The Nutcracker Suite Trivia Questions

Tchaikovsky selected eight movements from the ballet for the 20-minute concert suite, which premiered in March 1892, nine months before the full ballet. He approved the final tracklist.

Tchaikovsky discovered the celesta in Paris in 1891 and insisted it be kept secret from other composers. Its ethereal sound perfectly matched the Sugar Plum Fairy, making it iconic.

The Trepak was always intended as a fast, high-energy folk dance. Its frantic pace reflects the traditional Russian trepak, a whirling Cossack dance.

The ballet was commissioned by Ivan Vsevolozhsky, director of the Imperial Theatres, in 1891. Tchaikovsky composed the suite and the full ballet for the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg.

Disney's 1940 'Fantasia' featured the entire 'Nutcracker Suite,' including the 'Dance of the Reed Flutes.' It was not omitted; the film used all eight movements.

The 1892 premiere of 'The Nutcracker' ballet was actually well-received by audiences, though some critics found it lacking in plot. The Suite, premiered earlier, was a success.

The Waltz of the Flowers is entirely Tchaikovsky's original composition, not based on any folk dance. It was crafted to showcase the orchestra's full romantic sweep.

In the 'March' and other sections, Tchaikovsky wrote for toy instruments like trumpets and drums to evoke a child's Christmas party. They were specially made for the premiere.