Download History of the Nutcracker

Name ________________________________________ Core ______________ Date _____________________
History of the Nutcracker
Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia. The
Christmas ballet was first performed outside Russia in
England in 1934. Its first United States performance was
in 1944 by the San Francisco Ballet, staged by its artistic
director and Balanchine student William Christensen.
The New York City Ballet first performed George
Balanchine’s Nutcracker in 1954 but the holiday ballet
did not begin to achieve its great popularity until after
the George Balanchine staging became a hit in New
York City. The now well known Christmas story has
been published in many book versions including colorful
children-friendly ones. The plot revolves around a
German girl named Clara Stahlbaum and her coming-ofage one Christmas holiday. In Hoffmann’s tale, the girl’s
The origin of the Nutcracker, a classic Christmas
name is Marie or Maria, while Clara – or “Klärchen” – is
Story, is a fairy tale ballet in two acts centered on a
the name of one of her dolls. In the Great Russian
family’s Christmas Eve celebration. Alexandre Dumas
Nutcracker, she is affectionately called Masha.
Père’s adaptation of the story by E.T.A. Hoffmann was
Tchaikovsky accepted the commission from
set to music by Tchaikovsky and originally
director of Moscow’s Imperial Theatres, Ivan
choreographed by Marius Petipa. It was commissioned
Vsevolozhsky, writing to a friend while composing the
by the director of Moscow’s Imperial Theatres, Ivan
ballet, “I am daily becoming more and more attuned to
Vsevolozhsky, in 1891, and premiered a week before
my task.” While composing the music for the charming
Christmas 1892. Since premiering in western countries
Christmas story, Tchaikovsky is said to have argued
in the 1940s, this ballet has become perhaps the most
with a friend who wagered that the composer could not
popular to be performed around Christmas time. The
write a melody based on the notes of the octave in
story centers on a young girl’s Christmas Eve and her
sequence. Tchaikovsky asked if it mattered whether the
awakening to the wider world and romantic love. The
notes were in ascending or descending order, and was
composer made a selection of eight of the more popular
assured it did not. This resulted in the Grand Adage from
pieces before the ballet’s December 1892 premiere,
the Grand Pas de Deux of the second act where
forming what is currently known as the Nutcracker
Clara/Masha dances with her magical Christmas present,
Suite, as is heard in Moscow Ballet productions. The
the Nutcracker Prince. Among other things, the score of
suite became instantly popular; however the complete
The Nutcracker is noted for its use of the celesta, an
ballet did not achieve its great popularity as a Christmas
instrument that the composer had already employed in
performance event until almost 100 years later.
his much lesser known symphonic ballad, The
The first performance of the Christmas ballet
Voyevoda. Although well-known in The Nutcracker as
was held as a double premiere together with
the featured solo instrument in the “Dance of the Sugar
Tchaikovsky’s last opera, Iolanta, around the Christmas
Plum Fairy” from Act II, it is also employed elsewhere
holiday season on December 18 1892, at the Imperial
in the same act.
Name __________________________________________ Core ________________ Date _________________________
Multiple Choice: Circle the letter of the choice the best completes the statement. (2 points each)
1) Which is the closest synonym for the word
b) 20 years
origin?
c) 50 years
a) Ending
d) 100 years
b) Beginning
4) The New York City Ballet first performed
c) Middle
George Balanchine’s Nutcracker in…
d) Summary
a) 1952
2) The Nutcracker is based off of a…
b) 1953
a) Fairy tale
c) 1954
b) Tall tale
d) 1964
c) True story
d) Biography
3) The suite became instantly popular; however the
5) The Nutcracker is noted for its use of what
instrument?
a) Harp
complete ballet did not achieve its great
b) Celesta
popularity as a Christmas performance event
c) Drums
until almost how many years later?
d) Kanto
a) 10 years
Directions: In the space below write a summary of today's article. (5 points)
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