Libretto by M.Petipa as adapted by Andrei Petrov based on Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann’s fairy tale. Choreographer-director is Andrei Petrov, people’s artist of the Russian Federation, Moscow Award laureate Scene designer is Anatoly Nezhny, merited art worker of the Russian Federation Costume designer is Olga Polyanskaya
The “Nutcracker” continues the line of the Kremlin Ballet Theatre in preserving and carefully creatively reframing the classical ballet heritage. In this case choreographer Andrei Petrov managed to the most to come close to the literary primary source and recreate a fantastic world and philosophy of the great German storyteller Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann. Andrei Petrov’s “Nutcracker” is not a child’s fairy tale interesting for kids only, but a story of the first love rise and the opening of a huge world of non-childish emotions and feelings. The ballet’s choreography delivers the whole range of new senses of a just grown-up girl who, together with her beloved young Drosselmeyer, confronted the evil and conquered it having defended her love.
The performance is accompanied by the Symphony Orchestra Radio Orpheus (Artistic managing director and Principal conductor - Sergey Kondrashov)
Act I
Guests are gathering for a Christmas party at the
Stahlbaum home. Among them are Drosselmeyer, godfather to Marie and Fritz, the
Stahlbaums’ children. He has brought them a wonderful present: a funny
Nutcracker.
The children wait with impatience for when at long last they will be shown
the Christmas tree and the presents. The long awaited moment comes: the
handsomely adorned Christmas tree is presented to the assembled company.
Drosselmeyer suddenly appears disguised as a magician: he is not recognized
by the children. Their unknown guest’s ability to make their toys come alive
delights the children but, as everything that is clad in mystery, it
involuntarily arouses their fear. In order to calm them down, Drosselmeyer takes
off his mask and the children now recognize their beloved godfather. Marie
wants to play with the wonderful dolls which have come alive, but they have
already been tidied away. To comfort Marie, Drosselmeyer gives her the
Nutcracker-Doll. Marie takes a great liking to this awkward, funny creature.
Marie’s brother Fritz, who is a great tease and very naughty,
accidentally breaks the doll. With great tenderness, Marie comforts her
injured Nutcracker and rocks it backwards and forwards. Fritz and his friends
now put on mouse masks and tease poor Marie.
The guests appear from an adjoining room. After the final,
ceremonial Grossvater dance, they all leave. At night the room where the
Christmas tree stands is bathed in moonlight. It looks mysterious and full of
magical secrets. Overcoming her fears, Marie has come to the room to visit her
‘sick’ Nutcracker-Doll. She kisses the doll and rocks it.
Drosselmeyer now appears. But instead of her kind godfather, he has turned
into a wizard. At a wave of his hand everything around them is transformed: the
walls of the room slide back, the Christmas tree starts to grow. And all the
toys come alive and grow together with the tree.
Suddenly, mice creep out from under the floorboards, led by the Mouse
King. The dolls are panic-stricken and thrown into confusion. The Nutcracker’s
quick wits and bravery save the day: lining up the lead soldiers, he boldly
leads them out to do battle with the mice forces.
However, the forces are unequal, the advantage is on the side of the evil
mice. The Nutcracker is left alone to face the Mouse King and his suite. Marie
is out of her mind with worry over the danger that threatens her doll. At this
very moment, Drosselmeyer hands her a lighted candle and she throws it at the
mice who scurry away helter-skelter.
The battle field empties. The only person left here is the Nutcracker who
lies without moving on the floor. Marie, together with the dolls, hurries to his
rescue. And now a miracle occurs…Before Marie stands a handsome youth, the
Nutcracker-Prince. He walks forward to meet her.
The walls of the house disappear. Marie and her friends
are standing under a star-studded sky, by a fairy-tale Christmas tree.
Snowflakes go round in a magical dance. Marie and her Nutcracker-Prince, beckon,
as if to a beautiful dream, to the twinkling star at the top of the Christmas
tree. They climb into a magic boat and set off for the top of the tree. The
dolls follow behind them.
Act II
Marie and Nutcracker-Prince are sailing in their magic boat through the
Christmas tree kingdom. There are their friends, the dolls with them. The
shining star is getting closer and closer. They are just about to reach the top
of the tree when they are suddenly attacked by the mice and the Mouse King who
have crept up behind them. Once again, the Nutcracker-Prince goes boldly into
battle. Horribly frightened, Marie and the dolls watch the fight. The
Nutcracker-Prince vanquishes the enemy. Joyous victory celebrations are
underway. The dolls dance, the candles burn even brighter, the Christmas tree
comes alive. The evil mice have been defeated. Marie and the Nutcracker-Prince
are radiant with happiness - they have reached the kingdom of their dreams! But
it appears all this was just a dream. Christmas Eve is over and with it all
wonderful reveries. Marie, still in the thrall of the fabulous dream, is sitting
at home by the Christmas tree, with the Nutcracker-Doll on her lap.
