Ernst theodor amadeus hoffmann commonly abbreviated as e. The nutcracker history the nutcracker is a ballet based on the story written by eta hoffman, the nutcracker and the mouse king. He managed to get into the bureaucratic services of the state prussia, but was not considered too well. His stories form the basis of jacques offenbachs opera the tales of hoffmann, in which hoffmann appears heavily fictionalized as the hero. Caught up in the beauty of the ballet, id never thought about how much that whole scenario would scare the bejeezus outta me. Oldstyle tales press publishes annotated and illustrated editions of classic horror, classic weird fiction, classic ghost stories, and gothic novels. Hoffmann, in which young marie stahlbaums favourite 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. Ive seen balletmets the nutcracker at the ohio theatre multiple times, but id never read the 1816 story the nutcracker and the mouse king by eta hoffman. After his fathers death he has a very bad childhood ending when he went to university to study law between 179295. He was a germanborn in prussia, which is now russia, and he was a lawyer and judge.
The original stories behind everyones favorite christmas ballet it wasnt until the. Dec 25, 2012 maurice sendak worked on a version of the nutcracker for the pacific northwest ballet in 1983, and put out a book in 1984. Maurice sendak worked on a version of the nutcracker for the pacific northwest ballet in 1983, and put out a book in 1984. Translated by ralph manheim and published by crown in 2012 isbn 9780385348645. Action centers on a young girl, clara, whos guided through a magical kingdom by her. The original story of the nutcracker, weird and wonderful by one of the masters of horror and weirdness.
The original stories behind everyones favorite christmas ballet it wasnt until the 1950s that seeing the nutcracker at christmastime became an american tradition. The story of the original nutcracker a mothers random thoughts. He was by education a jurist but it is for his short fiction and most of all for the nutcracker and the mouse on which the famous ballet the nutcracker is based. It was the dumas version that inspired themore tiffanys correct, e.
Hoffmann 1776 1822 the original story of the nutcracker, weird and wonderful by one of the masters of horror and weirdness. Nutcracker and mouse king read book online for free. Marie, seven, and her brother, fritz, eight, sit outside the parlor. Hoffmans version of the story was the original, and was adapted by dumas. The nutcracker is a christmas story about a little girl named maria and her wooden doll, the nutcracker, who becomes alive to fight the evil sevenheaded mouse king.
It was on this folklore that eta hoffman drew in his nutcracker and mouse king, a macabre exploration of wideeyed childlike imagination pitted against the bourgeois values of 19thcentury bavaria. Hoffmann was born on the 24th of january 1776 in konigsberg now russia as the son of a lawyer. This struggle between artistry and bureaucracy is played out in many of his works. I found it easier to understand what was going on in the story and its so cute. One of hoffmann s stories was adapted by the french writer alexandre dumas. Marie, a young girl, falls in love with a nutcracker doll, whom she only sees come alive when she falls asleep. When sendak agreed to design sets and costumes for the pacific northwest ballets christmas production of the tale, he made it his mission to restore the weird, dark qualities that made the original something of a master piece.
About nutcracker and mouse king and the tale of the nutcracker. Included are all the wonderful scenes and characters. The nutcracker eta hoffmann maurice sendak pp9780385348645 the tale of nutcracker, written by e. In 1892, the russian composer pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky and choreographers marius petipa and lev ivanov turned the adaptation of the story into the famous ballet the nutcracker. From dracula and frankenstein to henry james and edgar allan poe, we illuminate your journeys through literatures darkest domains. Nov 25, 2019 he tells her a long story about a princess named pirlipat, some wicked mice, and a brave young man who tried to save the princess from the mice, only to get turned into a nutcracker. And the edition i read has them both together, translated into english by joachim. His father, christoph ludwig hoffmann 173697, was a barrister in konigsberg, prussia now kaliningrad, russia, as well as a poet and amateur musician who played the viola da gamba. It has retained its freshness because it appeals to the sense of wonder we all share. The nutcracker and the mouse king is a christmas classic written in 1816, by e. Almost fifty years before lewis carrolls alices adventures in wonderland it incorporates its original audience as characters within the story, but whereas alice blends fantasy with. Marie is convinced this story is about her new nutcracker, especially when she gets visited by the mouse king for several nights running. From the folk tales of eta hoffman and alexandre dumas to tchaikovskys ballet and beyond, translater sarah ardizzone traces the evolution. With 120 pages of full colored illustrations by renowned artist maurice sendak, eta hoffmanns classic story of the nutcracker takes on an added dimension of fantasy.
Hoffmann, a german romantic author of fantasy and horror, composer, music critic, and caricaturist. The link between hoffmann and drosselmeier belongs to literary history or biography, but that between drosselmeier and the nutcracker is at the centre of the. Nutcracker and mouse king the story begins on christmas eve at the stahlbaum house. The 1892 ballet is based on an 1816 short story the nutcracker and the mouse king, by e. Christmas eve at the stahlbaum house, the arrival of godpapa drosselmeier and the presentation of the nutcracker, the fierce battle between the nutcracker and the sevenheaded mouse king, the adventures in christmas wood, toyland, marzipan. The nutcracker story is told with each vignette, introducing a different character or accessory to.
Feb 23, 2010 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Get exclusive access to content from our 1768 first edition with your subscription. A download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Although it would be difficult to trace completely his. Maurice sendak designed brilliant sets and costumes for the pacific northwest ballets christmas production of nutcracker and has created. The nutcracker story is told with each vignette, introducing a different character or accessory to craft. Hoffmanns classic childrens tale, nutcracker and mouseking, which was penned in german in 1816. After beginning a career in the law, hoffman turned to music, working as a conductor, music director, and critic, and later composing a ballet, an opera, and other works. Nutcracker and mouse king and the tale of the nutcracker by e. Simon was making it popular in the englishspeaking world. This item turns up on amazon when you search for eta hoffman. Nov 30, 2016 eta hoffmann was an artist with many talents and a lover of the performing arts. Nutcracker and mouse king and the tale of the nutcracker.
