Although the original Marius Petipa production was not a success, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky 's ballet The Nutcracker began to slowly enjoy worldwide popularity after Balanchine first staged his production of it in In Russia, choreographer Alexander Gorsky staged a new version of the work in that addressed many of the criticisms of the original production by casting adult dancers in the roles of Clara and the Prince, rather than children.
The first complete performance outside Russia took place in England in , [ 3 ] staged by Nicholas Sergeyev after Petipa's original choreography. The ballet's first complete United States performance was on 24 December , by the San Francisco Ballet , staged by its artistic director Willam Christensen. Since Vasili Vainonen 's version in Russia, and Balanchine's New York City Ballet production, many other choreographers have made their own versions. Some institute the changes made by Gorsky and Vainonen respectively while others, like Balanchine, utilize the original libretto.
In recent years, revisionist productions, including those by Mark Morris , Matthew Bourne , and Mikhail Chemiakin have appeared, which depart radically from both the original libretto and Gorsky's revival. Hoffmann , which is now the source material for various animated and live action films. Tchaikovsky's music, especially The Nutcracker Suite , a selection of eight pieces from the complete score, has become extremely popular.
The suite sans the Miniature Overture and the March was featured in the popular Disney film Fantasia. When Anna Pavlova formed her own troupe, she adapted the Journey through the Pine Forest and Waltz of the Snowflakes scenes into a ballet called Snowflakes , with which she toured the United States and Europe from until her death in Russian choreographer Alexander Gorsky , who staged a production of The Nutcracker in Moscow in , is credited with the idea of combining Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy's roles i.
The first staging outside of Russia. Former Imperial ballet regisseur Nicholas Sergeyev, who had escaped from the Bolsheviks with the notations for many classic ballet productions in his luggage, staged the London production based on Marius Petipa's original. The ballet was presented "with only a few cuts".
