Mariinsky Orchestra
Mariinsky Orchestra is also performing November 1.
Valery Gergiev is also performing November 1 and May 18.
Performers
Mariinsky Orchestra
Valery Gergiev, Music Director and Conductor
Program
TCHAIKOVSKY The Nutcracker (concert performance)
Event Duration
The printed program will last approximately 90 minutes with no intermission. Please note that there will be no late seating.The Mariinsky Orchestra Residency with Valery Gergiev at Carnegie Hall is made possible by a leadership gift from Mrs. Veronica Atkins.
At a Glance
Tonight’s program offers a familiar musical work in a somewhat unconventional context. Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker has become a beloved holiday classic, especially in the United States, where Christmastime presentations of the ballet have become a cherished tradition for performers and audiences alike.
In contrast to this special status today, The Nutcracker was originally composed as the second half of a double bill, paired with Tchaikovsky’s opera Iolanta. The ballet was subsequently adapted into a shorter suite that is often performed by orchestras, but the complete score of the ballet is rarely presented as a standalone concert experience.
This performance thus represents an opportunity to hear the music anew and also appreciate the complex history of The Nutcracker, which as originally conceived—and for many decades after its premiere—had little, if anything, to do with holiday traditions.