A festive firecracker

Peter Wright's production of The Nutcracker has been enchanting children and adults alike since its first performance by The Royal Ballet in 1984. Julia Trevelyan Oman’s designs bring the story wonderfully to life, from the 19th century German home of the Stalbaums – which features a Christmas tree that transforms beyond one’s imagination – to the Kingdom of Sweets, where everything is sugar and sparkle.

A host of musical delights

The Nutcracker includes some of Tchaikovsky’s – and indeed, the classical ballet canon’s – most instantly recognizable tunes. Some familiar highlights include the Waltz of the Flowers, the Dance of the Mirlitons and the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, with its signature sound of the twinkling celesta. Many of these melodies have been used in a range of media in popular culture, from festive commercials to Disney’s Fantasia.