The Nutcracker is easily the most popular ballet in the United States; in fact, over 100,000 people per year come to see New York City Ballet’s production alone. Dancing nutcrackers, the magical falling of snow during the Waltz of the Snowflakes, and the iconic notes of the Sugar Plum Fairy’s variation are all a part of a holiday tradition dating back to the 19th century.
Based on the story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T.A Hoffmann, The Nutcracker’s famous score was created by Pyotr Tchaikovsky and choreographed by Marius Petipa. While working on the ballet, Tchaikovsky discovered a unique instrument in Paris: the celesta. The celesta created clear, light, bell-like tones which perfectly complimented the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Once heard, he immediately requested that the instrument be obtained for the performance. The ballet was first performed in 1892 at St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre along with Tchaikovsky’s one-act opera, Iolanta. Initially, the ballet was not nearly as successful as Tchaikovsky’s two previous productions: Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake. This was a result of the choreography largely falling to Petipa’s assistant after he fell ill, along with bland scenery and costumes and a highly criticized performance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, which is the main role of the ballet. Despite this, after some improvement, The Nutcracker quickly grew to become a popular Christmas tradition, and the most frequently performed of ballets. Unfortunately, Tchaikovsky never lived to see its success.
The ballet was not performed in the United States until 1944 when it was produced by the San Francisco Ballet with choreography by William Christiansen. However, this was not the only company to take on this production, and soon enough it was adopted by companies and studios all around the country. Additionally, several variations have sprouted from the original ballet such as George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. George Balanchine, a choreographer who defected from Russia, was the founder of the New York City Ballet. Although his production is similar to the original version when it comes to plot and characters, the roles of Clara (the young girl who receives the nutcracker doll) and the Nutcracker princes are played by children rather than adults. Several of the costumes and choreography are unique to Balanchine’s style as well. For instance, instead of a typical tutu for the Dew Drop (the soloist in the Waltz of the Flowers scene), she wears a short skirt. This version reached a greater audience than ever before due to its being televised in 1957 and again in 1958.
Furthermore, there have been several other variations than the traditional European version. Donald Byrd’s 1995 Harlem Nutcracker was choreographed by Black American choreographers to move away from an overwhelmingly white tradition to one that reflects their own culture and experiences. In this version of the ballet, a Black family is celebrating Christmas Eve in Act I and a grandmotherly figure plays Clara, who suffers a heart attack while holding her Nutcracker doll. The rest of the ballet follows a flashback of the life Clara had led with her “Prince” and includes subtle references to Black American struggles. The music is a unique combination of Tchaikovsky’s score in addition to jazz and gospel while the choreography includes Hip Hop, jazz, and salsa dancing along with traditional ballet.
If you want to experience the magic and beauty of this beloved ballet, there is a annual local opportunity to see The Nutcracker during the holiday season with Loudoun Ballet Performing Arts Company’s production at Loudoun Valley High School.
