Jacob Grimm, the oldest of the famous Brothers Grimm, also wrote about nutcrackers in his treatise on Germanic mythology, "Deutsche Mythologie," from 1835. 5, 20. Relieved of this immediate burden, Tchaikovsky fulfilled his tour (obliged by having already spent a good part of a generous advance). Marche. She serves on the music faculty of Metropolitan State University of Denver and gives pre-performance talks for Opera Colorado and the Colorado Symphony Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. and more. Heinrich Hoffmann, best known as the creator of the children's book "Der Struwwelpeter" (Shaggy Peter), also wrote his own version of E.T.A Hoffmann's story. The ballet was commissioned by the Director of the Russian Imperial Theatres, Ivan Vsevolozhsky, who held preliminary talks with the composer in November and December 1890 [9]. It was considerably later that Tchaikovsky set about the instrumentation of the ballet, in January 1892, after he had already orchestrated the opera. Several scholars have blamed the scenario, which they claim failed to inspire Tchaikovsky. 5), and Tchaikovsky noted in the score that "These instruments are essentially the same as those used in the first scene of The Queen of Spades. Notes by Katherine Baber. The fact the ballet involves some of his most inventive and evocative orchestration is merely, they say, to disguise the poverty of his invention: witness the short-breathed and exceedingly simple character of several of the ballets themes, and the fact Tchaikovsky supplemented these with so many borrowed themes for instance, the Arabian Dance based on a Georgian lullaby. Tchaikovsky was occupied from 15/27 July until late August/early September 1892 with proof-reading the score of the ballet, being published by Pyotr Jurgenson, while at the same time preparing the opera Iolanta for publication [50]. By April, having composed Nutcrackers overture and first five numbers, as well as the Waltz of the Snowflakes, he had reached the end of his tether. In a letter to Pyotr Jurgenson of 25 January/6 February 1892 from Saint Petersburg, the composer reported: "I want to catch up with orchestrating some numbers from the new ballet, which I've promised will be played at a local Musical Society concert on 29 February" [O.S.] Clara and her nutcracker, transformed into a prince, travel into the Land of Sweets, ruled by a sugar plum fairy. Petipa, having (rather grudgingly, one suspects) cast the roles of Clara, her brother Fritz and the Nutcracker with students from the theatre school, then inconveniently (or possibly conveniently from his point of view) fell ill just as the ballet went into rehearsal. There is a second note, apparently made later: "Grossvater see the end of the copybook after everything else". Dances from Spain, Arabia, China and Russia are followed by a shepherds' pastoral dance, using toy flutes. Hoffmann's original story was darker than the ballet, but the plot remains largely the same. Drosselmeyer also gives Clara a nutcracker. Ivan Vsevolozhsky agreed to postpone the ballet and the opera, and further work on the ballet was only resumed after Tchaikovsky's return from America, in Maydanovo at the end of May 1891. The Nutcracker was first performed in Russia in 1892. The principal performers were: Stanislava Belinskaya (Clara), Sergey Legat (Nutcracker), Timofey Stukolkin (Drosselmeyer), Feliks Kshesinsky (Silberhaus), Augusta Ogoleit (Frau Silberhaus), Vasily Stukolkin (Fritz), Antonietta Dell'Era (Sugar-Plum Fairy) and Pavel Gerdt (Nutcracker). The origin of the Nutcracker, a classic Christmas Story, is a fairy tale ballet in two acts centered on a family's Christmas Eve celebration. His nephew, Yury Davydov, recalled that he not only composed the music but invented the steps and pirouettes, and danced them himself, showing the performers what he required of them. Clara's godfather, Herr Drosselmeyer, arrives late to the party. Remember those fanciful Russian, Chinese and Arabian characters in the Land of Sweets? After the Land of Snow, Clara, and the prince travel, by boat, to the Land of the Sweets. The story of The Nutcracker is loosely based on the E.T.A. Tchaikovsky's original score contains an overture and 15 numbers. Are we floating? The party then winds down and everyone goes to bed except Clara, who falls asleep under the Christmas tree with the nutcracker safe in her arms. 35, III. On 15/27 March, he wrote to Vladimir Davydov: "I shall leave Paris on 6th April/25 March, I still don't know where to, in order to work on the ballet" [26], and on 30 March/11 April he reported to Praskovya Tchaikovskaya from Rouen: "I came here yesterday for a few days' rest and solitude from Parisian life" [27]. The last of his three ballets, it was first performed in December 1892. Its score was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and the performance choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, three of Russia's greatest artists of their era. It is Christmas Eve in the home of President Silberhaus of the Town Council and his children, Clara and Fritz (Scene 1). "The Nutcracker" ballet was written during the classical period of ballet, a time when many famous ballets were being written and performed. The Nutcracker () [1], Op. