The name of Ivan Vsevolozhsky, the one-time general director of the Imperial Theatres in Saint Petersburg and a fan of
Tchaikovsky
, is linked to the commissioning and staging of the composer's operas
The Queen of Spades
,
Iolanta
and
The Enchantress
, as well as the ballet
The Sleeping Beauty
. After this highly successful series of productions, the theatre director wanted to stage a ballet that would surpass all before it in grandeur and spectacle. The choice fell upon E. T. A. Hoffmann's deservedly popular Christmas story, with choreography by the famed Marius Petipa and a significantly reworked plot. Naturally, he again commissioned Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to compose the score for The Nutcracker, which would be his final ballet and last work for the stage.
Premièred on 18 December 1892, the work contains many musical numbers which rank among the Russian composer's most beautiful music; deservedly enjoying huge popularity, the work continues to be performed around the world, particularly in the Christmas period. Today, the Christmas performance of The
Nutcracker
remains an indispensable fixture of the Hungarian National Philharmonic's concert season, as does the tradition whereby the work is presented not as a ballet, but in a dazzling production with the collaboration of the Budapest Puppet Theatre. Once again in 2015, the audience gets the chance to enjoy the creatures of the Land of Sweets and the home of councillor Stahlbaum brought to life with the special magic of live musical accompaniment. The encounter with the councillor, Fritz, Marie, Drosselmeyer, the Nutcracker Prince and the Mouse King once again promises a memorable experience for the whole family.
