Famous works · Romantic
The Nutcracker, Op. 71
Premiered 18 December 1892, St Petersburg
A Christmas ballet whose suite became famous even before the ballet did.
The story behind it
Based on Alexandre Dumas's version of E.T.A. Hoffmann's story, it premiered at the Mariinsky Theatre with choreography by Lev Ivanov.
Tchaikovsky introduced the celesta, a new keyboard instrument he had found in Paris, for the Sugar Plum Fairy.
It became a holiday tradition in North America after 20th-century productions, especially George Balanchine's 1954 staging.
What to listen for
- The celesta in the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.
- The Waltz of the Flowers.