For the 125th anniversary of the Christmas productions 7days.ru collected unique facts of its history.

A scene from the ballet “the Nutcracker”. M. Ryzhkina dancing /Marie/ N. Tsiskaridze /the Nutcracker-Prince/.

Photo: Alexander Kosinets/TASS

18 December 2017 at the Mariinsky theatre in Saint-Petersburg
there will be a solemn celebration dedicated to the 125th anniversary of the ballet
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “the Nutcracker”, which premiered on 18 December 1892.

Over the years, an outstanding ballet with its gorgeous
scenery, the highest acting skills of the performers and unique
music, became not only the hallmark of Russian ballet
around the world, but also the enduring symbol of the holiday for Russians in anticipation
New year.

For the 125th anniversary of the main new year musical fairy tale portal 7days.ru remembered key moments from its history.

1. The libretto for the ballet formed a shortened children’s
tale

A scene from the ballet “the Nutcracker”. Ballerina Ekaterina Maximova in the role of Masha.

Photo: Alexander Skates/ TASS

Tchaikovsky ballets on the world stage is a special place, and
“The Nutcracker” is perhaps the most famous of them. Their appearance statement
required famous theatre and ballet figure of Marius Petipa, who created
the libretto for the ballet based on the fairy tale by Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann “the Nutcracker and the
the mouse king,” published in the German book “Children’s tales” (1816).

The libretto was based on a short by Alexandre Dumas-father arrangement
tales made in 1844, 28 years after first publication of the book. It is possible, the tale would not be such
popular doesn’t write her music Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Incidentally, Petipa and Tchaikovsky had already worked together: they
previous joint project — the ballet “Sleeping beauty”, created by the same
tales of Charles Perrault and presented to the public in 1890, was a resounding success.

So when the Director of the Imperial theatres Ivan
Vsevolozhsky commissioned composer of Opera and ballet to one of the concerts, Petipa
and Tchaikovsky once again joined forces. And not lost. Premiere of their new
the joint creation of the ballet “the Nutcracker” took place in
The Mariinsky theatre in Saint-Petersburg and also was sold out.

2. The cast of the first performance was stellar

A scene from the ballet “the Nutcracker” : Ekaterina Berezina in the role of Marie and Valery Trofimchuk in the role of Drosselmeyer in the State theatre of classical ballet.

Photo: Anatoly Morkovkin, Homeland Gennady/TASS

The incredible popularity of ballet has brought not only unparalleled
Tchaikovsky’s music, but “star” cast of soloists. The main role of the Nutcracker brilliantly
performed an outstanding dancer and member of a famous theatrical dynasty
Sergei Legat, as the sugar plum fairy was played by the Italian ballerina Antonietta Dell Era, famous for
thanks to the bright debut in the Petit ballet “the Sleeping beauty” (party Princess
Aurora).

The role of the Prince of Pertussis was played by the famous artist of the ballet troupe
Imperial theatres Pavel Gerdt, dance manner which differed
generosity, flexibility and facial expressiveness, and a senior adviser
Drosselmeyer was played by the actor of Comedy and vaudeville and unsurpassed master of creation
artistic image plasticity of human bodies (without using words) Timothy
Stukolkin.

The main characters of the ballet begins children Clara and Fritz —
played ballet students
Department of the Imperial College of Stanislava Belinskaya and Vasily Stukolkin, after the premiere recognized as rising stars of the stage.

3. With the name of the main character is a confusion

the cartoon “the Nutcracker” 1973

By the way, the name of the girl in the printed version and the productions of the ballet sounds
in different ways: in the work of Hoffmann the main character’s name is Marie (Mariechen)
ballet Petipa Clara, and some Soviet productions of Tchaikovsky’s ballet she
all became… Russian Masha. And here’s why.

According to the original tale, Clara is called favorite doll
girls. However, in many performances of various theaters doll, or were exempt from, or remained nameless. It happened
and in the very first “Nutcracker”: although the doll was present in the formulation, its name
Petipa gave the main character, became with his light hand, not Marie, and Clara.

In Soviet productions since the late 1920s, the ballet “Russified”, the German names for ideological reasons (after the First world war of 1914-1918 the Germans
were considered enemies, and many related things were banned —
Approx. ed.) was eventually replaced by Russian ones. So girl Marie
he received a traditional Russian name Maria, and her brother Fritz (in some versions of “the Nutcracker”) turned to Mike.

4. The main Russian Nutcracker for 18 years was Nicholas
Tsiskaridze

Nikolai Tsiskaridze

Photo: Sergey Fadeichev/TASS

Over 125-year history came the many versions of the outstanding
ballet. On the stages of the Mariinsky and Bolshoi theatre “the Nutcracker” put such famous
choreographers like Lev Ivanov, Alexander Gorsky, Fedor Lopukhov, Vasily
Vainonen, Yury Grigorovich and Mikhail Shemyakin, and the lead roles were performed legends
domestic theatrical scene: Pyotr Gusev and Olga Mungalova (staged 1929), Konstantin Sergeyev
and Galina Ulanova (1934),
Alexei Ermolaev and Marina Semenova (1939), Vladimir Vasiliev and Ekaterina
Maximova (1966).

But perhaps the most widely recognized and loved by the Russian audience
The Nutcracker was Nikolai Tsiskaridze, who made his debut in this role in 1995
year staged by Yuri Grigorovich at the Bolshoi theatre. By the way, to Prince the then rising star of the ballet “grown” not immediately. Career artist in
this performance began with a minor role of a French doll, and only after
a few years he became the main character.

Tsiskaridze was the main Russian Nutcracker for 18 years, he danced his party even on December, 31st — the day of his birth. Note
this holiday on stage in the role of the Nutcracker, creating the audience an unforgettable
Christmas mood, for it has become a good tradition. “Make a gift
beloved. Dance in “the Nutcracker” for me, joy,” said Tsiskaridze, who last played your favorite role in 2013.

5. “The Nutcracker” appeared on the silver screen

El fanning in the film by Andrei Konchalovsky’s “the Nutcracker” 2010

Photo: Kinopoisk

The work of Hoffmann not only repeatedly put on
the theatrical stage, but also portrayed. The most famous film version of the Christmas tale
are Soviet cartoon 1973’s “the Nutcracker”, directed by Boris
By Stepanavan and quite different from the original, the Hollywood
tale-ballet in 1993 with Macaulay Kalkin and fantasy film Andrew
Konchalovsky’s “the Nutcracker and the Rat
The king” (2010), in which the main roles were performed by stars of Hollywood Elle fanning
and John Turturro.

It is curious that the English
adaptation Konchalovsky is only vaguely reminiscent of a classic tale, and was designed
for foreign audiences (e.g. children’s name’s Mary and Max Is Approx. ed.). To
in the Russian hire role dubbed Alla Pugacheva (Queen
Rats / Frau Eva), Philip (Rat
King) and Julia (Louise
/ Snow Fairy). However, the film with
a budget of $ 90 million in worldwide box office fell, collecting just over $16 million.

Unlike “the Nutcracker”
Konchalovsky with Hollywood actors, some of the modern Russian film version of the ballet
was a success in theaters. Especially popular among the audience enjoyed the staging of 2014 for wide screen, where the main roles were played by ballet stars of our time, Denis Rodkin, and Anna Nikulina.