The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker Story

The Nutcracker begins at the Stahlbaum home on Christmas Eve.  Mr. and Mrs. Stahlbaum and their children Clara and Fritz are busy preparing for the evening festivities.  The guests arrive, including Clara’s Godfather, Herr Drosselmeyer.  Herr Drosselmeyer has fashioned a special gift for Clara, a Nutcracker designed in the form of a small soldier.  Clara falls in love with her Nutcracker at once.

That night, Clara is unable to sleep without one more look at her beloved Nutcracker.  She tiptoes back into the living room and cradles her soldier once more before falling asleep.  She is not sure if she is dreaming or not, but before her eyes are huge mice playing in front of the Christmas tree that has grown to a tremendous size.   The Nutcracker fights with the Mouse King and, in the heat of the battle, Clara takes off her slipper and throws it at the Mouse King.    While he is distracted, the Nutcracker stabs him with his saber.

After the battle, the Nutcracker is magically transformed into a handsome prince and, grateful to Clara for saving his life, invites her to accompany him on a journey to the fabled Kingdom of the Sugar Plum Fairy.  En route, they pass through the exquisite land of the Snow Queen and her Prince.

Act II begins in the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy, where Clara is entertained by an array of divertissements, including Spanish, Arabian and Chinese dancers, as well as Mother Buffoon, with her many children who appear from under her gigantic skirt.  The evening concludes with the grand pas de deux performed by the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier.  Following the pas de deux, Clara is whisked away with her prince in a flying sled, while waving goodbye to the Sugar Plum Fairy and her magical kingdom.