From Act One of The Nutcracker (NEW YORK CITY BALLET, 2020)
The Origin
E.T.A. Hoffman wrote the original book, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, in 1816. Pyotr Tchaikovsky composed the music for the ballet and performed it in Russia in 1892 for the first time. After the Russian Revolution in the 18th century, as Russian ballerinas and composers came to America, The Nutcracker began to be acclaimed across the country. Featuring the score from the Nutcracker Suite, Disney’s Fantasia was a huge success in 1940 and generated enthusiastic reactions from American children that led to the stage for the ballet, and its premiere was in 1944 (Dorf, 2020).
Different Versions and Variations
Commensurate with its popularity, there have been numerous versions of The Nutcracker, according to dance companies and choreographers. The Nutcracker is a source of revenue for dance companies, so making an attractive, unique version of it than others is crucial to every company.
For audiences, The Nutcracker is a synonym for Christmas, recollecting childhood memories of sugarplums and magic.
From the traditional George Balanchine version that was made as a holiday tradition around the U.S. to a fairly modified The Hard Nut and Hot Chocolate Nutcracker, experiencing various interpretations can be another delightful way to enjoy The Nutcracker (Pierce-Master, 2021).
Roughly, The Nutcrackers can be categorized into three or four groups according to the title’s name and pivotal stories. In Hoffman’s original book, a young girl named Marie is the heroine of the story (Sackton, 2021). However, as this captivating piece has spread all around the world through decades, Marie has often been replaced by other names. In the Mariinsky Theatre, where the first The Nutcracker was performed, Masha is the name of the main character (Mariinsky Theatre, n.d.). Meanwhile, the well-known and beloved hallmark in the U.S., George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, chose Clara, following the tradition of Disney’s Fantasia (New York City Ballet, 2020).
Similar changes and compromises can be found in The Nutcrackers by different dance companies and eras. The original production in 1892 consisted of two acts and has maintained its outline so far (Macaulay, 2017). For example, in Mariinsky Ballet Company, the first scene starts in Counselor Stahlbaum’s Kitchen on Christmas Eve. While preparing the holiday dinner, the Stahlbaum family and kitchen staff were kicked out by rat hooligans.
In Scene 2, the Christmas party is finally held, and Masha’s godfather, Drosselmeyer, presents companies. Marie played with the toy that was chosen by no one and realized that the toy was something else. In the third scene, often called “The Battle,” Drosselmeyer fights against a rat army that is masterminded by Rat Napoleon. With Drosselmeyer, the Nutcracker fights with the Crown Prince on one. After the scurry, the snowstorm blows everything away, and there are blizzards and dances of the snowflakes.
In Act 2, the grand finale is when Masha kisses the Nutcracker, he transforms into a prince, and they finally get married (Mariinsky Theatre, n.d.).
However, in several versions of The Nutcracker, Marie does not fall in love with the Nutcracker (or a prince).
It ends with the scene of Marie waking up from her dream. Also, sometimes the disposition of divertissements is quite various. Sometimes, the Sugarplum fairy appears in Act I instead of Act 2, or Drosselmeyer comes up only in Act I. Minor differences, such as who is on point, “Is the Nutcracker a nephew of Drosselmeyer or not?” or “Who does the grand pas de deux?” are as numerous as the number of ballet companies on earth (Macaulay, 2017).
Ballet Blancs
Snowflakes in a snowstorm (John, 2006)
The French term Ballet Blanc means “white ballet” to the letters, referring to a romantic genre of classical ballet in which dozens of ballerinas dance coherently in white tutus. The ballet blancs mostly represent otherworldly creatures like fairies, ghosts, and spirits.
The first-ever ballet blanc was La Sylphid, performed in 1832, which is a story about a wood nymph and a Scottish farmer’s love. In modern days, Giselle, Swan Lake, La Bayadere, and The Nutcracker have been considered the most majestic and famous Ballet Blanc, attracting audiences with their unique charm (House, 2020).
In The Nutcracker, before dropping the curtain after Act 1, a flurry of snow begins to fall from the sky. Then, at least 16 ballerinas dance to Tchaikovsky’s music, “The Walz of the Snowflakes.”
This scene became a symbol of The Nutcracker, making this work one of the most beloved ballet blancs. The seven-minute snow scene represents the ethereal beauty of winter nature. Being started like sleet, the snow grew fierce until it became a blizzard. The last two minutes of the scene embody strong snow coming down (OregonLive.com, 2008).
In many people’s memories, The Nutcracker is a piece of childhood reminiscence. To fill up the memory, finding a new Nutcracker every December can be a joyful seasonal tradition.
Reference list
Dorf, E., 2020. HISTORY OF THE NUTCRACKER. [online] Nutcracker Ballet Gifts. Available at: https://nutcrackerballetgifts.com/blogs/blog/history-of-the-nutcracker [Accessed 3 November 2023].
House, D.O., 2020. Ballet Blanc: Shades, Shadows and Spirits. [online] Detroit Opera. Available at: https://detroitopera.org/ballets-blanc-shades-shadows-and-spirits/ [Accessed 7 November 2023].
Macaulay, A., 2017. 10 Ways to Tell if Your ‘Nutcracker’ Is Traditional (Published 2017). The New York Times. [online] 21 Nov. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/21/arts/dance/what-makes-a-traditional-nutcracker-ballet.html [Accessed 7 November 2023].
MARIINSKY THEATRE (n.d.). The Nutcracker. [online] www.mariinsky.ru. Available at: https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/repertoire/ballet/shelkun1/ [Accessed 6 November 2023].
NEW YORK CITY BALLET, 2020. The Nutcracker® | New York City Ballet. [online] Nycballet.com. Available at: https://www.nycballet.com/discover/ballet-repertory/george-balanchines-the-nutcracker [Accessed 3 November 2023].
OregonLive.com , 2008. Behold the beauty of ‘The Nutcracker’s’ snow scene, a result of craft, technique and talent. [online] oregonlive. Available at: https://www.oregonlive.com/performance/2008/12/behold_the_beauty_of_the_nutcr.html [Accessed 7 November 2023].
Pierce-Master, D., 2021. The Best Guide to Different Productions of The Nutcracker Ballet. [online] DANCEPARENT101. Available at: https://danceparent101.com/the-best-guide-to-different-productions-of-the-nutcracker-ballet/ [Accessed 5 November 2023].
Sackton, L. (2021). ‘The Nutcracker’: Book vs. Movie. [online] Audible Blog. Available at: https://www.audible.com/blog/article-the-nutcracker-book-vs-movie [Accessed 6 November 2023].
John, R. , 2006. ‘It’s Late November? Cue the Snowflakes’. [online]. New York Times. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/27/arts/dance/27nutc.html [Accessed 3 November 2023].
