Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker

First performed in 1892 and based on a tale by E.T.A. Hoffmann, Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker stands as a landmark of his late work, shaped by melodic abundance and distinctive orchestral colour. Several numbers — from the "Waltz of the Flowers" and the "Pas de deux" to the shimmering "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" with its then-novel use of the celesta — have long since entered the classical canon. This production from the Mariinsky Theatre continues the enduring Russian tradition of Nutcracker stagings, bringing the ballet's fantasy and elegance to life with characteristic refinement.