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The grim-mouthed nutcrackers symbolized good luck. There is coffee from Arabia, tea from China, candy canes from Russia, and chocolate from Spain. You will lose nothing on it you will sell it to the directorate of the Theatres, when they need it for the ballet. He begged his publisher to keep the celesta a secret, for I am afraid that Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov will get wind of it and use its unusual effects sooner than me. "The Nutcracker" is a symbol of strength. The various ballet and opera characters, he said, frighten, horrify, and pursue me, waking and sleeping, mocking me with the thought that I shall not cope with them. After WWII, the family business quickly grew by developing contacts with US soldiers based in the Hanover area who brought back nutcrackers to their families as original German souvenirs. Act II. Choreographic duties fell to Petipas assistant, Lev Ivanov. Tchaikovsky began work in February 1891, continuing his efforts while on an American tour later that year for the opening of Carnegie Hall. Bewigged and wearing an eyepatch, Drosselmeyer is a clock- and watch-maker, creator of the most ingenious automata. "The first theme" in the overture, Scott Speck said, "is light and perky and it really evokes the character of a music box and the kind of thing you'd hear if you wound up a music box." This gives The Nutcracker just enough time to stab The Mouse King. Tchaikovsky stayed in Rouen until 5/17 April. The original story was more dark and disturbing, with choreographer Marius Petipa deciding to take a lighter approach to Clara's Christmastime dream when adapting it for the stage. 1, composed in 1879. Though noted for his superb corps de ballet sequences, Ivanov showed little interest in individual dances, often allowing these to be reworked by the solo dancers themselves. Peter Tchaikovsky, conductor. Tchaikovsky and Vsevolozhsky had planned from the outset that children would play a major role in The Nutcracker, a highly unusual and controversial decision for that time. Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker is based on a short story written by a German author, Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffman, called "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". Work on the ballet continued during his journey: "I will try to work on the boat. In Paris, where Tchaikovsky arrived on 10/22 March, work on the ballet did not come easily. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. On 17/29 March, Tchaikovsky wrote to his brother Modest: "My work is in full swing, and soon only the final markings will remain, and I hope to completely finish the score by Passion Week" [45]. The Nutcracker Suite is based on E.T.A. Mozart Piano Concerto No. Adagio, 1. In the opening A section, the brass (led by trumpets) play the dominant role, and strings answer them in a secondary/answering role. Tchaikovsky's unfavourable attitude to the using The Nutcracker for a ballet scenario is reflected in a letter from Ivan Vsevolozhsky to Tchaikovsky of 9/21 August 1891: "I have experienced agonies of remorse for asking you to do this ballet. He composed during the Romantic Period and is best known for his composition of The Nutcracker and Swan Lake. Hoffmanns story is darker and more troubling than the version that reached the stage; the Imperial Russian Ballet choreographer Marius Petipa chose to follow a light adaptation of the story written by Alexandre Dumas pre. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky composed the music for it and thus turned it into the world's greatest Christmas ballet. The Nutcracker is a ballet with music written by the Russian composer, Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky. Then the old-woman-who-lived-in-a-shoe dances with all her children and a group of clowns. And another new scene lets talk instruments here. Hoffmann wrote the story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" in 1816. . Daniel Jaff tells the tale of a magical masterpiece. It was a new instrument at the time, and he was among the first to use it for an orchestral work, most notably in segments featuring the Sugar Plum Fairy. They should be played at the points indicated by the children in the scene, and also: The Rattle (Schnarre) is as used in the children's symphonies by Haydn, Romberg, etc. The Nutcracker is a ballet with music written by the