The story of the nutcracker in pictures books the guardian. The ballet coppelia 1870, by leo delibes, is also based on a hoffmann story, as is pyotr ilyich tchaikovskys ballet suite, the nutcracker 1892. Originally written in the early twentieth century, the story of a little girls love for an enchanted nutcracker has delighted generations of readers, while the tchaikovsky ballet based on the tale has become a holiday tradition. Although what is seen on the stage today is different in detail from the original story, the basic plot remains the same. He was a leading figure of german romanticism and most of his short stories have elements of the gothic fairy tale. Read online the nutcracker and the mouse king pdf by e. Hoffmann, a german romantic author of fantasy and horror, composer, music critic, and caricaturist in the tale, young marie stahlbaums favorite christmas toy, the nutcracker, comes alive and, after defeating the evil mouse king in battle, whisks her away to a magical kingdom. However, what you probably dont know is that the original nutcracker story was written years early in 1816. The little nutcracker pagemarker is a lovely extra. My favorite version of the story is the one by alexandre dumas called the tale of the nutcracker. Im not saying all the magic is lost, but i feel cheated to find paperbacklikeearlyreaderskindoftext printed and bound in high quality book. The edition i read, nutcracker, featured illustrations by maurice sendak which i loved. The nutcrackers origin can be traced back to russia in the late 1800s where choreographer marius petipa and composer peter ilyitch tchaikovsky created the ballet based on eta hoffmans story of the nutcracker and the mouse king.
Nutcracker and mouse king by eta hoffmann and the tale. In the tale, young marie stahlbaums favorite christmas toy, the nutcracker, comes alive and, after. Dumas explicitly acknowledged hoffman within the text of his version of. Hoffmanns ancestors, both maternal and paternal, were jurists. The story is wellknown, but the beauty of this book made it seem brand new. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. The nutcracker ballet is based on the story the nutcracker and the king of mice written by e. The story of the nutcracker kindle edition by hoffmann, e. But the story itself is much older and its original intent more complex. Not only is the cover exquisite, but the art and illustrations inside the book are fantastic. He wrote 49 tales and two novels, composed eight operas, and was also a productive music critic and a. It was on this folklore that eta hoffman drew in his nutcracker and mouse king. Hoffmann in 1816, has fascinated and inspired artists, composers, and audiences for almost two hundred years.
Since its premiere in 1954, the nutcracker has been performed by the new york city ballet over 2,000 times, carrying children and adults alike into the dreamlike realm of a story that has fascinated and inspired artists, composers, and audiences for almost two hundred years. One of the ten best illustrated childrens books of the year. Hoffmanns the nutcracker this is a beautifully well done crochet book. This is my favorite holiday story and if you are like me. Hoffmanns 1816 fairy tale, on which the ballet is based, is troubling. Now young children can enjoy this beloved classic in a specially abridged version by bob blaisdell.
Hoffmann claire bloom, pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky, e. He wrote 49 tales and two novels, composed eight operas, and was also a productive music critic and a conductor. But the nutcracker ballet many of us are familiar with is far from the story e. The dark roots of the nutcracker and the man who wrote it this is the time of year when one mans work is widely if indirectly celebrated. Nutcracker and mouse king and the tale of the nutcracker penguin classics 9780143104834. Nutcracker and mouse king and the tale of the nutcracker by eta. Originally choreographed by marius petipa, was first performed in st. The nutcracker by eta hoffman illustrated by maurice sendak.
The story concerns a girl named marie, who is given a nutcracker which looks like a soldier. Christmas eve lyrics during the long, long day of the twentyfourth of december, the children of doctor stahlbaum were not permitted to enter the. Caught up in the beauty of the ballet, id never thought about how much. The story concerns a girl named marie, who is given a nutcracker which looks like a soldier on christmas eve. Hoffmans bestknown story today is the nutcracker and the mouse king, giving rise as it did to the famous ballet set to tchaikovskys score. Dec 11, 2012 the nutcracker and the mouse king german. The story of the original nutcracker a mothers random. Hoffmann s title for it was nutcracker and mouse king. The original story is horribly butchered they call it adapted to mere 32 pages. Kind reader, or listener, whatever may be your name, whether frank, robert, henry,anna or maria, i beg you to call to mind the table.
The dark roots of the nutcracker and the man who wrote. The nutcracker and the mouse king was a story by e. He described hoffmanns story as having bite and muscle, the way the. Read pdf the nutcracker and the mouse king absolutely for free at. Hoffmann, but most everyone is familiar with his most famous creation. Hoffmann practised law in order to support his ideal artistic life. It was the tale of a little girl, marie, and her christmas toys. The story of a young german girl who dreams of a nutcracker prince and a fierce battle against a mouse king with. In the story young marie stahlbaums 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. Eta hoffmann was an artist with many talents and a lover of the performing arts. Hoffmann is a major figure of the romantic period and among the bestknown writers of the german romantic movement outside germany. His original story was much darker than the version we now know. I think this book is perfect to read at christmas because it takes place on christmas eve.
Dec 24, 2015 we can trace accounts of wooden nutcrackers springing to life back to the folk tales of bohemia, poland and muscovy. This is one of the earliest known english translations of e. While alexandre dumas, pere was making this story famous in france, this translation by mrs. Hoffman s bestknown story today is the nutcracker and the mouse king, giving rise as it did to the famous ballet set to tchaikovskys score.
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