The Nutcracker

ballet in two acts
music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky


Conductor —  Alexey Nyaga

Libretto: Marius Petipa based on the story by E.T.A. Hoffmann revised by Nikolay Boyarchikov
Choreography: Nikolay Boyarchikov
Stage Design: Vyacheslav Okunev
Premiere of the production: June 29, 1996

Running time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Perfomance has one interval
The performance is recommended for viewers above the age of 6


Despite its reputation as the bonbon of the ballet world, The Nutcracker is a ballet far from a sugary cliché. The plot is as crazy as it is convincing, mirrored by Tchaikovsky’s ingenious orchestration, and Boyarchikov’s inventive choreography. The Nutcracker is a ballet popular both with children and adults. The surreal action takes place in an increasingly fantastical world, leaving the cozy domesticity of Masha’s parents’ house far behind. As soon as the audience adapts to one new world, another follows swiftly on as transformation follows transformation.

The magician Drosselmeyer sets out to find a young girl who can break the curse imposed by the Mouse King on his nephew, and restore him to human form. Mice and toys stage a pitched battle. Drosselmeyer sends Masha to the Land of the Snow. The story movingly tracks Masha’s own transformation from child to young woman — her triumph over the Mouse King is a rite of passage, which opens the door to the magical world beyond.