年轻舞蹈演员们正在后台排练

“胡桃夹子”于1892年在俄罗斯圣彼得堡（Petersburg）首演，在俄国出生的舞蹈大师巴兰钦（George Balanchine）于1954年将它搬上舞台后在美国大受欢迎。

2011年12月22日

柴可夫斯基（Tchaikovsky）的芭蕾舞剧“胡桃夹子”描述一个作为圣诞礼物的玩具复活的故事。在岁末的节日中，该剧是许多美国人必定观看的传统剧目。图为波士顿芭蕾舞团（Boston Ballet’s production）扮演剧中驯鹿的年轻舞蹈演员们正在后台排练。

“胡桃夹子”于1892年在俄罗斯圣彼得堡（Petersburg）首演，在俄国出生的舞蹈大师巴兰钦（George Balanchine）于1954年将它搬上舞台后在美国大受欢迎。

对于许多美国人来说，是“胡桃夹子”把他们导入芭蕾舞世界的。据洛杉矶时报（Los Angeles Times）的统计，今年，全美有120多个城镇正在上演该剧。演出团体从深得巴兰钦经典精髓的纽约市芭蕾舞团直至中学戏剧组和儿童芭蕾舞学校。该剧在美国极受欢迎，许多地方芭蕾舞团甚至要靠它的演出收入来支撑全年的开销。

The Nutcracker ballet is an integral part of the holiday season for many Americans. It is being performed in more than 120 cities and towns across the United States.

The Nutcracker, Tchaikovsky’s ballet about a Christmas toy that comes to life, is an integral part of the holiday season for many Americans. Shown here, young dancers prepare backstage for their roles as reindeer in the Boston Ballet’s production.

The Nutcracker premiered in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1892 and became popular in the United States after the great Russian-born choreographer George Balanchine mounted a production in 1954.

For many Americans, The Nutcracker is an introduction to the world of ballet. This year it is being performed in more than 120 cities and towns across the United States, according to a count by the Los Angeles Times. The productions range from the New York City Ballet’s Balanchine-inspired extravaganza to performances at secondary schools and children’s dance academies. It is so popular that many local ballet companies depend on the proceeds from their annual Nutcracker performances to keep them afloat for the rest of the year.