The famous story of The Nutcracker tells the tale of Clara, a young girl who creeps downstairs on Christmas Eve to retrieve her favourite present. But a mysterious magician, Drosselmeyer, is waiting to sweep her off on a magical adventure.

Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker was first performed in 1892 at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg. It initially had a poor reception, but its combination of enchanting choreography and an unforgettable score have since made it one of the best-loved of all ballets.

In Peter Wright’s classic production, the stage sparkles with theatrical magic; a Christmas tree grows before our eyes, toy soldiers come to life to fight the villainous Mouse King and Clara is whisked to the Land of Sweets on a golden sleigh. Tchaikovsky’s score contains some of the best-known melodies in ballet, from the flurrying sounds of the Waltz Of The Snowflakes to the dream-like Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy and the vigorous Russian Dance. Julia Trevelyan Oman’s designs draw upon 19th-century images of Christmas, making this a classic production for the festive season.

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