The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker

John Neumeier's “The Nutcracker” invites you to dream. The ballet tells the story of 12-year-old Marie, who receives a nutcracker and a pair of shiny, pink pointe shoes for her birthday. With this gift, there is nothing standing in the way of her wish to dance as beautifully as her older sister Louise. In her dream, the eccentric ballet master Drosselmeier appears and gently introduces her to the mysterious world of the theater. Marie watches a rehearsal at the court theater, follows a performance with a variety of colorful dances, and learns to dance herself. Throughout the piece, the childlike Marie not only discovers the world of ballet but also falls in love for the first time and matures into a young woman. John Neumeier's unique version of this classic is a coming-of-age story and at the same time a tribute to the legendary ballet master and choreographer Marius Petipa, who perfected classical ballet in the 19th century. The performance that Marie watches in Neumeier's adaptation is a celebration of classical ballet, in which well-known choreographies by Marius Petipa are quoted. The world-famous music of Peter Tchaikovsky, such as the "Waltz of the Flowers" or the "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy," evokes childhood memories. A ballet classic for the whole family, presented in vibrant costumes and a fairy tale set design by Jürgen Rose. Music: Peter I. Tchaikovsky Choreography and Staging: John Neumeier Set and Costumes: Jürgen Rose 2 hours 30 minutes | 1 intermission Act I: 60 minutes, Act II: 60 minutes PREMIERE: Frankfurt Ballet, Frankfurt, October 21, 1971 Premiere in Hamburg: The Hamburg Ballet, October 27, 1974 ORIGINAL CAST: Marie: Marianne Kruuse Drosselmeier: Max Midinet Louise: Persephone Samaropoulo Günther: Egon Madsen ON TOUR: 1977 Brussels 1981 Paris 1989 Osaka, Tokyo 2015 Muscat, Baden-Baden 2019 Hongkong IN THE REPERTORY: Ballet de l'Opéra National de Paris Bavarian State Ballet Dresden Semperoper Ballet Royal Winnipeg Ballet