Ernst Hoffmann

The Nutcracker and the Mouse King is a story written in 1816, by Ernst Hoffmann in which young Clairea Stahlbaum's favorite Christmas toy, the Nutcracker, comes alive and, after defeating the evil Mouse King in battle, whisks her away to a magical kingdom populated by dolls. In 1892, the Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and choreographers Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov turned Alexandre Dumas p�re's adaptation of the story into the ballet The Nutcracker, which became one of Tchaikovsky's most famous compositions, and perhaps the most popular ballet in the world.

The Nutcracker and the Mouse King

Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann

E. T. A. Hoffman's "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (1816)" is a fairy tale of a young girl's magical dream, filled with stories with dark undertone. In 1844, Dumas adapted the tale as a children's story, which is now well known as a ballet, choreographed by Marius Petipas with Tchaikovsky's music.

"How does a wooden nutcracker, decorated as an old-fashioned soldier, manage to conquer the world of ballet during Christmastime in America and many other countries every year?" (- Introduction by Jack Zipes)

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The Nutcracker's strange tale begins at its conception, in a way. Intending to radicalize the genre of holiday stories and to create a more provocative tale, Hoffman has accidentally (and ironically) created a world-wide classic that has been adapted to many mediums for years. The result is an entertaining, fast-paced, but rather dark and strangely violent adventure that has an absurdity to it. The story is a dreamy and almost feverish ode to childish imagination that reminded me of Alice in Wonderland and the Chronicles of Narnia, with a touch of Willy Wonka.
However, it is safe to say that Dumas's adaptation of the original text is a much more enjoyable, cohesive, and festive alternative that deviates little from Hoffman's initial story. Together with the ballet adaptation, Dumas's Nutcracker is definitely the version I would recommend if you would like to delve into this unique Christmas classic.

The Nutcracker and The Mouse King - E.T.A. Hoffmann  2/5
The Tale of the Nutcracker  4/5

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Nicole

Lisa-Marie King

E.T.A. Hoffmann

The Nutcracker and the Mouse King is a Christmas Classic written in 1816, by E. T. A. Hoffmann on which the famous ballet The Nutcracker is based. In the story young Marie Stahlbaum's favorite Christmas toy, the Nutcracker, comes alive and, after defeating the evil Mouse King in battle, whisks her away to a magical kingdom populated by dolls. The story begins on Christmas Eve at the Stahlbaum house. Marie, seven, and her brother, Fritz, eight, sit outside the parlor speculating about what kind of present their godfather, Drosselmeyer, who is a clockmaker and inventor, has made for them. They are at last allowed in, where they receive many splendid gifts…

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Tamara

E. T. A. Hoffmann

On Christmas Eve, Marie finds a Nutcracker doll among the family’s gifts and is charged by her parents to take special care of it. Under the cover of darkness, the Nutcracker comes to life, along with an evil Mouse King with seven heads, introducing Marie to the magical world of toys, and the brave Nutcracker who will change her life forever. E. T. A. Hoffman’s timeless and whimsical tale has become a Christmas classic since it was first published in 1816. It has been adapted numerous times, most notably for the ballet scored by Pyotr Ilyich Tchikovsky in 1892. Though the ballet was not immediately a success, it has become immensely popular since the late 1960s and is performed every year during the holidays by ballet companies around the world. HarperPerennial Classics brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms. Look for more titles in the HarperPerennial Classics collecti on to build your digital library.

The Nutcracker and the Mouse King

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