The Nutcracker Ballet and Suite Tchaikovsky's Magical Music The Nutcracker Ballet is one of Tchaikovsky's most enchanting works. The magical music evokes a nostalgic Christmas atmosphere. The two-act ballet is based on the book 'The Nutcracker and the Mouse King', by E.T.A.
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Hoffman, a famous writer and music critic. The original plot is actually quite dark and bizarre. The book's publisher had to get the story cleaned up into a happier, charming children's fairytale. Nutcracker's History A choreographer at the Mariinsky Theater in Russia named Marius Petipa read the story and loved it. In 1891 he commissioned Tchaikovsky to write a ballet score for the plot. Tchaikovksy was probably the most famous Russian composer at the time.
So the result was bound to be good! When he started writing the Nutcracker ballet music, Tchaikovksy didn't like the project at all. He wanted to change the setting and change bits of the story. But while he was writing it he grew to like it.
Although in the end he still didn't think that his music was all that good (as usual)! The first performance was in December 1892 at the Mariinsky theater. The premiere was actually performed by students, and got some pretty bad reviews! One reviewer wrote 'for dancers there is rather little in it, for absolutely nothing, and for the artistic fate of our ballet, one more step downward' Even though the critics didn't like it, the Russian public did. In the 20th Century it became hugely popular in America as well.
Nowadays at Christmas time there are loads of productions of the ballet, as well as new interpretations and video versions. The story starts on Christmas Eve in the grand and beautiful house of a German family. Grandfather Drosselmeyer arrives and gives the children, Clara and Fritz, presents. Clara's present is an ornate nutcracker doll, which delights everyone at the party. Fritz is jealous though, and breaks the doll.
But Grandfather fixes it magically for Clara, who later falls asleep with the doll under the Christmas tree. The next part of the story takes place in Clara's dream. She shrinks, while the toys below the tree spring to life.
The room fills with an army of mice, lead by the evil Mouse King. The Nutcracker doll wakes up, and leads the toys in a battle against the mice.
The Mouse King and Nutcracker fight one-on-one, but loses and gets captured. Desperately, Clara throws her slipper at the Mouse King, who falls unconscious and is taken away by his mouse army. The Nutcracker then transforms into a Prince, and takes Clara first to an enchanted forest, and then to the Land of Sweets. There, the Prince tells the Sugar Plum Fairy about their battle with the mouse army. She celebrates with a collection of exciting and magical dances. After a grand finale, Clara wakes up on Christmas day under the Christmas tree with the Nutcracker doll in her hands. If you like the Nutcracker, you'll probably like Tchaikovsky's other ballets:.
The music in the Nutcracker ballet is very light and sweet. It uses the high parts of the orchestra and clever combinations of woodwind instruments to create a doll-like fantasy sound-world. The Nutcracker Ballet was the first work by a major composer which made use the celesta (like a piano, but more glassy). It's featured heavily in the popular 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy'. The celesta was brand new at the time, and there was a bit of a race between composers to see who could use it well first. I think Tchaikovsky won!
The hugely well-known Nutcracker Suite is a highlight reel of 8 great moments and dances from the ballet. Here are my two favorite famous dances from the Nutcracker Ballet. First, the Trepak or Russian Dance: And the Arab Dance: Recordings There are a ridiculous number of recordings of the Nutcracker. So I'm going to recommend two of the very best. The Kirov Orchestra conducted by Valery Gergiev possibly claims the top spot. The orchestra is exquisitely talented, the conducting exciting and vigorous, and the sound quality immaculate. The entire ballet is on one CD as well - perfect!
From 1998, on Philips. Secondly, the Royal Ballet has a DVD of the ballet (produced by the BBC). Since the ballet is, apart from the music, also a visual treat, this is an excellent way to enjoy it even more. This is a very traditional production, with top-class dancers filmed in excellent quality.
Nutcracker Suite Song List
And as the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier in a production of The Nutcracker by for (2009) Although the original 1892 production was not a success, 's ballet began to slowly enjoy worldwide popularity after Balanchine first staged his production of it in 1954. It may now be the most popular ballet in the world. In Russia, choreographer staged a new version of the work in 1919 that addressed many of the criticisms of the original 1892 production by casting adult dancers in the roles of Clara and the Prince, rather than children. This not only introduced a love interest into the story by making Clara and the Prince adults, but provided the dancers portraying Clara and the Prince with more of an opportunity to participate in the dancing. The first complete performance outside Russia took place in England in 1934, staged by after Petipa's original choreography. An abridged version of the ballet, performed by the, was staged in in 1940 by - again, after Petipa's version.