Russian composer, Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky. Set to Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn's jazzy interpretation of Tchaikovsky's iconic score, The Nutcracker Suite is the largest work Dorrance's . In her dreams, the nutcracker becomes life-sized and fights and conquers a life-sized mouse king. Updates? Waltz of the Flowers. Omissions? According to Britannica, the plot is loosely based off "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King," a fantasy story written by E.T.A. Though everyone is familiar with the "Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies," less are certain why those sugarplum fairies are dancing in the first place. This timeless classic follows the young Clara and her Nutcracker prince as they are swept away on an enchanting adventure, led by the mysterious Drosselmeyer and Lady Silberhaus. And also send notes, explaining how the children's instruments should be played" [20]. Our midwinter holidays bring light into the darkest days of the year, each in their own waysbut music always casts the warmest glow. And then just enjoy the huge ending. Un-scientifically, The "1812 Overture" and "The Nutcracker" ballet music probably hold 2 of the top 5 of this measure (at least on a "highlights from" basis). A one-time diplomat, Vsevolozhsky had developed his love for French culture (shared by Tchaikovsky) and particularly ballet while posted in Paris. June 3, 2011. According to the composer, the audience was unenthusiastic: "The Nutcracker was staged quite well: it was lavishly produced and everything went off perfectly, but nevertheless, it seemed to me that the public did not like it. Said less technically, a waltz also has a kind of spin to it that other dances dont have (in contrast, the dance of the reed flutes is metered in a slower 1-2-1-2). According to Modest Tchaikovsky, the composer was "very little pleased by the subject of The Nutcracker" [12], more precisely with the nature of the ballet's scenario, since E. T. A. Hoffmann's fairy tale, upon which it was based, had long ranked high in the composer's estimation, and was the reason for his agreeing to write the ballet The Nutcracker. The ballet is called "The Nutcracker" because Clara's adventure starts with her gift of a nutcracker. Its upbeat tempo accompanies the dance of the toy soldiers gifted to Fritz and Clara at the beginning of the ballet. A general dance follows, which is interrupted by the arrival of Councillor Drosselmeyer, who is Clara's godfather. Much of the music from The Nutcracker is still very popular and recognizable today. And the music for the Nutcracker, arranged into an orchestral suite, is a beloved standard at concerts. It helped, too, that the celestas sound is reminiscent of the musical boxes one might expect to find in Drosselmeyers clockwork world. When the young Claras eccentric godfather, Drosselmeyer, drops in bearing gifts, it is clear this will be a Christmas like no other. Beethoven Symphony No. In 1891, the director of a theater in Moscow commissioned Russian composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) to write music for a Christmas ballet. The mice army quickly carries away their king. Hoffmann, and an interpretation of Hoffman's story written by Alexandre Dumas. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. When Clara sneaks back to the tree at midnight to check on the repaired nutcracker, she shrinks, and witnesses a battle between an army of mice and toy, tin soldiers, led by her beloved nutcracker. At such moments Uncle Pyotr, red in the face, wet with perspiration as he sang the tune, presented a pretty amusing sight.. "The Nutcracker" follows a bit of a surreal Christmas story as a girl finds herself amongst a world of living toys. Vsevolozhsky naturally wrote back reassuring Tchaikovsky that everything could be postponed a year. 17 chapters | 1 inD, 17. He returned newly enthused about the ballet. The company develops new collectible models every year, and Darth Vader is among the 350 figures they have on offer. It should be obtainable in any musical store". The celesta produces a tinkling sound that gives "The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" its distinct sound. Snowflakes fall and they are met by the King and Queen, who join their subjects in a swirling waltz. According to legend, a rich farmer who was too lazy to crack his own nuts promised to reward his entire village if anyone came up with a solution. You really have to be in the theater to get the full experience of the work, but the music to this ballet holds very strongly on its own, often performed in a reduced version as The Nutcracker Ballet Suite, which contains excerpts of the full ballet music, but re-tailored to better fit a concert program. Next: Wrap-up of Tchaikovsky, and further suggested listening. Initially attracting miners, the forested area with long, dark winters also inspired villagers to develop other carved wooden decorations: Christmas pyramids, candle holders called Schwibbogen, and smoking figures known as Ruchermnnchen. 