The 1892 ballet, The Nutcracker, was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Originally

choreographed by Marius Petipa, this two-act dance piece premiered in Saint Petersburg’s

Mariinsky Theatre as a part of a double feature along with the opera Iolanta. The ballet’s first

run wasn’t received well. Everything from the event’s dancers to the plotline was heavily

criticized. The first complete production put up outside Russia was in England, in the year 1934.

Unlike the Mariinsky Theatre presentation, the later productions employed adults to play the

roles of the kids.

The Nutcracker follows Clara into an imaginary realm of toys. It begins right before Christmas

eve when Clara’s family gathers together to decorate the Christmas tree. Clara is gifted an

extraordinary nutcracker - one that resembles a man dressed in a red uniform. Clara is thrilled

with the toy but her younger brother Fritz wants it for himself. A tug of war ensues, eventually

leading to the disfigurement of the nutcracker. From here begins a magical journey involving the

Nutcracker Prince, his army of toy soldiers, the evil Mouse King and his entourage, the Sugar

Plum Fairy, and Clara’s life-saving slipper.

Although it is primarily a children’s tale, the Nutcracker brings joy to both the young and the old.

Performed by various renowned ballet companies, The Nutcracker has gone from being a

failure to a beloved Christmas tradition. George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® by the New York

City Ballet, and the versions performed by the New Orleans Ballet and the Arizona Ballet are a

few of the most famous productions of this piece. The Australian Ballet, The English National

Ballet and The National Ballet of Canada have also put up noteworthy performances of this

showpiece.

American dance critic, Sarah Kaufman, has argued that the Russian ballet has hampered the

artistic growth of the American ballet. According to her, the seasonal repetition of this dance

production is thwarting creativity. Her opinions were countered by many including one Alastair

Macauley, also a dance critic. Macauley stated that The Nutcracker, as a tradition, brings the

diverse American audience together by celebrating the themes of goodwill, compassion and

bravery that contribute to the grand affair that is Christmas.

Despite its many critics, The Nutcracker has eternally embedded itself deep into the world’s

Yuletide celebrations. Other than the emulation of the original piece, ballet companies have also

recreated it by adding and/or deleting certain parts of the masterpiece. Contemporary

adaptations of the dance have created quite a stir in the world of events . With the story being

performed in various dance forms - contemporary, hip-hop and Latin to name a few - the world

of theater did not want to be left behind.

There exists a No Dance Nutcracker which is quite apt for people who do not follow ballet or aren’t really fond of dance . Two very popular and quirky adaptations of this dance piece are The Nutbuster - a theatrical dance event and The Slutcracker - a satire of the original piece in the form of burlesque. Hence, it goes without saying that The Nutcracker, no matter its form, will always be here to spread cheer among the masses.

Know more information about concerts. Visit our official website: http://www.eventseeker.com