Synopsis
Act I
Scene 1. There is the celebratory excitement in the quarters of the bodyguard of Svetozar, Great Prince of Kiev. Lyudmila must choose an intended husband. Then the suitors appear Farlaf, an arrogant Varangian duke, and Ratmir, a dreamy Khazar prince. Ratmir is pursued by Gorislava who is in love with him with a plea to aban¬don Lyudmila. Here is Ruslan. Mutual love has had long but until then secret links between Lyudmila and a Kievan knight. But Khazar princess’ choice is done. The Prince and his armed force praise the young couple. The wedding ceremony begins. Then – thunder… Lightning… The sinister figure of an evil sorcerer Chernomor arises. Lyudmila freezes. An evil sorcerer abducts her. Ruslan is in despair. Svetozar promises Lyudmila will be a wife of the hero who returns her to father. The competitors leave Kiev. Scene 2. The scene of enchanted forest appears. Naina is chasing Finn with her love. He rejects her. An evil sorceress swears to have revenge. Finn meets Ruslan – Ruslan notices Lyudmila in the smoke of the magic fire. He thanks Finn and leaves to search Chernomor’s castle… Naina is on watch for Farlaf. She promises that Lyudmila will be his. Naina gives Farlaf everything he was dreaming of downy bed and the table full of viand. Overwhelmed with wine and gluttony, he falls asleep and forgets about Lyudmila. Scene 3. Ruslan puts out to the field: the remnants of bloody carnage are visible. The knight is in doubt. “Will I find Lyudmila or fall dead like these unknown warriors?” There is a hill in front of Ruslan – it is The Head. The Head spills into a great num¬ber of warriors. The battle is fierce and the forces are unequal, but Ruslan goes out a winner. The warriors are diverted: The Head is replaced with a magic sword. Scene 4. Naina is hexing and tries to lure the knights. Her escort is the swarm of ugly crones who are transforming into beautiful girls. The forest turns into the magnificent oriental palace. Naina is on watch for a victim and preparing the poisoned drink for Ratmir… Gorislava persistently follows Ratmir but a proud Khazar prince is longing to find Lyudmila, though Gorislava is dearer and closer to him. Ratmir leaves his crying girlfriend and enters Naina’s palace. The magic girls, wine and viand – and here is Ratmir who lost his shield, sword and helmet. Naina’s spells force Ratmir to forget about everything in the world. Gorislava, Finn and Ruslan appear in the palace. They release Ratmir.
Act II
Scene 1. Lyudmila awakes in the Chernomor’s castle. Trying to make love with Lyudmila, Chernomor turns into Ruslan. But Lyudmila feels deception – it is an angry dwarf in front of her. Lyudmila tangles the magic beard of the villain. The Chernomor’s servants appear solemnly bearing the dwarf and his beard. It is the sorcerer’s might parade. The vortex of lezghinka captivates all the participants. Lyudmila is almost unconscious. The dwarf slowly approaches his victim… The sound of horn rings out. It is Ruslan who challenges Chernomor to a battle. The battle is short and fierce. The dwarf takes Ruslan in the clouds… Scene 2. Ruslan defeated the dwarf but Lyudmila is sleeping the spellful sleep and doesn’t recognize her sweetheart. Ratmir and Gorislava come to help Ruslan. Scene 3. Naina drags palsied Farlaf – his hour has come. Fear makes him submit. They are chasing the traces of Ruslan. Scene 4. Night in the wilderness comes. Ruslan is guarding Lyudmila asleep but he is very tired so he falls asleep too. Naina and Farlaf appear. Farlaf drives a sword into Ruslan’s chest and abducts Lyudmila. Naina triumphs. Suddenly Finn appears with the water of death and the water of life. Ruslan’s wounds heal. The charac¬ters are heading for Kiev. Naina is defeated and her plans are destroyed. Scene 5. Farlaf, who abducted Lyudmila, brought her back to Kiev. But nobody can awake her from magic sleep. She can’t recognize even her father…Great Prince of Kiev mourns over his daughter. But suddenly Ruslan runs in. His love awakes Lyudmila from her sleep. Faint-hearted Farlaf begs for mercy. There are the happiness and jubilation in the Prince Svetozar’s palace. Russian people glorify the brave knight and the young princess…