Classical Music Milestone: Dec 17
The Nutcracker ballet is in two acts and three scenes to a scenario by Marius Petipa and choreographed by Lev Ivanov after Alexandre Dumas Père’s version of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. Tchaikovsky arranged an orchestral suite, op. 71a.
The ballet debuted on December 17, 1892, at the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, with a double bill show: Tchaikovsky’s grim opera Iolanta (Iolanthe), followed by the light-hearted ballet The Nutcracker. It was a terrible blow to the composer since The Nutcracker wasn’t warmly received, and the critics, merciless. The composer died less than a year after the ballet’s flop. Interestingly, the ballet was in Mariinsky’s active repertoire for 37 years. It was even performed by other Russian composers, although not that popular.
The complete Nutcracker has enjoyed enormous popularity since the late 1960s and is now performed by countless ballet companies, primarily during the Christmas season, especially in North America. The ballet's score has been used in several film adaptations of Hoffmann's story.
Tchaikovsky's score has become one of his most famous compositions. Among other things, the score is noted for its use of the celesta, an instrument that the composer had already employed in his much lesser known symphonic ballad The Voyevoda.
The Nutcracker ballet is in two acts and three scenes to a scenario by Marius Petipa and choreographed by Lev Ivanov after Alexandre Dumas Père’s version of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. Tchaikovsky arranged an orchestral suite, op. 71a.
The ballet debuted on December 17, 1892, at the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, with a double bill show: Tchaikovsky’s grim opera Iolanta (Iolanthe), followed by the light-hearted ballet The Nutcracker. It was a terrible blow to the composer since The Nutcracker wasn’t warmly received, and the critics, merciless. The composer died less than a year after the ballet’s flop. Interestingly, the ballet was in Mariinsky’s active repertoire for 37 years. It was even performed by other Russian composers, although not that popular.
The complete Nutcracker has enjoyed enormous popularity since the late 1960s and is now performed by countless ballet companies, primarily during the Christmas season, especially in North America. The ballet's score has been used in several film adaptations of Hoffmann's story.
Tchaikovsky's score has become one of his most famous compositions. Among other things, the score is noted for its use of the celesta, an instrument that the composer had already employed in his much lesser known symphonic ballad The Voyevoda.
Suggested Listening:
Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker without ballet, rather focus is on the orchestra's musicians playing beautifully their parts. Artists: Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest. Conductor - Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
Image Credit:
Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker Ballet (BalletTheatre) Kirov Ballet. St Petersburg. Accessed December 17, 2012.
Resource:
Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org
(c) December 2012. Updated September 29, 2019. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment