Ballet in 2 acts
Libretto by M. Petipa based on the story of E. T. A. Hoffmann “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King”
The fairy tale tells the story about a wooden doll, which turns to be an enchanted prince, and a kind and brave Marie, who helps the prince to defeat the evil Mouse King. It is not only a fanciful tale, but also a story of childhood filled with sweet dreams and thrilling fairy tales, that is so dear to us.
The ballet music written by Pyotr Tchaikovsky is the most popular and the mostly performed classical music. The key attribute of the ballet is the vivid set design and spectacular costumes.
Performance is presented without intermission
Sound recordings are used
| Диригент-постановник |
Igor Latsanych People’s Artist of Ukraine and People’s Artist of Republic of Tatarstan |
| Балетмейстер-постановник |
Herman Isupov People’s Artist of Ukraine |
| Художник-постановник |
Yevhen Lysyk People's Artist of Ukraine, Laureate of the Shevchenko National Prize |
| Диригент |
Yuriy Berveckyy Honored artist of Ukraine Theodore Kuchar (USA) |
It is Christmas Eve. A family with friends has gathered in the parlor to decorate the beautiful Christmas tree preparing for the night’s festivities. Marie thinks about beautifully decorated Christmas tree. Marie’s godfather Drosselmeyer who is a toymaker presents children four lifelike dolls who can dance. He also shows a wooden nutcracker carved in the shape of a little man, used for cracking hazelnuts. Marie is fascinated by funny nutcracker. Drosselmeyer likes her choice and tells her sad story of this toy.
Once upon a time in a faraway kingdom there lived charming Princess. But the evil Mouse Queen turned her into ugly girl. Only a young man who would get a kernel of a magic nut could save her. Charming Prince managed to get the kernel of the magic nut and the ugly girl turned again into the beautiful Princess. To revenge the Mouse Queen bewitched the charming Prince and turned him into clumsy Nutcracker.
The story told by Drosselmeyer makes Marie anxious. She refuses to play with more expensive and pretty dolls; the Nutcracker has become her favorite toy. Soon Marie falls asleep. Suddenly strange rustle is heard in the room. Mice appear from the corners of the room. The Mouse Queen is triumphant: at last she has found the Nutcracker. However it is not so easy to catch him because tin soldiers are defending him. Marie throws her shoe at the Mouse Queen trying to save her friend. Suddenly the Nutcracker turns into charming Prince and invites Marie to visit his beautiful kingdom. Surrounded by snowflakes Marie and Prince go to the Fairyland.
In beautiful Fairyland Prince and Marie enjoy fascinating landscapes. The Mouse Queen is defeated. The dolls and flowers greet Prince and Marie. In honor of the young heroine, a celebration of sweets from around the world is hold: chocolate from Spain, coffee from Arabia, and tea from China candy canes from Russia all dance for their amusement; a string of beautiful flowers dance a waltz.
Marie awakes. It was only a dream. Smiled doll Nutcracker is near her.
Every year during New Year holidays Lviv National Opera presents the ballet of Pyotr Tchaikovsky “The Nutcracker” which is always a box office hit. Families usually attend a performance since E. T. A. Hoffmann’s story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” is one of the mostly marvelled fairy tales from the very childhood. The story unfolds on Christmas Eve, enchants with festive and dreamy mood, and arouses overwhelming emotions of immersion into the magic world of childish dreams.
The fairy tale tells the story about a wooden doll, which turns to be an enchanted prince, and a kind and brave Marie, who helps the prince to defeat the evil Mouse King. It is not only a fanciful tale, but also a story of childhood filled with sweet dreams and thrilling fairy tales, that is so dear to us.
The ballet music written by Pyotr Tchaikovsky is the most popular and the mostly performed classical music: “Waltz of the Flowers”, “Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy” or the Arabian Dance are well known to every listener. The key attribute of the ballet is the vivid set design and spectacular costumes of numerous characters which change along the story.
| Marie |
Darja Emeljyanceva Daryna Kirik Ilona Kravchenko Viktoriya Tkach |
| Prince |
Serhiy Kachura Honored artist of Ukraine Arsen Marusenko Andriy Mykhalikha Oleh Petryk People`s Artist of Ukraine Yevheniy Svetlitsa Honored Artist of Ukraine |
| Drosselmeyer |
Bohdan Kluchnyk Andriy Mykhalikha Оleksandr Habelko |
| Nutcracker-Doll |
Serhiy Lomovitsky Myroslav Melnyk |
| The Mouse Queen |
Yuliya Yermolenko Nataliya Pelo Yuliya Mykhalikha-Roma |
| Princess-Doll |
Dariya Cosminа Viktoriya Tkach Julia Ryza |
| Mouse |
Roksolyana Iskra Inna Kluchnyk Natalia Ruzyak |
| Spanish Dance |
Yuliya Yermolenko Nataliya Pelo Inna Kluchnyk Serhiy Aleksandrov Sviatoslav Kashchiy |
| Chinese Dance |
Ulyana Barna Darja Emeljyanceva Roksolyana Iskra Julia Ryza Natalia Ruzyak Kostiantyn Hulay Oleg Laska Volodymyr Sudomliak |
| Arabian Dance |
Victoria Zvarych Dariya Cosminа Yuliya Mykhalikha-Roma Serhiy Kachura Honored artist of Ukraine Sviatoslav Kashchiy Andriy Mykhalikha Viкtor Malinovsky |
| French dance |
Ulyana Barna Viktoriya Tkach Darja Emeljyanceva Julia Ryza Serhiy Kachura Honored artist of Ukraine Andriy Adonin |
| Russian Dance |
Ulyana Barna Uljana Korchevska Natalia Ruzyak Ruslan Dynia Yuriy Martyn Oleg Laska Volodymyr Sudomliak |