The ballet's first complete United States performance was on 24 December 1944, by the, staged by its artistic director. The gave its first annual performance of George Balanchine's staging of The Nutcracker in 1954. The tradition of performing the complete ballet at Christmas eventually spread to the rest of the United States. Since 's 1934 version in Russia, and Balanchine's 1954 New York City Ballet production, many other choreographers have made their own versions. Some institute the changes made by Gorsky and Vainonen respectively while others, like Balanchine, utilize the original libretto.
Some notable productions include those by for the, for the, for the, and for the and the. In recent years, revisionist productions, including those by, and have appeared, which depart radically from both the original 1892 libretto and Gorsky's revival. In addition to annual live stagings of the work, many productions have also been televised and/or released on home video.
The ballet has also brought attention to, which is now the source material for various animated and live action films. Tchaikovsky's music, especially, a selection of eight pieces from the complete score, has become extremely popular. The suite (sans the Miniature Overture and the March) was featured in the popular film.
Contents. Stage 20th century Snowflakes — Ivan Clustine/Anna Pavlova (1911).
Choreography: Ivan Clustine. Company:. Premiere: 1911 When formed her own troupe, she adapted the Journey through the Pine Forest and Waltz of the Snowflakes scenes into a ballet called Snowflakes, with which she toured the United States and Europe from 1911 until her death in 1931. Although only a small fraction of the complete work, Pavlova's adaptation is significant for being the first time the Journey through the Pine Forest music was used for a between a Snow Queen and a Snow King. This music would also later be utilized for a first act pas de deux between Clara and the Nutcracker Prince by in his production for the, by for his German-American television production of the 1960s (see the section Television Presentations below), by for his famous production with, by for, and by for his production and productions. The Snow Queen/King would later be featured in some subsequent productions, including for the.
Alexander Gorsky (1919). Choreography: Alexander Gorsky (after Petipa). Company:,. Premiere: 1919 Russian choreographer, who staged a production of The Nutcracker in in 1919, is credited with the idea of combining Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy's roles (i.e.
Giving the Fairy's dances to Clara), eliminating the Sugar Plum Fairy's Cavalier, giving the Cavalier's dances to the Nutcracker Prince, and having the roles of Clara and the Nutcracker Prince danced by adults, thereby introducing a reason for a love interest between the two characters that had not been present in the original ballet. Vasily Vainonen (1934). Choreography: Vasily Vainonen. Company:. Premiere: 1934, In 1934, Soviet choreographer staged his complete version of the ballet in the. Vainonen followed Gorsky in departing from the original 1892 production, particularly in his casting adult dancers in the roles of Clara (called Masha in this production) and the Prince, having them perform the second act Grand Pas de Deux originally intended for the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier (who are omitted from the production altogether), augmenting the role of Drosselmeyer, and concluding the ballet with Masha's realization that the fantasy sequences were a dream. Many subsequent productions, including those by and Baryshnikov, have adopted these changes.
The production was revived in 1954, and received a special staging at the in (known as Leningrad during the Communist era) to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ballet's premiere in 1992. In 1994, with sets and costumes first used in its 1954 revival, the Vainonen version was staged again, starring as Masha, as the Nutcracker / Prince, and Piotr Russanov as Drosselmeyer.
This revival was videotaped and released on DVD. Another revival of this production has been shown in movie theatres in 3D, and a new DVD of it, starring and, was released in December 2012, both in a regular version and on Blu-ray. It was also telecast in 2012 and 2013 on Ovation Channel's 'Battle of the Nutcrackers'. Alexandra Fedorova (1940).
Choreography: Alexandra Fedorova, after. Company:.
Premiere: October 17, 1940., Although abridged, this production is notable for being the first time The Nutcracker (beyond excerpts) was performed in America. Willam Christensen (1944). Main article:. Choreography:. Company:. Premiere: December 24, 1944, In 1944, Christensen created the first complete production in America with the help of (who would go on to choreograph ten years later) and.
