The year was 1892, and the St. Petersburg audience had packed into the theater on a frigid December evening to see Iolanta, a new opera by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Also on the program was the composer’s latest ballet, which, by all contemporary accounts, turned out to be mediocre at best. Today, The Nutcracker is universally recognized as one of the finest ballets of the 19th century and a tradition virtually synonymous with Christmas. Now through December 30, you have the … Read More