14, Var. Tchaikovsky had used the glockenspiel in his still little-known Orchestral Suite No. His depiction of the moonlit room just before midnight is an evocative tapestry of fluttering string tremolandos, shuddering bass clarinet, downward plunging harp glissandos and twittering woodwind. On 23 February/7 March, Jurgenson responded: "I am sending you a box of instruments by train" [21]. French writer Alexandre Dumas came up with his own adaptation of the story in 1844 . Some of the most familiar and beloved music comes from the second act, including a spirited Russian dance, the 'Trepak'; the 'Chinese Dance'; the 'Waltz of the Flowers'; and the 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.' The Nutcracker Suite is a sparkly little box of jewels made up of highlights from Tchaikovsky's fairy tale ballet The Nutcracker, which has become a Christmas staple around the world: conductor . The date at the start of the fair copy of the Suite reads: "8 Feb. 1892 [O.S. Of form, this movement is also in an easy-to-follow ABA structure listen for the changes in roles as the piece progresses. It was only on 30 January 1934 that the ballet received its first complete performance in London, at the Sadler's Wells Theatre, directed by Nicholas Sergeyev. On 25 March/6 April he wrote to Jurgenson: "I've finished the ballet; all that remains is to insert the markings and put it in order" [46]. After this he wrote: "Return to No. They were bored" [48]. Lastly, another very famous one of this set. In the Pas de deux, Tchaikovsky omitted the male variation, and on a blank page he wrote: "Transfer from the 1st act (formerly the tarantella) but tone lower", and wrote out the first two bars. The woodwinds are less obvious, taking a more background/textural role. On the same day, the composer told Modest Tchaikovsky and Aleksandra Hubert that he had finished the sketches, complaining that he was greatly tired, and "it seems the old man is starting to take his last breaths" [40]. Somebody had the idea of casting young members of a military academy to play the toy soldiers who, it seems, got carried away attacking the mice with their toy rifles cue pandemonium. Before his departure he received a letter written by Ivan Vsevolozhsky, dated 15/27 February: "I hope to see you in Saint Petersburg before your departure for America. All rights reserved. Tchaikovsky was previously known for his famous ballet, Swan Lake. From their correspondence, and from Petipas original choreographic plan, we know that Vsevolozhsky originally intended to have the children perform a series of national dances in costumes presented as Christmas gifts in Act I. The Grandfather dance is based on a German dance tune from the 17th century. He described how wooden nutcrackers were carved as protective figures of strength and power. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. 71a. It is also often used to symbolize a person or thing that protects someone or something else. After that, we get started, when the french horns begin the real waltz part. It was presented at St. Petersburgs Mariinsky Theatre on a double bill with Tchaikovskys one-act opera, Iolanta. And so, where the plan called for "Dances", under the title Le chocolat, Tchaikovsky noted: "Spanish dance, see 1st copybook"; the same applied for the dance Tea "See 1st copybook" (the Chinese dance was used). Unlike pliers, the pivot point is located at the end beyond the nut, rather than in the middle. Such is the kernel of this famous ballet, whose fate curiously mirrors that of its wooden protagonist. Tap genius Michelle Dorrance puts her stamp on the famous Christmas ballet---There is a cornucopia of Nutcrackers twirling all over New York this holiday season, but none as exuberant as Michelle Dorrance's tap-dancing take on the Christmas staple. The Russian musicologist Boris Asafyev acclaimed Nutcracker as representing 'the ripening soul of a little girl' who grows from playing with dolls to 'the dawn of love through dreams of love of a brave and virile hero', while Maurice Sendak, author of Where the Wild Things Are, found the music 'bristling with implied action,' with 'a subtext On 17/29 June, Tchaikovsky wrote to his brother Modest: "It is also good for me here, but work isn't going as quickly now as at first. Hoffmann. The story was based on a children's fairy tale by E. T. A. Hoffmann, adapted by Alexandre Dumas . The March in which the glockenspiel appears anticipates Nutcrackers soundworld, including the celebrated Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy. Mass production of the nutcracker doll in the region started in the late 19th century, but wooden figures used to crack nuts were already created in Europe for centuries. 