Both of them were familiar with the 1892 version: 'Ballet Russe passed through San Francisco and one evening I got Alexandra Danilova and Balanchine, then ballerina of Ballet Russe and ballet master respectively, to come to my apartment,' recalls Christensen. 'We had something to eat and drink, and then we got down to work with the conductor. Balanchine described the Maryinsky production: how the big doors opened on the tree, the mime of Drosselmeyer, all the details. At one point, Danilova started dancing Clara's variation, in her stocking feet and street dress. Balanchine put an end to that with his admonishment, 'No, no, Alexandra, don't try to show him the actual steps. Let him create his own choreography.'
We worked all night, and that is how I got my first Nutcracker. I never intended it to become an annual production, but there you are, it is a tradition now!' Main article:. Choreography:, after and. Company:. Premiere: February 2, 1954, In 1954 George Balanchine followed in Christensen's footsteps by choreographing and premiering his now-famous version, adhering closely to the libretto of the original 1892 version (recollected from revivals in which he had performed the role of the Prince as a young boy in Russia): ' The Nutcracker has almost become a kind of annual Christmas ritual in many American and Canadian cities. Of course, this was not always so.
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We used to rely on a touring company to give us a truncated version of this full-length work, a ballet people used to call Nutcracker Suite because people knew the music better than the ballet. Now all that is different. I have liked this ballet from the first time I danced in it as a boy when I did small roles in the Maryinsky Theatre production. When I was fifteen, I danced the Nutcracker Prince. Years later in New York, when our company decided to do an evening-long ballet, I preferred to turn to The Nutcracker, with which American audiences were not sufficiently familiar. I accordingly went back to the original score, restored cuts that had been made, and in the development of the story chose to use the original E.T.A.
Hoffmann, although keeping the outlines of the dances as given at the Maryinsky. Landlordmax crack keygen idm. A prologue was added and the dances restaged.' —, choreographer of the 's 1954 Nutcracker This version remained faithful to the original production in its casting actual children in the roles of Marie (Clara) and the Nutcracker Prince, even reconstructing some of the original choreography for the Prince's pantomime and the Grand Pas de Deux for the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier in Act II. Balanchine made some musical edits for his production, adding an originally composed for Act II of (used as a transition between the departure of the guests and the battle with the mice in Act I), moving the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy to earlier in Act II, and excising the Tarantella variation intended for the Cavalier during the Grand Pas de Deux. Balanchine also departed from the original production on some points.
For instance, while in the original production the Waltz of the Flowers was performed by eighteen male-female couples, Balanchine utilized a group of fourteen female dancers led by a Dew Drop soloist. Other changes reflect a return to Hoffmann's original tale. For instance, Balanchine used Hoffmann's original name for the heroine, Marie Stahlbaum (rather than Clara Silberhaus as in the 1892 production), and introduced a nephew for Drosselmeyer who appears in the party scene and later as the Nutcracker Prince. The production premiered on February 2, 1954 at the New York City Center, starring Alberta Grant as Marie, as Drosselmeyer, Paul Nickel as the Nutcracker Prince, as the Sugar Plum Fairy, as the Cavalier. It enjoyed huge popularity in New York and has been performed by the New York City Ballet every year since its premiere. Annual performances now take place at the. This version has been broadcast three times on live television - first, in an abridged form in 1957, by CBS on the TV anthology.
This marked the first telecast not only of the Balanchine version but of any staging of the ballet. CBS's broadcast a more complete (but still abridged) version of the Balanchine Nutcracker, narrated by actress, who was then starring as the mother in CBS's, in 1958; it was the first Nutcracker broadcast in color.
There were only four commercial breaks. This television production starred as the Sugar Plum Fairy, the then ten-year-old as Clara, and as the Nutcracker Prince.
The latest revival of the production was telecast on during the 2011 Christmas season on. It was PBS's first-ever telecast of the Balanchine Nutcracker, but was not seen in some areas because the local PBS stations there decided to substitute their own program choices (not necessarily artistic or musical). The Atlanta PBS stations, for instance, substituted self-help specials from and others, as they often do now during their pledge drives. This 2011 telecast of The Nutcracker has so far not appeared complete online, and has not been released on DVD because Live from Lincoln Center customarily refuses to release its programs on video, due to difficulties involving paying royalties to the various parties involved.
