Once Upon a Ballet: The Nutcracker

Even if you are not a ballet aficionado, chances are that you are familiar with The Nutcracker. Its music is ubiquitous during December, and attending a performance of this beloved holiday ballet has become an annual tradition for many families. 

But in case you need a refresher, The Nutcracker is based on a story by German author E.T.A. Hoffman and later adapted by French author Alexandre Dumas, who wrote The Three Musketeers. Its original choreography was by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, and its wondrous score was composed by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, who also composed the scores of the ballets Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty. The Nutcracker premiered on December 18, 1892 in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The ballet centers on a young girl Clara (in some versions, she is called Marie), who receives a special Nutcracker doll from her magical godfather Drosselmeir at the family’s Christmas party. Later that night, Clara sneaks out to the living room and falls asleep by the Christmas tree with her doll. She is soon awakened by an army of mice led by their sometimes fearsome, sometimes comical king. Her Nutcracker doll jumps into action and leads an army of soldiers against the mice. Clara throws her shoe at the king, thus providing a distraction that allows the Nutcracker to deal a fatal blow and defeat the king. During the fray, the Nutcracker has been wounded and Clara fears he has died, but he transforms into a handsome prince who brings her through the swirling snow to the magical Kingdom of the Sweets. This delightful land is ruled over by the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. Clara and the Nutcracker Prince are treated to performances by various characters representing different nationalities and desserts, such as the Spanish hot chocolate and Russian candy canes. After the last dance concludes, the happy land fades away and Clara awakes at home. The whole thing was a beautiful dream, a gift from her godfather and the Nutcracker. 

Perhaps surprisingly to modern ballet fans, when The Nutcracker first premiered, it was panned by the audience. 

Obviously through the decades, it gained in favor and it became especially popularized in the United States during the 1950s with a version by George Balanchine, famous choreographer and founder of New York City Ballet. His adaptation is still widely performed today. 

Nowadays, almost every professional and regional company has their own choreographic version of the ballet and there are even spoofs like The Nutty Nutcracker. 

The Nutcracker is often a child’s first introduction to the world of classical music and ballet, and performing annually in the Nutcracker is a common memory of innumerable ballet students. 

A fun fact about the music for “The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” is that its signature twinkling sound is made by an instrument called a celesta. It was a new invention in the late nineteenth century, and Tchaikovsky, hearing it on a visit to Paris, knew it was perfect for the Sugar Plum Fairy and immediately had one ordered. 

An additional fun fact that I recently learned is that Duke Ellington arranged his own jazz version  of The Nutcracker! A really cool take on something classical!

Personally, The Nutcracker season is one of special nostalgia for me. Many professional dancers may roll their eyes at The Nutcracker because it can truly be a grind for several months of the year,  what with the rehearsals and the performances. Furthermore, many dancers have to sacrifice family time at the holidays in order to perform. 

But I love The Nutcracker. I have many fond memories both during my time as a student and a professional that center on The Nutcracker. Memories of countless hours spent hanging out with friends in the theatre and breathless performances on stage, sharing joy with the audience. Tchaikovsky’s soaring music almost never fails to raise goose bumps on my arms and bring smiles to my face and sometimes tears to my eyes. I think the fact that this ballet is performed at Christmastime makes it all even more memorable as it’s already a magical and important time of year. 

On the practical side of things, many professional dance companies rely on the ticket sales of Nutcracker performances to sustain them for the rest of the year. A Nutcracker run can bring in up to 48 percent of ticket sales for the whole performance season of a company. 

Obviously, this year with the COVID pandemic, things look very different and the arts community has been hit hard. Companies have had to either cancel their Nutcracker performances or figure out creative means of still generating revenue through virtual performances or selling videos  of former seasons, amongst other scenarios. 

(PSA: If you can, remember the arts community in your holiday giving this year.)

Classical ballet doesn’t often make headway into popular culture but thankfully, it seems The Nutcracker has established a permanent spot in the warm traditions and memories of the holiday season. 

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! And Happy Nutcracker-ing! 🎄

(You can learn more about the history of The Nutcracker at the links provided.)