The Nutcracker, Op. 71
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Work background
Researched classical background
Tchaikovsky's last ballet turns a holiday story into a score of character dances, fantasy, and large ensembles. The sound of the celesta gives the Sugar Plum Fairy a distinctive musical identity. The complete ballet includes much more than the familiar suite, including dramatic action and connecting music. Its later success as a holiday tradition should be distinguished from the circumstances of its original Russian staging.
A listening guide
Compare the color of the celesta with the strings, winds, and harp in the surrounding dances.
Listening suggestions are editorial guides to the music.
Forces: Orchestra, including celesta
Premiere: 1892
This dates the ballet premiere; Op. 71a is the separate concert suite.
This entry describes the musical work or cycle. Composition, premiere and publication dates describe different events. Performers and recordings can be explored through the external listening search.
Date, title and version notes
This is the full ballet, not only the eight-movement Op. 71a suite.
The Nutcracker - LA Phil
Work identity, chronology where stated, and the specific musical or historical context summarized in this entry. | Reviewed 2026-10-19
Sources for this work
The Nutcracker - LA Phil
Work identity, chronology where stated, and the specific musical or historical context summarized in this entry. | Reviewed 2026-10-19
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