This production was nominated for an. In addition to the New York City Ballet, Balanchine's version of The Nutcracker is currently performed annually by six other ballet companies in the United States:, the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, the, the, the, and since 2015, the. It was previously performed at the in and by the. From 1966 to 1994, the staged the complete Balanchine version annually (after having performed only Act II for eight years); the company now performs choreographer 's version. See also: Rudolf Nureyev (1963). Choreography:, after Vasily Vainonen. Company:.
Premiere: November, 1967, In 1963, created his own version of Tchaikovsky's work with the, in which he starred with as Clara. Nureyev had previously performed the role of the Nutcracker Prince in Vainonen's version as a student at the Leningrad Ballet school in February 1958.
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Nureyev's production adopts many of Gorsky and Vainonen's alterations to the original 1892 version, including casting adult dancers in the roles of Clara and the Prince, eliminating the Sugar Plum Fairy, and having Clara awaken to realize the fantasy sequences were a dream. The production was videotaped for British television in 1968 and is available on DVD. As far as is known, it has never been telecast on U.S. Nureyev played the roles of Drosselmeyer and the Nutcracker Prince, while portrayed the Nutcracker.
Some critics considered this a touch, taking it to mean that it is not the Nutcracker who turns into a Prince, but Drosselmeyer. However, this is not necessarily obvious to viewers of the DVD of this production. This production was revived twice by the Paris Opera Ballet in a heavily revised version, in 1988 with as Clara and as Drosselmeyer and the Prince, and in 2008 with as Clara and in these roles. Neither of those productions have been telecast on U.S. Yuri Grigorovich (1966). Choreography:.
Company:. Premiere: 1966, In 1966, Yuri Grigorovich created his own version of The Nutcracker for the, utilizing many of the changes made by Vasily Vainonen for his 1934 production, including the casting of adult dancers in the roles of the heroine (called Maria rather than Clara in this version) and the Nutcracker Prince, and the omission of the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. In this version, all of the toys take part in the Journey Through the Snow sequence, rather than being offstage while Maria and the Prince perform the dance. And, as in the Vainonen version, much of the company also dances along with Maria and the Prince as they perform the Adagio in the Act II Pas de Deux; in fact, Maria and the Prince never have the stage all alone to themselves. As a departure from the original 1892 production, Grigorovich omits the pantomime that the Prince performs 'describing' his defeat of the Mouse King at the beginning of Act II. The music for the pantomime is used for the defeat of the Mouse King, who is not killed in the first act as in the original or Vainonen's version, but at the beginning of the second act.
In this production, although Maria (or Clara) is outfitted with a bridal veil in the Final Waltz in anticipation to her impending wedding to the Nutcracker Prince, she then awakens to find that the fantasy sequences were a dream. This version was first televised in the New York area only by WNBC-TV in 1977, only two days after CBS first telecast the famous Baryshnikov version. First Lady hosted, and the telecast was unique because the lead dancers had to be replaced halfway through due to injuries. A revival of it was recorded on video in 1987, with the same two stars of the 1977 Bolshoi production, husband-and-wife team as Maria and as the Nutcracker Prince. Another revival of this version was recorded in 1989, starring as Clara, not Maria as in the earlier version, and as the Nutcracker Prince (but not the Nutcracker himself; that role is played by a female dancer, Marisa Okothnikova). In this revival the romance between Clara and the Prince is slightly more pronounced than in the earlier Bolshoi version.
The entire score is used, which means that the Dance of the Clowns, cut from the earlier version, is reinstated, though Mother Ginger does not appear, nor do any clowns; the dance is performed by the same dancers who perform the other divertissements. It is now available on DVD, and has been telecast in the U.S. As part of 's annual 'Battle of the Nutcrackers'. The first widescreen high-definition revival of the Grigorovich Nutcracker was streamed live to movie theatres in Europe in 2010. The use of the new technique afforded moviegoers the chance to see the production in more vivid colors than had been featured in the earlier versions of the production, especially since the Bolshoi Theatre had been recently renovated. Starred as Marie (rather than Clara) and was the Nutcracker Prince. Mikhail Baryshnikov (1976).
