"The Nutcracker" is a children's fairy tale that describes an adult story of love, selflessness, and courage. The ballet based on Hoffmann's work has been performed on stage for over a hundred years. This magnificent work was created by some of the best creators of the classical Russian ballet era. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky completed the score by 1892, with the famous Marius Petipa as the librettist. The director of the first edition of the ballet was Lev Ivanov. Today, the ballet we know as the "classical" version was staged under the guidance of Vasily Vainonen in 1934. It became a logical continuation of the dance traditions laid down by Lev Ivanov. See more performances on our website in the theater section.