E.T.A. Hoffman

E. T. A. Hoffman (1776-1822) was a short-story writer and novelist who ranked among the major figures of German romanticism. He was also a composer, designer, music critic, and a conductor of the Leipzig and Dresden operas. He is best known for creating the story of the Nutcracker, which was set to music by Peter Llyich Tchaikovsky in 1892, becoming an instant classic.