholas Sergeyev after Petipa's original choreography. An abridged version of the ballet, performed by the Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo, was staged in New York City in 1940 by Alexandra Fedorova[4] - again, after Petipa's version.[2][3]
The ballet's first complete United States performance was on 24 December 1944, by the San Francisco Ballet, staged by its artistic director Willam Christensen.[3] The New York City Ballet gave its first annual performance of George Balanchine's staging of The Nutcracker in 1954.[3] The tradition of performing the complete ballet at Christmas eventually spread to the rest of the United States. Since Vasili Vainonen's 1934 version in Russia, and Balanchine's 1954 New York City Ballet production, many other choreographers have made their own versions. Some institute the changes made by Gorsky and Vainonen respectively while others, like Balanchine, utilize the original libretto. Some notable productions include those by Rudolf Nureyev for the Royal Ballet, Yuri Grigorovich for the Bolshoi Ballet, Mikhail Baryshnikov for the American Ballet Theatre, and Peter Wright for the Royal Ballet and the Birmingham Royal Ballet. In recent years, revisionist productions, including those by Mark Morris, Matthew Bourne, and Mikhail Chemiakin have appeared, which depart radically from both the original 1892 libretto and Gorsky's revival.
In addition to annual live stagings of the work, many productions have also been televised and/or released on home video.[1] The ballet has also brought attention to "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King", the original 1816 story by E.T.A. Hoffmann, which is now the source material for various animated and live action films. Tchaikovsky's music, especially The Nutcracker Suite, a selection of eight pieces from the complete score, has become extremely popular. The suite (sans the Miniature Overture and the March) was featured in the popular 1940 Disney film Fantasia.
- ^ a b Fisher, J. (2003). Nutcracker Nation: How an Old World Ballet Became a Christmas Tradition in the New World, New Haven: Yale University Press.
- ^ a b Anderson, J. (1985). The Nutcracker Ballet, New York: Mayflower Books.
- ^ a b c d "Nutcracker History". Balletmet.org. Archived from the original on 2008-12-10. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
- ^ not to be confused with the university teacher of the same name