Choreography:, after Vasily Vainonen. Company:. Premiere: December 21, 1976, In 1976, the 28-year-old Mikhail Baryshnikov premiered a new version of the ballet for the American Ballet Theatre, with himself in the title role, Marianna Tcherkassky as Clara, and Alexander Minz as Drosselmeyer. The production premiered at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
In December 1976, and received its New York premiere on May 18, 1977 at the. Like Nureyev, Baryshnikov adopted many of the changes made by Gorsky and Vainonen, including the casting of adult dancers in the roles of Clara and the Nutcracker Prince, the elimination of the Sugar Plum Fairy while making Drosselmeyer's role more prominent, and a concluding scene in which Clara realizes the fantasy sequences were a dream. This production also utilizes Vainonen's choreography for the Waltz of the Snowflakes.
Other changes included having a drunken guest at the Christmas party be the one responsible for breaking the Nutcracker, not Clara's brother Fritz, who is portrayed fairly sympathetically in this version. Clara, meanwhile, does not throw her slipper at the Mouse King during the battle, but a candleholder instead. The Grand Adagio of the Pas de Deux in Act II was made almost into a Pas de Trois, as Drosselmeyer enters the festivities at the Land of Sweets to coax Clara back to reality but she refuses to go.
In order to provide a dramatic climax to the story, the adagio was made the penultimate dance in the ballet, coming just before the Final Waltz and Apotheosis. This production achieved particular popularity when it was recorded for television in 1977, starring as Clara (one of her few roles captured on video), with Baryshnikov and Minz reprising their roles as the Nutcracker / Prince and Drosselmeyer respectively. The telecast was directed by multi-winning choreographer and director. Although not televised now as often as it used to be, and despite the fact that it was not shot in high definition or widescreen, it retains its status as the most popular telecast of the ballet even today, having become a huge bestseller on DVD especially during the Christmas season. The television version was not a live performance from the of the ballet, but a special presentation shot on videotape in a TV studio.
Had already done this as early as 1955, with its version of Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty, starring (which was, however, presented live in those days of no videotape). This method of presentation permitted far greater freedom of camera movement and more use of different camera angles. The Baryshnikov Nutcracker was videotaped in, Canada. Due to time constraints and the necessity to bring the program in at ninety minutes (counting three commercial breaks), the television version of the Baryshnikov production had to eliminate the Arabian Dance altogether. It was first telecast by in the U.S. As a Christmas season special with limited commercial interruption on December 16, 1977, pre-empting and for that week.
It was re-broadcast by CBS several times, then afterwards many times annually by, usually during their Christmas season. In 1997, a slightly edited version of it was telecast on the, as part of their program. The presentation was nominated for an for Outstanding Classical Program in the Performing Arts, and Baryshnikov himself was nominated for an Emmy for Special Classification of Outstanding Individual Achievement. On September 28, 2004, the production was reissued on DVD, remastered and in both 2.0 and 5.1 stereo surround sound.
In September 2012, it became one of the few 1970's programs originally recorded on videotape to be released on. Kent Stowell/Maurice Sendak (1983). Choreography:.
Company:. Premiere: December 13, 1983, In 1981, Kent Stowell, artistic director of the Pacific Northwest Ballet company in Seattle, approached children's author to design the sets and costumes for a new production of The Nutcracker: 'My immediate reaction to the request that I design Nutcracker was negative. I was flattered, but my reasons for saying no were plentiful. To begin with, who in the world needed another Nutcracker?.Of course I did it. We did it together.
Most of my doubts and worries were put to rest when Kent and I met for the first time early in 1981 in New York City. I liked him immediately for not wanting me to do Nutcracker for all the obvious reasons but rather because he wished me to join him in a leap into the unknown. He suggested we abandon the predictable Nutcracker and find a fresh version that did honor to Hoffman, Tchaikovsky, and ourselves. Later that year, Kent invited me to Seattle to see the company's old Nutcracker.
By then I had fallen in love with the project and after that Christmas of 1981, I set to work in earnest.' —, designer of 's 1983 Nutcracker The version they eventually created premiered in December 1983. Unlike previous versions, Stowell and Sendak turned to for inspiration and incorporated some of the darker aspects of Hoffmann's tale. In this production, Clara is portrayed by a young girl up until the defeat of the Mouse King, after which the character is transformed into a young woman and performed by an adult dancer for the remainder of the ballet. Stowell dispenses with the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Confiturembourg setting for Act II altogether, opting instead, according to Sendak, for an exotic port containing a, in which the Grand Pasha (meant to resemble Drosselmeyer, played by the same performer) has his entourage perform for the couple in honor of their bravery. At the end of Act II, the boat on which Clara and the Prince journey to the Land of Sweets returns to take the Nutcracker and Clara away.
