During the Christmas season, it is difficult to be more than 25 miles away from a performance of “The Nutcracker” in this country.
As American as Friday Night Lights and as much a holiday tradition as Frosty the Snowman and Charlie Brown, the ballet has become an integral part of American culture.
It is a reliable source of cash for ballet academies and companies, and its tale and music appear in literature, ads, and popular culture. Its popularity has even spawned a small market for toy nutcrackers.
A ballet based on a supernatural and weird story by the 19th-century German romantic author E.T.A. Hoffmann and set to music by Russia’s greatest composer might not seem like an obvious candidate to sweep the United States, but that is precisely what has happened.
Between the “1812 Overture” and “The Nutcracker,” Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky plays a significant role in the celebrations of American holidays; the overture captures and exemplifies the tumultuous spirit of national celebration on July 4, and the ballet embodies the child-centered magic and joy of the American Christmas.
The ballet “The Nutcracker” is based on a novella by the German romantic author E.T.A. Hoffmann.
“The Nutcracker” is a product of the middle of the 20th century, like many cultural Christmas staples such as popular songs, television shows, and films.
According to Jennifer Fisher’s book “Nutcracker Nation,” it premiered in December 1892 in St. Petersburg to mixed reviews. One negative review described it as “a pantomime so ludicrous in idea and execution that it could only please the most uncultured audience members.” It was performed intermittently in Russia for decades, but key dancers disliked it, and it never became associated with Christmas.
It arrived on our shores in 1944 with a San Francisco production then, more notably, in 1954 with the New York City Ballet. CBS broadcasts of the New York productions and additional exposure on other television programs and in national magazines helped spread the effect of the show.
George Balanchine, the famed choreographer and artistic director of the New York City Ballet, lent the ballet his immense prestige. Who could object if he felt it was acceptable to produce?
According to Jennifer Fisher, Russians have always believed that the ballet should be made more serious, whereas Americans have embraced its hybrid nature as a mixture of children’s pageant, spectacle, and formal dancing. In the 1950s and 1960s, it was still performed outside of the Christmas season; thereafter, its relationship with the holiday became absolute.
The first American production of “The Nutcracker” occurred in San Francisco in 1944, followed by the New York City Ballet in 1954.
Toys, candy, snowflakes, merriment, and notably the prominent role of a child’s awe and creativity make it an obvious choice for the occasion.
When it was first performed in Russia, the children in the cast were deemed to be a distraction. Critic: “In the first scene, the entire stage is packed with children who run around, blow their whistles, hop and bounce, be mischievous, and prevent the elderly from dancing.”
Actually, sure. However, isn’t this the point?
Toys, candy, snowflakes, merriment, and notably the prominent role of a child’s awe and creativity make it an obvious choice for the occasion.
The fact that there are so many roles for youngsters in ballet makes it ideal for community shows. It is suitable for children of all ages and talent levels, from small angels and mice to skilled student dancers in starring parts. Performers and their families are able to make a multi-year commitment to a performance if it is performed annually. This makes “The Nutcracker” as much a classic American civil society exercise as it is a ballet.
Even while the plot of “The Nutcracker” is not precisely neat and linear, and the action on stage may be a bit chaotic, there is no doubt about the quality of the music. Alastair Macaulay, a dance reviewer, describes Tchaikovsky’s composition as “a profusion of color, rhythm, scale, and song.” It is quite familiar — hey, wait a minute, is that from “Home Alone?
In short, to borrow a famous Samuel Johnson quote about London, if you are bored with “The Nutcracker,” you may be bored with Christmas itself.
Rich Lowry’s Twitter handle is @RichLowry.
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