Performance Database

Alternative title: Casse-Noisette; Nutcracker Suite
Choreographer: Lev Ivanov
Composer: Piotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Set designer: Harry Cordwell
Costume designer: Harry Cordwell
Rambert premiere: 13 Mar 1948, Ballet Rambert, Tivoli Theatre, Sydney
World premiere: 16 Dec 1892, Imperial Russian Ballet, Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg, Russia
Work note: The Rambert company performed selections from 'The Nutcracker', never the full ballet. In the 1930s, the Sugar Plum Fairy's variation and the Chinese Dance (Danse Chinoise) were often presented with dances from 'The Sleeping Beauty' under the titles 'Fairy Tales from The Sleeping Beauty' and 'Aurora's Wedding'. In 1938, the Sugar Plum Fairy pas de deux from Act II of 'The Nutcracker' was performed as 'Pas de Deux from Casse-Noisette'. A fixed selection of dances from Act II was first performed as 'Casse-Noisette' on 13 March 1948 at the Tivoli Theatre, Sydney, Australia, and this selection remained in the repertoire, with the alternative title of 'Nutcracker Suite'.
Production note: In the programme, Harry Cordwell is credited as 'decor'.
Music title: The Nutcracker (suite), Opus 71a (1892)
Music details: Live music: initially piano, later orchestra
Source: Programme and reference file in the Rambert Archive
Archive catalogue: WORK/0142

Performances

Date ⇃⇂ Programme ↿⇂ Venue ↿⇂
9 Mar 1928
Matinee 		Russian Dance* | Flight of Swans | The Warrior* | Chinese Dance | The Top* | Followers of Night | Cygnets* | Menuet* | Mannequin | Pas de Deux* | Mazurka* | Doll* | Nymphs and Shepherds | A la ''Biches''* | Mazurka Finale* The Arts Theatre Club, London
9 Mar 1928
Evening 		Russian Dance* | Flight of Swans | The Warrior* | Chinese Dance | The Top* | Followers of Night | Cygnets* | Menuet* | Mannequin | Pas de Deux* | Mazurka* | Doll* | Nymphs and Shepherds | A la ''Biches''* | Mazurka Finale* The Arts Theatre Club, London
8 Oct 1928
Evening 		Prelude: Movements from French Suite No. 5 (Bach) | Queen Swan | The Warrior | Chinese Porcelain | Lusinghe piu care (Handel) | I attempt from Love's sickness to fly (Purcell) | Fairest Isle (Purcell) | Nymph and Shepherd | Serenade (Brahms) | Russian Court Dance* | Rus Maddermarket Theatre, Norwich
21 Dec 1928
Evening 		Danse Chinoise | Columbine | Variation | Variation | Cygnets | Colibri | Fée Dragée | Blue Bird | Variation | Red Riding Hood | La Pomme d'Or (The Temptation) | Nymphs and Shepherds (Suite de Danses) | Mannequin and her Beau | Rigaudon* | Polka* | The Russian Peasant* | Warrior Century Theatre, London
10 Oct 1931
Evening 		Les Sylphides | Songs (The Moussorgsky Vocal Quartet) | Le Rugby | Dances from ''The Three Cornered Hat'' | Capriol Suite | La Péri | Chinese Magician | Songs (The Moussorgsky Vocal Quartet) | Mars and Venus | Russian Boyard Dance | American Sailor | Mannequin | Peasants' Frolic New Theatre, London
3 Apr 1938
Evening 		The Strike of Wives (Lysistrata) | Croquis de ''Mercure'' (Sketches for ''Mercury'') | La Muse s'Amuse | Pas de Deux from Casse-Noisette | Étrange | à La Russe* | à La Polka Mercury Theatre, London
6 Apr 1938
Evening 		La Péri | Pas de Deux from Casse-Noisette | Étrange | Mlle Fifi | The Two Igors | Alcina Suite | La Muse s'Amuse Mercury Theatre, London
13 Mar 1948
Evening 		The Planets | Jardin aux Lilas | Casse-Noisette* | Façade Tivoli Theatre, Sydney, Australia
19 Nov 1948
Evening 		The Descent of Hebe | Carnival of Animals | Winter Night* | The Nutcracker Suite His Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, Australia
17 Oct 1949
Evening 		Casse Noisette | Antonia* | Les Masques | Gala Performance King's Theatre, London
8 Jul 1952
Evening 		Nutcracker Suite | Bar aux Folies-Bergère | Winter Night | Façade (The Original Version) Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod
17 Nov 1952
Evening 		Nutcracker Suite | The Lilac Garden | Carnival of the Animals* | Bar aux Folies-Bergère Her Majesty's Theatre, Brighton
22 Jul 1957
Evening 		Plaisance | Casse Noisette Pas de Deux | Variations on a Theme | Conte Fantastique* | The Gala Performance Theatre Royal, Exeter