8 in C minor (Pathetique), 9. Tchaikovsky instructed that "This chorus should comprise 12 sopranos and 12 altos. Un-scientifically, The 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker ballet music probably hold 2 of the top 5 of this measure (at least on a highlights from basis). Inspired by Heinrich Hoffman's version of the story, an Ore Mountain carver named Friedrich Wilhelm Fchtner created the iconic traditional nutcracker model by 1870 that later went into serial production which is why he became known as the "father of the nutcracker." I think that by the time I leave a considerable part of the first act will have been done" [22]. Next he continued with Petipa's plan and on 22 February/6 March set about the music for Drosselmeyer's entrance. The Napoleon figure (center) is from 1822. These newer models depict politicians Bill Clinton, Helmut Kohl and Gerhard Schrder. The great success of Sleeping Beauty, involving the close collaboration between Vsevolozhsky, Tchaikovsky and the legendary choreographer Marius Petipa, inevitably prompted Vsevolozhsky to plan a sequel from the same team. In contrast, the Waltz of the Flowers is the final dance of . Clara and the Nutcracker Prince, led by Drosselmeyer, fly through the clouds in the Chestnut Shell Boat and arrive at the gates of Candy Kingdom. As weve seen before, Tchaikovsky showing his forceful side at his best, knowing how to create excitement, and build it up to a thrilling ending. Like Handel's Messiah, it has long enjoyed a place of de facto holiday tradition throughout the Western world. And the psychological depth of Tchaikovskys music has been realised quite independently in both countries. The Russian musicologist Boris Asafyev acclaimed Nutcracker as representing the ripening soul of a little girl who grows from playing with dolls to the dawn of love through dreams of love of a brave and virile hero, while Maurice Sendak, author of Where the Wild Things Are, found the music bristling with implied action, with a subtext alive with wild child cries and belly noises. The mouse army carries him away. Had Tchaikovsky and Vsevolozhsky badly miscalculated? Listen for the different sections of this movement in more formal language, its in ABA form, also known as Ternary Form. It may also explain why The Nutcracker, though a full-length ballet, is barely more than half the length of either its predecessors, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty: in other words, an ideal length not to tax an audience of young children. The Nutcracker tells the story of Clara, a girl who receives a nutcracker as a Christmas present. Tchaikovsky was one of the first composers to use the celesta, a bell-piano, in his music. Tchaikovsky's manuscript score is now preserved in the Russian National Museum of Music in Moscow (. On 22 January/3 February 1891, Tchaikovsky wrote to his brother Anatoly: "At the end of the week I shall be going to Saint Petersburg for final discussions with the director about the opera [Iolanta] and the ballet" [10]. He had been turned into a nutcracker by the evil Mouse King, and only by the King's death could the Nutcracker regain his human form. 1 (the decoration of the tree) and No. On 3/15 June 1891, the composer told Pyotr Jurgenson that he was writing Act II of the ballet; he also asked him to order a new orchestral instrument ("Celesta-Mustel") from Paris, "with a divinely unusual sound", which he wanted to use in the symphonic ballad The Voyevoda and in the ballet[35]. It looks like the mice are going to win until Clara throws her slipper at their king, killing him; the nutcracker then escorts Clara through a land of snow, turning into a handsome prince in the process. The parents are decorating the tree. The entire court joins in the final waltz, and the curtain falls on a final tribute to Clara [8]. Reception to the ballet was mixed when it opened in 1892, but now it is one of the most popular ballets in the world. During this time he wrote the opening of the second scene, and the numbers he had previously omitted from the first scene of Act 1: Petit galop des enfants, Entre des parents, "Bon voyage, M-r Dumolet"; then there followed sketches for the Grossvater dance and some additions to the dance of the Incroyables [29]. The second time around, the lower strings (cello and bass) continue the accompaniment, while the upper strings, violins and violas, do some interplay stuff with the flutes. An abridged version was staged at the 51st Street Theater in New York on 17 October 1940 by the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, choreographed by Alexandra Fedorova. Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker has enchanted audiences around the world for over a century, but what is the secret to its enduring popularity? Spun Sugar Angels and Cherubs, an assortment of Candies come to life, and the beautiful Sugarplum Fairy and her handsome Cavalier greet them. A guide to the man and his music, vol. Display of nutcracker dolls Collection of fairy tale nutcrackers Nutcracker dolls, also known as Christmas nutcrackers, are decorative nutcracker figurines most commonly made to resemble a toy soldier. The largest German producer of traditional nutcrackers is Steinbach. A. Ballet, Classical Music, Music Appreciation, Romantic era, Tchaikovsky. If the March movement was yellow, perhaps, what color is it now? The Nutcracker Ballet is a famous and colorful Christmas ballet based on 'The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,' a story in a book of fairy tales written by German author E. T. A. Hoffman in 1816 . So, how did this ballet come about? Germany is a leading manufacturer of traditional nutcrackers. Here is where the famous sugar plum fairies arrive, and after hearing of the bravery of Clara and the Nutcracker, the fairies reward the victorious pair with a series of dances that accompany different sweets from around the world, from Spain to Arabia to China. 2), he noted that If the celesta is unavailable, then this part may be played on the piano. Send them, if you please, to Frolovskoye without delay. 71 ( TH 14 ; W 14), is a fairy ballet in 2 acts and 3 scenes, written and orchestrated by Tchaikovsky between February 1891 and April 1892. 10), Tchaikovsky noted: The artist performing the Celesta part should be a good pianist. 9) includes a wordless chorus. Just as The Mouse King is about to defeat The Nutcracker, Clara throws her slipper at him. Today, the decorative Christmas figures are collected by people all over the world. Not an instrument that you come across a lot, but Tchaikovsky took an unusual instrument and built an extraordinary scene with it. Omitting the Grossvater, Tchaikovsky wrote in his sketch book: "Talk to Petipa regarding the Grossvater, how many times it should be repeated, and whether it should be varied, and have Jurgenson obtain the [musical] notes". After a final waltz between the fairy and her cavalier, Clara awakes to find herself by the Christmas tree with her nutcracker. One of ballets unsung heroes, Vsevolozhsky not only nurtured Tchaikovskys talent for the form, inspiring him to compose Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker, but he also raised ballet to a high art-form. Returning to Frolovskoye on 22 February/6 March, Tchaikovsky made notes in his sketchbook after the start of the Trepak: "Not finished, because during a visit to Saint Petersburg I learned that Vsevolozhsky did not want dances here and, probably, they will be carried over to the 2nd act". [43]. Songs from The Nutcracker are commonly referenced and used in pop culture, particularly around Christmastime. Eventually staged in Moscows Bolshoi Theatre in 1877, where it was hobbled with mediocre choreography and indifferently danced, its music nonetheless stood head and shoulders above the usual run of ballet scores. The sleigh arrives in the Land of Sweets, where everything is made of candy, sparkling sugar, frosting, and cookies! So, the next time December comes around, listen and you may hear the sounds of the Nutcracker!. The last A section closely resembles the opening, but louder with the brass, and also you hear the strings doing this wild flying scale thing. The family business in Seiffen is now being run by the eighth generation of Fchtners. The celestas (below) advantage over the glockenspiel was its ability to create through its keyboard the effect of a splashing fountain, as required by Petipa to accompany the Sugar-Plum Fairy. 23 in A, II. Find Watercolor Vintage Nutcracker stock images in HD and millions of other royalty-free stock photos, illustrations and vectors in the Shutterstock collection. The original story was more dark and disturbing, with choreographer Marius Petipa deciding to take a lighter approach to Clara's Christmastime dream when adapting it for the stage. Now, the original story is rather dark (involving bloody cuts, malevolent characters and angry adults), so in the mid-19th century, French author Alexander Dumas adapted it for a younger audience, making it less scary. Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker is based on the short story by ETA Hoffman called "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King." Tchaikovsky then asked Vsevolozhsky whether the productions of the ballet and opera could be postponed until the next season: "I could complete my voyage to America without the torments, the doubts, and the fears; return home calm and rested from any conceivable traumas experienced in Paris and America, and enjoy working little by little, confident that I will be writing two masterpieces (pardon my immodesty)" [30].