On December 18th 1892, ‘The Nutcracker’ ballet was first performed in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

The Nutcrackers  a two-act ballet originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Op. 71). The libretto is adapted from E. T. A. Hoffmann‘s 1816 short story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King“. Wikipedia.

The original version of the ballet was not a success with audiences.

It is now a firm favourite especially at Christmas time and Tchaikovsky’s music from the ballet is used in many other adaptations of the original story.