The History of The Nutcracker

December 19, 2017

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For generations now families have donned their holiday best to appreciate what is arguably the most recognizable ballet of all time. But, did you know that when it first premiered in December of 1892, The Nutcracker was met with ambivalent reviews. Many felt that the original choreography was lack-luster. And the inaugural performance used actual children for the party scene, a choice which many found baffling at the time. 

Almost 30 years later choreographer Alexander Gorsky staged his version of The Nutcracker in 1919. This style eliminated the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier, giving their dances instead to Clara and the Nutcracker Prince. He also gave the children’s parts to adults, using no children at all in his production, and was the first to do so. Other choreographers continued to create edited or abridged versions of the ballet well into the 1930’s. The first complete performance outside of Russia took place in England in 1934, staged by Nicholas Sergeyev, relying heavily on the original choreography from the late 1800s.

It wasn’t until Christmas Eve in 1944 that The Nutcracker was performed in full in the United States. The San Francisco Ballet staged the full production which met enormous success, and has continued to present The Nutcracker every Christmas since, debuting new productions every so often. In 1954 The New York City Ballet premiered its first production, choreographed by George Balanchine. From there, the tradition of performing the complete ballet during the Christmas season spread to the rest of the United States.  

These days, I would say you would be hard pressed to find an individual who has never heard of the Nutcracker, or seen it in some form. So popular is the charm and fantasy of The Nutcracker’s story, even just today Disney announced a new film based on the ballet, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. 

So, is it part of your family’s tradition to see The Nutcracker? Do you watch the 1993 version of George Balanchine’s version annually like I do? When was the first time you ever saw the ballet, and how old were you? Share your memories on our Facebook page!