And that’s even before we mention the imposing Christmas tree… Returned to its full bustle after a Covid-dictated reduced version last year, this party is a delight: with its adults in a flurry of socialising and a gaggle of excited children, everywhere you look there’s a little drama going on. This 1984 production by Sir Peter Wright, whose 95th birthday was celebrated with his presence on stage at the end of Thursday’s matinee, relies on Lev Ivanov’s original Russian choreography, but has been gently reworked and tweaked over the years to bring it as near to perfection as possible.Īct I is the Christmas Eve party at the German home of the well-to-do Stahlbaum family, sumptuously designed with a wealth of Biedermeier period detail by Julia Trevelyan Oman.

Combining magnificent dancing with a story sure to awaken the inner child in even the most cynical adult, stunning designs and Tchaikovsky’s miraculous score, The Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker is an unparalleled Christmas treat. Should somebody tell you they don’t ‘get’ the magic of ballet, send them to The Nutcracker, preferably in its glorious Royal Ballet production.

Royal opera house nutcracker