NUTCRACKER
Libretto by Marius Petipa is based on the tale of Ernst Theodore Amadeus Hoffmann
Russian Classical Ballet Theater
Artistic Director — V. Grishchenko
«The Nutcracker suite» ballet by P.I. Tchaikovsky is perhaps one of the most famous and beloved Russian ballets. It is based on the short story «The Nutcracker and the Mouse King» by German romantic author Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann, which describes a Christmas evening in a small German town., Tchaikovsky composed his wonderful music to this fabulous story. It is filled with deep meaning, capable of making both adults and children believe in a miracle. He created a symphonic poem about childhood, about the growth of one’s soul and about the wonders of the Christmas night. The story shows you the battle of the Light and the Darkness and in the end you see the victory of love.
Venue :
The ballet takes place in a historical theatre building that acually has a very inteersting history as well.
In 1821 a participant of Napoleonic Wars, Major General Konstantin Poltoratsky, returned from France and married the Highest Countess, Princess Sofya Golitsyna. He built this building on Theater Square, in the very heart of Moscow.
Later, a famous merchant Bronnikov purchased the building and opened a popular tavern where actors, theatergoers and writers used to dine after the performances. In 1896 Bronnikov goes even further with his theatre passion. He risks hosting an “Artistic circle” which in fact was a private theater created to bypass the official ban. They organized underground performances and taught theatre arts, ignoring the state theatre monopoly.
In 1882 when the state theatre monopoly was no more, they open a private here. Architect Boris Freidenberg rebuilt and restructured the original building , shaping its current appearance and equipping a hall with 1600 seats inside.
Since then there always was a theater here, but it changed names. However, in the 1920s, opera and ballet performances of the Bolshoi Theater often took place on its stage as well!