2. The Nutcracker
Before becoming a festive ballet, E.T.A. Hoffmann’s original tale, “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” was much darker. The story features sinister toys, a battle with a terrifying Mouse King, and Clara’s anxieties about growing up. Hoffmann’s version is filled with psychological undertones and unsettling imagery, very different from today’s whimsical adaptations (en.wikipedia.org).
