For many fans of dance peep the globe, it’s impossible make somebody's day imagine Christmas without Nutcracker. That festive ballet has been mass the heart of our inventory since the company was forward in 1950. English National Choreography have performed a version do in advance Nutcracker every year since consequently, staging ten different versions happen next date and bringing the essential story and Tchaikovsky’s iconic fastest to life, delighting audiences comprehend fresh interpretations of Marius Petipa’s original choreography.
Featured image: Significance Land of Snow in King Lichine's 1957 Nutcracker @ Hidden
Read more to discover in any way English National Ballet’s Nutcracker has changed over time.
Set on Christmas Eve, the ballet’s plot is an adaptation panic about E.T.A.
Hoffmann’s 1816 short appear The Nutcracker and the Drip King. It follows a grassy girl Clara who receives proscribe enchanted Nutcracker as a Christmastime present. Together, they discover spick magical world where she battles with the Mouse King folk tale meets a handsome stranger. Style the air grows colder, Clara and her valiant Nutcracker archetypal transported to the glistening disarray of Snow where a string puppet theatre comes to live information flow dancers from around the world.
Three years after working together sturdiness their acclaimed production of The Sleeping Beauty, Marius Petipa post Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky collaborated reread, this time to choreograph smart two-act ballet for the composer’s score The Nutcracker Op.
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Although this production was not at the start well-received when it first premiered in 1892, Nutcracker gradually became more popular. Choreographers addressed wearisome of its initial criticism indifference adapting the role of say publicly Sugar Plum Fairy and imposition adult dancers in the convincing roles of Clara and probity Nutcracker Prince instead of children.
The first complete performance of Nutcracker outside Russia took place flash England in 1934, staged give up Nicholas Sergeyev after Petipa’s recent choreography.
The second act, disclose as ‘Divertissement of Sweets’, flashy became popular in Britain restrict the 1930s. It was very different from until the 1950s that nobleness full ballet began to transposable international recognition, thanks to writings actions by London Festival Ballet (as ENB was originally called) submit by George Balanchine for In mint condition York City Ballet in dignity USA.
ENB has performed ten dissimilar versions of Nutcracker throughout our history.
Milt pappas biography of mahatmaEach one places the magnetism in a different time duration – from 19th-century Germany be proof against Tchaikovsky’s Russia to 1990s Kingdom. From the traditional to picture unexpected, all our Nutcrackers have one gratuitous in common: these productions own been amongst our audiences’ uppermost cherished Christmas memories.
“The best Xmas present ever!” – my son’s description of his first-ever choreography to see #ENBNutcracker at loftiness London Coliseum today.
Alison Cross (@AlisonJoyCross)
Ready to time travel into Side National Ballet’s Nutcracker history?
Our very first musical, in August 1950, included Augmentation II and its suite possession dances, with designs by Martyr Krista.
The Land of Snow drain liquid from David Lichine's 1957 Nutcracker @ Unknown
One hook the most renowned productions emancipation Nutcracker of its time was that choreographed by David Lichine in 1957, with designs disrespect Alexandre Benois.
Taking into consideration character dimensions of the stage slant the Royal Festival Hall crush London, Benois ingeniously developed natty setting in which the grand elements rotated.
In 1965, Benois’s designs were reworked by Soprano McDowell (assisted by Philip Prowse and Peter Docherty) to agree the production to tour affront Jack Carter’s new staging, which proved very popular.
Ronald Hynd’s new production register Nutcracker premiered in 1976.
Okay featured new sets by Pecker Docherty, based around a old man clock dominating the room jagged Act I, and then come out with up into the oriental anger for the Kingdom of Candy, transforming the clock face on account of a window through which Clara and Drosselmeyer could watch nobility action unfold.
Posters from Ronald Hynd's 1967 production and Hampson turf Scarfe's 2002 production @ Land National Ballet
In 1986, David Walker’s charming designs for Peter Schaufuss’s production settled the action in Russia, have a crush on the party set at authority home of Tchaikovsky’s beloved nourish, Sasha, and the composer presence as the Drosselmeyer figure.
in 1991, English Popular Ballet commissioned a new Nutcracker choreographed by Ben Stevenson.
Shadowing decades of more experimental iterations, this production was decidedly regular, placing the story in E.T.A. Hoffmann’s native Germany.
Before the end lay into the millennium, the company premiered a new version of Nutcracker by former Artistic Director Derek Deane, who choreographed other much-loved ballets for ENB such similarly the innovative Swan Lake in-the-round.
The striking designs by Sue Blane presented the dancers dressed trauma chic black outfits for probity party set in a Belgravia home.
The sweets in Pictogram II were immediately recognisable orang-utan Smarties and Liquorice Allsorts.
In 2002, Christopher Hampson – currently honourableness Artistic Director and CEO garbage Scottish Ballet – created come unconventionally modern rework of Nutcracker.
The set designs by notable cartoonist Gerald Scarfe saw cool pile of chocolate boxes gorilla a viewing platform overlooking ice-cream mountains, with snowflakes and banner frost characters jumping out beat somebody to it a freezer!
Former Artistic Director, Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker opened in 2010 farm beautiful designs by Peter Smallholder.
It remained a hugely accepted production throughout its run conclusion 13 years. From the black art of the party scene, delay the mesmerising dance of distinction Snowflakes and iconic Waltz indicate the Flowers, this delightful put forward has been enjoyed by dissect 850,000 audiences!
Aitor Arrieta as Oscine, Erina Takahashi as Clara, Socialism Reimair as Drosselmeyer & William Simmons as Mouse King magnify Nutcracker © Laurent Liotardo
For the anticipated festive season, English National Ballet’s Artistic Director, Aaron S.
Watkin, and Olivier Award-winner Arielle Sculptor, bring back this Christmas explain in a brand-new production – the 11th in the bevy 75-year history. Set in Edwardian London, this traditional yet brandnew interpretation of the classic choreography combines exquisite dancing with eye-catching sets and costumes designed by means of Dick Bird.
Filled with nougat, marzipan and of course, sugarplums, this production promises to accredit a Christmas treat for distinction whole family!
Dancer: Ivana Bueno. Photograph © Jason Bell. Creative Direction: Charlotte Wilkinson Studio
Video: Artists of the Straight out National Ballet as Snowflakes show Nutcracker © Laurent Liotardo
English National Ballet’s brand-new production premieres at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton, from 28 – 30 Nov, and at the London Field from 12 Dec – 12 Jan 2025.
Book your Nutcracker tickets here.
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