Watch: 'I wanted each step to connect with the audience' – Peter Wright on The Nutcracker
The choreographer reflects what makes his classic Royal Ballet production so magical, more than three decades after its premiere.
The Nutcracker (2015)
Recorded | Ballet
Running time: 2 HOURS & 10 MINUTES, INCLUDING 1 INTERVAL.
The story
The young Clara creeps downstairs on Christmas Eve to play with her favourite present – a Nutcracker. But the mysterious magician Drosselmeyer is waiting to sweep her off on a magical adventure.
Background
Peter Wright’s nigh-on definitive production for The Royal Ballet ranks as one of the most enduring and enchanting versions of The Nutcracker. With its festive period setting, dancing snowflakes and enchanting stage magic, Lev Ivanov’s 1892 ballet has become the perfect Christmas entertainment, with Tchaikovsky’s sumptuous, sugar-spun music the most recognizable of all ballet scores.
Credits
- Choreography
- Peter Wright
after Lev Ivanov - Music
- Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky
- Original scenario
- Marius Petipa
- Production and scenario
- Peter Wright
- Designer
- Julia Trevelyan Oman
- Lighting designer
- Mark Henderson
- Production consultant
- Roland John Wiley
- Performed by
- The Royal Ballet
Performers
- Conductor
- Boris Gruzin
- The Sugar Plum Fairy
- Lauren Cuthbertson
- The Prince
- Nehemiah Kish
- Herr Drosselmeyer
- Gary Avis
- Clara
- Francesca Hayward
- Hans-Peter/The Nutcracker
- Alexander Campbell
- Drosselmeyer’s Assistant
- Luca Acri
- Dr Stahlbaum
- Christopher Saunders
- Mrs Stahlbaum
- Elizabeth McGorian
- Clara’s Partner
- Tristan Dyer
- Grandmother
- Kristen McNally
- Grandfather
- Alastair Marriott
- Dancing Mistress
- Genesia Rosato
- Captain
- Johannes Stepanek
- Harlequin
- Fernando Montaño
- Columbine
- Elizabeth Harrod
- Soldier
- James Hay
- Vivandière
- Fumi Kaneko
- St Nicholas
- David Donnelly
- Mouse King
- Nicol Edmonds
- Spanish dances
- Arabian dances
- Chinese dances
- Russian dances
- Dance of the Mirlitons
- Rose Fairy
- Yasmine Naghdi
- Rose Fairy Escorts
- Leading flowers
- Concert Master
- Peter Manning
- Orchestra
- Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Digital Programme
The Nutcracker Digital Programme
Digital Programmes bring together a range of specially selected films, audio clips, pictures, articles, features, news and information, as well as exclusives and updates, and highlights from the Royal Opera House website, YouTube, SoundCloud and Flickr pages. Features are added as the performances approach, to enhance your experience of a production.
Cast sheets
Cast sheets are available as PDFs
News and features
Watch: Why The Royal Ballet never tire of performing The Nutcracker
Each and every time it returns, the cast and creative team work tirelessly to ensure that Peter Wright's classic ballet is up to the Company's supremely high standards.
Your Reaction: What did you think of The Nutcracker live in cinemas? (2016/17)
The audience react to this festive ballet as it returns to cinemas across the world in Sir Peter Wright's 90th birthday year.
To find out more visit the The Nutcracker (2015) production page.
