The Nutcracker Fantasy Ornament Collection by Inge Glas

This wooden boxed set of 6 beautiful jewel-toned, mouth blown and hand painted full-size ornaments, 3 3/4" to 5", depicts 6 essential elements from the beloved story.

The Nutcracker and the Mouse King play was created by the German writer E.T.A. Hoffman in 1816. A magical story about a young girl, Marie, who was given a nutcracker doll from her godfather, Herr Drosselmeier. The play was adapted in 1845 by French novelist Alexandre Dumas, who changed the play to be more suitable for children.

At this point, Marie’s name was changed to Clara. In 1891, this version was chosen by the senior ballet master of the Russian Imperial Ballet, who then commissioned Piotr IIyich Tchaikovsky to compose a score for the nutcracker production. The ballet opened in St. Petersburg, Russia, on December 17, 1892, “The Nutcracker”, a holiday fairy tale about a girl named Clara and her nutcracker doll.

At a family Christmas gathering, Clara was given a special nutcracker for Christmas from her godfather Herr Drosselmeier, whom she adored. After the evening’s festivities were done and everyone was off to bed, Clara went back downstairs to dance with her new toy. Clara eventually falls asleep and her dream begins, taking her into the Land of Sweets. She awakens the next morning with her nutcracker and memories of her fantasy adventure.

It was not until 1940 that the ballet debuted in the United States. In 1954 George Balanchine is credited with creating the most successful ballet version of "The Nutcracker." "The Nutcracker" ballet is probably the world’s most favorite ballet, seen by millions, especially during the holiday season.

The six essential elements include:
Mouse King
Herr Drosselmeier
Clara
Nutcracker Fantasy Book
The Nutcracker
The Prince