The Ballet in two acts with prologue.
On Christmas Eve, guests begin to gather at Dr. Stahlbaum's house. Girls with dolls follow the adults, and boys with sabres march in the Prussian tradition of boys' sabre flair.
Act I
Dr. Stahlbaum's children, Marie and Fritz, like other children, discuss future presents. The most welcome guest for them is Drosselmeyer. His ability to bring toys to life amuses the children, but also frightens them a little with his mystery. Drosselmeyer takes off his mask. Marie and Fritz recognize their beloved godfather. Marie wants to play with the dolls with Drosselmeyer, but is disappointed to learn that they have been put away for the Christmas Evedays.
To calm the girl down, the godfather gives her a Nutcracker. The doll's strange expression amuses her, but Fritz accidentally breaks the doll, and Marie is upset. She puts her favorite doll to bed. Fritz and his friends put on mouse masks and begin to tease Marie. The party ends, and the guests to dance with Santa Clause, after which everyone goes home. Night falls, and a miracle happens in the room where the Christmas tree is located - it is filled with mysterious moonlight.
Marie returns and hugs the Nutcracker. And then Drosselmeyer appears, but now he is no longer a godparent, but a good wizard. He waves his hand, and everything in the room begins to change: the walls move apart, the tree begins to grow, and the Christmas tree decorations come to life and become soldiers. Suddenly, mice appear under the leadership of the Mouse King. The brave Nutcracker leads the soldiers into battle.
The Nutcracker and the Mouse King meet in mortal combat. Marie sees that the army of mice is superior to the army of soldiers. In despair, she takes off her slipper and throws it with all her might at the Mouse King. He is frightened and runs away with his army. The army of soldiers has won. They triumphantly carry Marie on their shoulders to the Nutcracker. Suddenly, the Nutcracker's face begins to change. He stops being the Nutcracker and turns into a handsome Prince. Marie and the living dolls find themselves under a starry sky and a fantastically beautiful Christmas tree and everything is swirling around the tree together with snowflakes.
Act II
Marie and the Prince admire the beauty of the starry sky and remember how they were attacked by mice and how Prince with halping Mary defeated them. Everyone dances, has fun and celebrates the victory over the mouse army. The Spanish, Arabian, Chinese and Russian dolls thank Marie for saving their lives. Beautiful fairies and pages dance around. Drosselmeyer appears and changes everything again. Everyone is preparing for the wedding of Marie and the Prince.
Here Marie wakes up, the Nutcracker is still in her hands. She is sitting in a familiar room. Alas, it was just a fairytale dream.
*There is also the so-called Freudian ballet version, and according to it, Marie wakes up after dancing with the Prince, and the Nutcracker turns out to be a rejuvenated Drosselmeyer. Everyone is preparing for the wedding of Marie and the Prince.
Maybe you also have interest:
- The Snow Queen, Hans Christian Andersen;
- The Christmas Tale Ballet - The Nutcracker, Royal Ballet, 1892 version based on the story of The Tale of the Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E. T. A. Hoffmann;
- The Tale 'Nutcracker and King of Mouse' of E. T. A. Hoffman;
- How wriating letter to real Santa Claus and take reply from Him.
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