The Nutcracker

E.T.A. Hoffman’s classic children’s tale, The Nutcracker, is perhaps best known as the basis for Russian composer Tchaikovsky’s extraordinarily popular ballet, composed in 1892 and performed throughout the world every year at holiday time.

This original tale, written in 1816, tells the story of a seven year old girl, Marie Stahlbaum, and her favorite Christmas toy, a Nutcracker, who comes alive and, defeats the evil Mouse King in battle, and then whisks Marie away to a magical kingdom which ...