Clara expresses reluctance to leave and the Pasha sends the boat away without her. As in the Vainonen, Clara wakes to realize the fantasy sequences were a dream. Sendak and Stowell also added to the original score a duet from Tchaikovsky's opera, to be performed at the Christmas Party. This production was extremely popular and has been revived in Seattle every year since its premiere. In 1986 it served as the basis for the feature film,. In 2014 it completed its 32-year run. Peter Wright (1984 and 1990).
Choreography:, after. Company:. Premiere: December 20, 1984, In 1984, dancer-choreographer Peter Wright created a new production based on the original 1892 production for the. In doing so, he enlisted the aide of musicologist Roland John Wiley, who had done extensive research on Tchaikovsky's ballets and served as production consultant. Together, they created a production that was closely based on the original. For the Waltz of the Flowers, for instance, Wright utilized the floor patterns designed by Ivanov for the premiere and, unlike many productions, featured a doll in Act I as in the original production. Wright departed from the original in the casting of adult dancers in the roles of Clara and the Nutcracker Prince, and omitting Mother Gigogne and her Polichinelles.
Unlike Vasily Vainonen's 1934 production, however, the roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier remain intact. Wright's production, like Balanchine's, incorporates a nephew for Drosselmeyer, named Hans-Peter, but in this production he is actually the Nutcracker Prince, an element featured in. The sets and costumes were designed by Julia Trevelyan Oman, inspired by the era of 19th century. This production premiered at the in December 1984. In 1985, it was recorded by the and televised in the U.S. By, starring Julie Rose as Clara, Guy Niblett as Hans-Peter, as the Sugar Plum Fairy, and as her Cavalier.
Wright has stated that of all his productions of the ballet, the 1984 one is the closest to the original, although Clara and Hans-Peter are played by adults. Wright even has the dancing dolls at the Christmas party bursting out of pies, as in the 1892 production. Wright revised the production in 2001 for the newly renovated Royal Opera House to create an ending in which Clara first believes that she was dreaming her adventures; then in the epilogue, after meeting Hans-Peter again in the real world, she realizes that they actually happened.
The revised production was videotaped and televised in the U.S. As part of PBS's, starring as Clara, as the Nutcracker Prince, as the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Anthony Dowell (this time as Drosselmeyer). These first two versions of the Wright production are available on DVD. In 2008, again with a new cast ( as Clara, as Hans-Peter, and as Drosselmeyer), the production was streamed live to movie theatres in England, and was presented as a high-definition film in select theatres throughout the U.S. During the 2009 Christmas season. There exist two different versions of this revival. The first one, with as the Sugar Plum Fairy, was filmed in 2008, and another one, also with Loots, Cervera and Avis, but with as the Sugar Plum Fairy, was filmed in 2009 and also shown in theatres, and was released on DVD in 2010.
In the 2008 staging, romantic interest between Clara and Hans-Peter is more pronounced than in the other versions of this production: they kiss several times. The 2009 revival of the Wright production was selected as a candidate in 's 2010 'Battle of the Nutcrackers' contest — not the version with Alina Cojocaru as Clara, as has been erroneously stated on some websites.
The 2009 production ultimately was chosen as the viewer favorite in the contest. It made its U.S. TV debut on December 6, 2010. The 2010 contest marked the first time that this revival of the production was shown on U.S. Choreography:. Company:. Premiere: December 29, 1990, Wright staged a new version of the ballet in 1990, when the Sadler Wells Royal Ballet moved to and became the under his direction.
For this production, Wright departed more freely from the 1892 original than in his 1984 Royal Ballet production. In this version, the fantasy sequences are once again a dream, Clara is a ballet student, and her mother is a former ballerina. The production has been particularly praised for John Macfarlane's set designs. In 1994, this version was filmed, starring as the Nutcracker Prince, as Clara, and once again, as the Sugar Plum Fairy, and was released on DVD by (as of this writing, Ms. Yoshida has danced the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy more times on video than any other dancer).
