|
=== Act I ===
'''''Scene 1: The Stahlbaum Home'''''
[[File:Nutcracker design (cropped).jpg|alt=|left|thumb|Konstantin Ivanov's original sketch for the set of ''The Nutcracker'' (1892)]] The ballet is set in [[Nuremberg, Germany]] on Christmas Eve in the 1820s, where family and friends have gathered in the parlor to decorate the Christmas tree in preparation for the party. Once the tree is finished, the children are summoned.
When the party begins,<ref>{{cite AV media | first1=Yekaterina | last1=Maximova | first2=Vladimir | last2=Vasiliev| date=1967 | title=Nutcracker Suite Performed By The Bolshoi (1967) | location=Moscow, Russia| publisher=British Pathé|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnAsmLgEGnA}}</ref> presents are given out to the children. Suddenly, as the owl-topped grandfather clock strikes eight, a mysterious figure enters the room. It is Drosselmeyer— a local councilman, magician, and Clara's godfather. He is also a talented toymaker who has brought with him gifts for the children, including four lifelike dolls who dance to the delight of all.<ref>{{cite AV media | people=Dancers of the Moscow Ballet| date=2017 | title=Doll Dance | location=Moscow, Russia| publisher=Moscow Ballet|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QIPu3fC2vU| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/8QIPu3fC2vU| archive-date=30 October 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> He then has them put away for safekeeping.
During the night, after everyone else has gone to bed, Clara returns to the parlor to check on the nutcracker. As she reaches the small bed, the clock strikes midnight and she looks up to see Drosselmeyer perched atop it. Suddenly, mice begin to fill the room and the Christmas tree begins to grow to dizzying heights. The nutcracker also grows to life size. Clara finds herself in the midst of a battle between an army of gingerbread soldiers and the mice, led by their king.
The nutcracker appears to lead the [[gingerbread men]], who are joined by tin soldiers, and by dolls who serve as doctors to carry away the wounded. As the seven-headed Mouse King advances on the still-wounded nutcracker, Clara throws her slipper at him, distracting him long enough for the nutcracker to stab him.<ref>{{cite AV media | people=Dancers of the Moscow Ballet| date=2017 | title=The Rat King Appears| location=Moscow, Russia| publisher=Moscow Ballet|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfFLjXszBiQ| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/GfFLjXszBiQ| archive-date=30 October 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
'''''Scene 2: A Pine Forest'''''
Clara and the Prince travel to the beautiful Land of Sweets, ruled by the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Prince's place until his return. He recounts for her how he had been saved from the Mouse King by Clara and transformed back into himself.
In honor of the young heroine, a celebration of sweets from around the world is produced: [[chocolate]] from [[Spain]], [[coffee]] from [[Arabia]],<ref>{{cite AV media | people=Dancers of the SemperOperBallett |title=''The Nutcracker'' – Arabian Divertissement| location=Dresden, Germany | publisher=SemperOperBallett |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG0fO-2WY2s| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115011703/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG0fO-2WY2s| archive-date=15 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media | people=Cecilia Iliesiu| date=2017 | title=Arabian Coffee/Peacock| publisher=Pacific Northwest Ballet|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnAsmLgEGnA}}</ref> [[tea]] from [[China]],<ref>{{cite AV media | people=Dancers of the Mariinsky ballet| date=2012 |title=''The Nutcracker'' – Tea (Chinese Dance) | publisher=Mariinsky Ballet|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiyx1m44nMM| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/iiyx1m44nMM| archive-date=30 October 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and [[candy canes]] from [[Russia]]<ref>{{cite AV media | people=Dancers of the Boston Ballet| date=2017 | title=SPOTLIGHT The Nutcracker's Russian Dance| publisher=[[Boston Ballet]]|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiPT5Ne6yXI| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/CiPT5Ne6yXI| archive-date=30 October 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> all dance for their amusement; [[Marzipan]] shepherdesses perform on their flutes;<ref>{{cite AV media | people=Dancers of the SemperOperBallett |title =''The Nutcracker'' – Mirlitons Divertissement| location=Dresden, Germany | publisher=SemperOperBallett |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrXQ8uAnipo}}</ref> Mother Ginger has her children, the [[Pulcinella#Variants|Polichinelles]], emerge from under her enormous hoop skirt to dance; a string of beautiful flowers perform a waltz.<ref>{{cite AV media | people=Kyra Nichols and the NYCB Corps de Ballet | date=2015 | title=New York City Ballet: Waltz of the Flowers | location=New York City | publisher=Lincoln Center |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrXQ8uAnipo}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media | people=PNB dancers |title=Nutcracker Flowers Excerpt | publisher=[[Pacific Northwest Ballet]]|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIb0g6iMQ5M| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/UIb0g6iMQ5M| archive-date=30 October 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> To conclude the night, the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier perform a dance.<ref>{{cite AV media | people=Alina Somova & Vladimir Shklyarov| date=2012 | title=Sugarplum and Cavalier variations | location=St Petersburg, Russia | publisher=Ovation |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42CfrMNMIZo}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media | people=Darci Kistler |title=Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy | location=New York City |publisher=Ovation|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bH8yiSQDYHI| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/bH8yiSQDYHI| archive-date=30 October 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
A final waltz is performed by all the sweets, after which the Sugar Plum Fairy ushers Clara and the Prince down from their throne. He bows to her, she kisses Clara goodbye, and leads them to a reindeer-drawn sleigh. It takes off as they wave goodbye to all the subjects who wave back.
|
