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History of The Nutcracker Ballet
The Nutcracker is a product of collaboration between the Russian composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky and the French choreographer Marius Petipa who, during the late 1800's, created some of the most famous ballets still performed today throughout the world. The team had already created the renowned ballets Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty when they began work on The Nutcracker, which premiered at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia on December 17, 1892. The story of The Nutcracker Ballet is very loosely based on the book The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T.A. Hoffman.
While creating the ballet, Petipa became ill, and his assistant Lev Ivanov was engaged to choreograph some of the Nutcracker scenes including the famous Snow Scene and Grand Pas de Deux. (Ivanov had choreographed parts of Swan Lake, including the White Swans of Act 2.) Tchaikovsky gave an indication of the difficulties of artistic creation when he said that he was displeased with his own score as he was writing it, but by the time of the premiére the music had grown on him, and he finally acknowledged that he was happy with the result.
During the 1930's, The Nutcracker was presented in several European countries, and in North America by the Ballet Russe on tour. The first American production was by the San Francisco Ballet in 1940. Since then, The Nutcracker Ballet has become especially popular in the United States, drawing an annual audience larger than any other ballet.
Unlike other famous classical ballets that are usually staged with choreography similar to the original , The Nutcracker is almost always adapted by each ballet company to fit its own tastes and times, and is an annual opportunity for choreographers to create new conceptions based on the original music, characters and story. In this way The Nutcracker Ballet is a constantly evolving work of art.
Boulder Ballet and the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra
present The Nutcracker Ballet
Boulder Ballet's current production combines traditional classical style with new characters, circus arts, and unique special effects. The choreography is meant to visualize Tchaikovsky's beautiful score in a way that is both classical and relevant to today's audiences. While many productions downplay the story of Clara (sometimes known as Marie) and focus instead on abstract dance in the Petipa style, Boulder Ballet's production follows Clara as she grows from child to adult during the course of a dream, and Clara herself is involved in much of the dancing that happens around her. Clara is truly the center of the ballet.
Boulder Ballet and Colorado Ballet are the only two Denver metro-area companies offering a full scale production with professional ballet company and live orchestra, scenery and costumes in a grand opera house setting. As in all Nutcrackers, the cast also includes many children (students of the Boulder Ballet School) who perform the youthful characters and provide a delightful attraction for young audience members. With Tchaikovsky's magnificent music beautifully played by the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, the entire production lives and breathes in a spontaneous way with each performance.
Reviews:
"A Nutcracker that's refreshingly musical and studded with sweet moments and memorable characters…a real reason to rejoice" Daily Camera.
"Boulder has much to be proud of with its resident production of The Nutcracker" Denver Post
"Quintessential Nutcracker - whimsical and delightful" KUNC Radio.
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Copyright © 2007 Boulder Ballet
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