However, this Birmingham Ballet production has never been telecast in the U.S. The Hard Nut — Mark Morris (1991). —, choreographer of Nutcracker! The original production was a success and was brought back to the in 1993 and 1994. It was nominated for a 1994 for 'Best New Dance Production' and for a 'Best of the Edinburgh Festival Award'.
Bourne revised the production in 2002, which has since been performed in various locations in Britain and the U.S. In 2003, it was telecast on the channel. It was later released on DVD. 21st century Kirill Simonov / Mikhail Chemiakin (2001). Choreography:. Company:. Premiere: February 12, 2001, In 2001, Russian artist joined with choreographer, at the request of conductor, to design a new production of the ballet: 'The music of The Nutcracker is multifaceted and, like all great works, inexhaustible.
Each time we return to this music, more and more unexpected layers of this unique 'balletic symphony' unfold. I believe that this ballet has long needed to be freed of the pall of obvious 'childishness', the feeling of a children's matinee. Its music is immeasurably richer in content, more profound, more philosophical. The innovation of the musical interpretation attracted Chemiakin. We restored cuts, brought the tempos into line, and the music suddenly sounded totally different - shattering the stereotypes and revealing new meanings.
We intend to show this production in the world's major venues. We hope that our work will find a warm response in the hearts of theatregoers.' Main article: Schelkunchik ( Nutcracker) is a 1973 Russian animated short based on the story with no dialogue, and features Tchaikovsky's music, not only from The Nutcracker, but also from and. In this version the heroine is not Clara, the daughter of a distinguished Town Council President, but a lonely chambermaid who works in a large house.
When she kisses the Nutcracker, he comes to life, but is ashamed of his appearance. He must fight the Mouse King in order to break the spell placed upon him and become a Prince again. Dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov featured this version in his PBS television series. Telecast added narration.
Nutcracker: The Motion Picture (1986) The film Nutcracker: The Motion Picture (referred to in the film credits as Pacific Northwest Ballet's Nutcracker) is a feature film based on of The Nutcracker with sets and costume designs by and narration by as the adult voice of Clara. Directed by, it was released nationwide in the U.S.
As in the stage version, Clara was played by a young girl during the Christmas party and the Battle with the Mice, and an adult dancer throughout the remainder of the ballet (until Clara awakens from her dream). The Nutcracker and the Nutcracker Prince were also played by two dancers in the film: Jacob Rice before the toy's transformation into a Prince, and Wade Walthall throughout the rest of the film. The 'Overture' shows Drosselmeyer in his workshop coming up with the idea for and then actually creating/building his special Christmas present. This version introduces hints of sexual tension between Clara and Drosselmeyer; during the Christmas Party, Clara is visibly uneasy around Drosselmeyer, who seems to be leering at her, and at one point even shrinks from his touch. In the dream sequence, there is an obvious rivalry between the Pasha (Drosselmeyer's dream counterpart) and the Nutcracker Prince as the Pasha tries to get Clara to sit with him, against the wishes of the Nutcracker Prince.
The ending of the film departs from the stage version. As Clara and her Prince slowly swirl around wrapped in each other's arms while the Apotheosis plays, the Pasha magically levitates them higher and higher into the air as the other dancers wave goodbye. Suddenly, the jealous Pasha points his finger at the couple, which magically causes them to let go of each other. They suddenly begin to freefall, and the Prince again becomes a nutcracker. Just as both are about to hit the ground and presumably be seriously injured or killed, Clara (a young girl again) is jolted awake from her dream. In the film, the Final Waltz is heard during the closing credits (although the Apotheosis is performed during the last moments of the ballet). Drosselmeyer is sleeping at his work desk (with the presumption that the dream was not Clara's but his), on which we see the dancers performing the waltz.
The Nutcracker Prince (1990). Main article: In 1990, a Canadian animated version, The Nutcracker Prince, starring the voices of, and, among others, was released. This one also used Tchaikovsky's music, but was actually a straightforward full-length animated cartoon, not a ballet film. The plot follows E.T.A. Hoffmann's original storyline in having the Nutcracker actually be Drosselmeyer's nephew (named Hans in this version), and having Clara meet him in real life at the end. The fantasy elements really do occur in this film version, as in Hoffmann's story. New characters (one of them voiced by Peter O'Toole) are added to the plot.
