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