The Nutcracker Around The World

Did you know there are many different versions of The Nutcracker? All of them tell a similar story, but they each have a very unique take on the classic tale. Here are four you may be familiar with:

1. Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker

This Nutcracker follows “Clara’s bittersweet journey from a darkly comic Christmas Eve at Dr. Dross’ Orphanage, through a shimmering, ice-skating winter wonderland to the scrumptious candy kingdom of Sweetieland, influenced by the lavish Hollywood musicals of the 1930’s.” (sadlerswells.com)

2. Peter Wright’s Nutcracker for the Royal Ballet

This version “keeps true to the spirit of [the] Russian ballet classic…. Clara is given an enchanted Nutcracker doll on Christmas Eve. As midnight strikes, she creeps downstairs to find a magical adventure awaiting her and her Nutcracker.” This Nutcracker has the fight between the mice and toy soldiers and the Kingdom Of Sweets. (roh.org.uk)

3. Toer van Schayk’s and Wayne Eagling’s The Nutcracker and the Mouse King with music by Tchaikovsky

“This new dynamic choreography helped inaugurate a holiday tradition in the Netherlands with a uniquely Dutch vision of the brave toy’s battle against the Mouse King in the imaginative escapades of Clara….Set in the early 1800s during the feast of Saint Nicholas, this gorgeous Nutcracker sees Clara’s living room transform into a snowy forest, and sends dancers skating down frozen Dutch canals!” (medici.tv)

4. Marius Petipa’s Nutcracker with music by Tchaikovsky

“Alexandre Dumas Père’s adaptation of the story by E.T.A. Hoffmann was set to music by Tchaikovsky and originally choreographed by Marius Petipa….The story centers on a young girl’s Christmas Eve and her awakening to the wider world and romantic love….The suite became instantly popular; however the complete ballet did not achieve its great popularity as a Christmas performance event until almost 100 years later.” (nutcracker.com)

Many countries have their own take on this amazing story and it is so cool to see those stories come to life. What is your favorite version of The Nutcracker? Are there other Nutcracker versions we missed? 

Sources Used:

https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/03/arts/dance/the-nutcracker-in-london-four-different-versions.html 

https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/matthew-bournes-nutcracker/

https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/the-nutcracker-by-peter-wright-details

https://www.medici.tv/en/ballets/nutcracker-and-mouse-king/

https://www.nutcracker.com/about-us/history-of-nutcracker

https://www.alamy.com 

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By: AJ (Intern)