One of the most beloved holiday stories of our time is The Nutcracker — the musical scores, stunning ballet performances, and memorable set decorations are the epitome of holiday tradition glam at its finest, whether the performance is in a school auditorium or at a regal, highbrow theater. The ballet is based on the 1816 story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” by German author E.T.A. Hoffmann, and features music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It premiered on December 18, 1892, in St. Petersburg, Russia, and was, incredibly, only performed for the first time outside of Russia in 1934, in London. It didn’t reach the United States until a decade later when it was performed by the San Francisco Ballet, and by the 1960s it became standard holiday viewing. Today, the story of Clara’s encounter with her brave nutcracker come to life has been adapted by major studios, dance companies, and high schools around the country, and the iconic music of The Nutcracker Suite plays on rotation at radio stations as often as anything Bing Crosby ever sang.
