Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker in 4K HDR

At the Opernhaus Zürich, Christian Spuck’s ballet choreography takes the fairytale of “The Nutcracker“ back to its literary origin.

Because of Tchaikovsky’s imaginative music, “The Nutcracker“ is one of the most popular works of the ballet repertoire, instantly bringing to mind scenes of a splendidly decorated Christmas room, dancing snowflakes and the waltz of the flowers. The plot of “The Nutcracker“ is based on a novella by E.T.A. Hoffmann. While the masterful fairytale virtuously jumps back and forth from a dream to reality, in its adaptation as a ballet libretto by Alexandre Dumas and Marius Petipa, it lost much of its dark romantic fantasy.

Christian Spuck attempts to distance himself from the Dumas/Petipas version in his choreography and puts the literary origin at the heart of his ballet, emphasizing the fantastical nature of the original rather than the delightful Christmas fairytale and bringing back the fairytale of the princess Pirlipat, who turns into a nut monster, as told by E.T.A. Hoffmann. In Rufus Didwiszus’ stage setting, the workshop of the godfather Drosselmeier turns into an old revue-theater, where the characters of the ballet come to life. Spuck’s choreography plays with the richness of characters in Hoffmann’s narrative cosmos, the absurdity and overwrought humor that inhabit them while at the same time looking down into the dark abyss of Romanticism.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
The Nutcracker

Ballet by Christian Spuck after the eponymous fairy tale by E.T.A. Hoffmann

Opernhaus Zürich
April 13/15, 2018

A 4K HDR production of Accentus Music in co-production with NHK.

Choreography by Christian Spuck
Orchestra / Band Philharmonia Zürich
Conductor Paul Connelly
Choir Chor der Oper Zürich
Dance Company Ballett & Junior Ballet Zürich
Production Company Accentus Music
Co-Production Company NHK
Recording location Opernhaus Zürich