George Balanchine's The Nutcracker (1993). Main article: In 1993, George Balanchine's version for the New York City Ballet served as the basis for a full-length feature film called George Balanchine's The Nutcracker, made by and. It was distributed and released. The film was directed by, with narration spoken. The cast includes Jessica Lynn Cohen as Marie, as the Nutcracker, the Prince, and Drosselmeyer's nephew, as the Sugar Plum Fairy, as Dew-Drop, as the Fairy's Cavalier, and as Coffee. The film was criticized by for not capturing the excitement of a live performance, stating that it 'opts to present a relatively mundane version of the stage production. Utilizing almost none of the advantages offered by the (film) medium.'
Of the criticized the film for not adapting the dance for a film audience and also its casting of Culkin who, he writes, 'seems peripheral to all of the action, sort of like a celebrity guest or visiting royalty, nodding benevolently from the corners of shots.' In, Lucy Linfield echoed Ebert's criticism of Culkin, stating that 'it's not so much that he can't act or dance; more important, the kid seems to have forgotten how to smile. All little Mac can muster is a surly grimace.' She praised the dancing, however, as 'strong, fresh and in perfect sync' and Kistler's Sugar Plum Fairy as 'the Balanchinean ideal of a romantic, seemingly fragile beauty combined with a technique of almost startling strength, speed and knifelike precision.' ' also criticized Culkin, calling his performance the film's 'only serious flaw', but praised the cinematography as 'very scrupulous in the way it establishes a mood of participatory excitement, then draws back far enough so that the classic ballet sequences choreographed by Balanchine and staged by Peter Martins can be seen in their full glory.'
The Nuttiest Nutcracker (1999). Main article: This animated film uses generous chunks of Tchaikovsky's music, and is a direct-to-video digitally animated version of the story with, of course, the doll, released in 2001. (However, Barbie appears not as Clara, but as herself.
Clara, though, looks exactly like Barbie, and is still the main character, and her story is told as a story-within-a-film). The film significantly alters the storyline of the Hoffmann tale, adding all sorts of perils not found in the original story, or the ballet. There is even a Stone Monster, sent by the Mouse King, that chases Clara and the Nutcracker. Drosselmeyer is not Clara's godfather but her grandfather, and is depicted as being notably grumpy.
It is not Drosselmeyer who gives Clara the Nutcracker, but her aunt, and in this version, Clara is an orphan raised by her grandfather. The Nutcracker, rather than becoming a Prince after his victory in battle, must travel to the Sugar Plum Princess's castle in order for the spell to be broken; defeating the Mouse King is not enough. At the end, Clara turns out to be the Sugar Plum Princess, and her kiss breaks the spell that had been placed on the Nutcracker. Real New York City Ballet dancers were used in the production and in order to properly capture ballet movements - the, the Adagio from the, and the are performed much as they would be in a live production of The Nutcracker.
Served as choreographer. In this version, the Prince asks Clara to stay on as his Queen, even telling her 'I love you'. But Clara is dreaming, and therefore must awaken. However, the couple is reunited in reality when Clara's aunt brings 'the son of a friend' over to visit for Christmas.
In this version, the Mouse King does not die until near the end. The film also features touches of (sometimes deliberately anachronistic) humor: after the battle with the mice, the Nutcracker, who has not yet regained his form as a Prince, says to Clara, 'Thank you for saving my life, and for your superior nursing skills'. During the early part of her adventures, Clara maintains a skeptical attitude, even saying 'This is crazy' at one point. The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (2004) In 2004, Argus International in Moscow produced an animated version of 'The Nutcracker and the Mouse King', based on the original story by E.T.A. The English version was released in 2005 and features the voices of as the Mouse King, as the mouse Squeak, as the mouse Bubble, and (of fame) as the voice of Herr Drosselmeyer. The Secret of the Nutcracker (2007) , a 2007 Canadian film which uses some of the ballet characters as well as Tchaikovsky's music, has never been telecast in the U.S., but has been released on DVD.
This version, a dramatic film which uses a new plot, features as Drosselmeyer. This 'retelling' is set during, and makes Clara's father a prisoner of war.
Nazis also feature in this adaptation. The Nutcracker in 3D (2010). ^ Fisher, J. Nutcracker Nation: How an Old World Ballet Became a Christmas Tradition in the New World, New Haven: Yale University Press. ^ Anderson, J.
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