Renowned Russian choreographer Marius Petipa commissioned Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky to compose the music for the ballet he would choreograph. After Petipa became too ill to finish the ballet, his assistant, Lev Ivanov, completed it in 1892.
The first performance of the ballet was presented as a double premiere (with Tchaikovsky's final opera, Iolanta) at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, in December 1892. When The Nutcracker premiered, it was a failure with both critics and audiences.
The first full-length American production was by the San Francisco Ballet in 1944. The latest version of that company's production is set in early 20th century San Francisco, rather than 19th century Germany.
In the 1986 San Jose Ballet production of The Nutcracker, Apple Computer co-founder Steve Wozniak performed as the Chestnut Vendor in the first scene, a role he continued to play for many years.
National average number of dancers in cast……………………........…..109
National average number of children in cast……………………........…..79
Average cost of dancing shoes (for a cast of 100 ballerinas)….…….$6,595
Average Weight of Nutcracker Mask……………………..………............….4 lbs
Average Final Height of Tree………………………………………..................24’
Average Age of Dancer playing Clara…………………………….............….13.8 yrs
OUR NUTCRACKER
Our cast has a total of more than 70 cast members.
More than 60% of our cast has never been in a full-length Nutcracker before.
Our Christmas Tree starts at about 7’ and grows to about 14’.
Our Nutcracker Mask weighs about 9 lbs.